Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Protestant Christianity that calls for Christians to put their faith into action in all areas of life. The beliefs characteristic of Christian Reconstructionism include: Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated with the doctrines of the Reformation. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is...

1. Calvinism as the basis for personal regeneration that is required to change people before changes occur in the broader culture,
2. Theonomy applying the general principles of Old Testament and New Testament moral law and case laws in the appropriate family, church and/or civil government,
3. Postmillennialism, the Christian Eschatology belief that God's kingdom began at the first coming of Jesus Christ, and will advance throughout history until it fills the whole earth through conversion to the Christian faith,
4. The presuppositional apologetics of Cornelius Van Til which holds there is no neutrality between believers and non-believers, that the Bible reveals a self-authenticating world-view and system of truth, and that non-believing belief systems self-destruct when they become more consistent with their presuppositions, (Bahnsen, Van Til's Apologetic, pp. 145-6, 97, 315-6) and
5. Decentralized social order resulting in minimal state power.^[1]

Christian Reconstructionism is not related to Reconstructionist Judaism, Progressive Reconstructionism or any form of Polytheistic Reconstructionism. This movement is also unrelated to the Reconstruction period that followed the American Civil War. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Calvinism is a theological... Theonomy The word theonomy derives from the Greek words “theos” God, and “nomos” law. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which corresponds to the Protestant Old Testament. ... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... It has been suggested that Reconstructionist Postmillennialism be merged into this article or section. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the... Presuppositional apologetics is a school of Christian apologetics, a field of Christian theology that aims to (1) present a rational basis for the Christian faith, (2) defend the faith against objections, and (3) expose the perceived flaws of other worldviews. ... Cornelius Van Til Cornelius Van Til (May 4, 1895 - April 17, 1987), born in Grootegast, the Netherlands, was a Christian philosopher, Reformed theologian, and presuppositional apologist. ... In civics, minarchism, sometimes called minimal statism or small government, is the view that the size, role and influence of government in a free society should be minimal — only large enough to protect the liberty and property of each individual. ... Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement, based on the ideas of the late Mordecai Kaplan, that views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization. ... The Progressive Reconstructionist movement is a loosely-knit interfaith community found principally at this time in the developed world. ... Romuva Spring JorÄ— festival in Kulionys, Lithuania in 2006. ... For other uses, see Reconstruction (disambiguation). ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total...

Origins

The movement, in its modern form, was founded in the United States of America, by Rousas John (R. J.) Rushdoony in the second half of the 20th century, though to an extent it had its beginnings in the colonial governments of early New England (especially that of the Massachusetts Bay colony). Other past and present Reconstructionist leaders include Gary North (Rushdoony's son-in-law), Howard Ahmanson, Jr., Greg Bahnsen, David Chilton, Gary DeMar, Kenneth Gentry, and Andrew Sandlin. Rousas John Rushdoony (1916–2001) was the seminal leader of the Christian Reconstructionist theology in the United States. ... Gary North For the bisexual rights activist, see Gary North (journalist) Gary North is a writer and publisher from the Christian Reconstruction movement. ... Howard Fieldstead Ahmanson, Jr (born 1950) is an American millionaire philanthropist who funds the causes of Christian fundamentalism. ... Greg L. Bahnsen (September 17, 1948 – December 11, 1995) was an influential Christian philosopher, apologist, and debater. ... David Chilton (1951–1997) was a pastor, Christian Reconstructionist, and author of several books on eschatology and preterism. ... Gary DeMar is an American writer, lecturer and the president of American Vision, an American Christian nonprofit organization. ... Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. ... P. Andrew Sandlin is a former Christian Reconstructionist thinker, and pastor of the Church of the King in California. ...

Influence on the Christian Right in general

Although relatively insignificant in terms of the number of self-described adherents, Christian Reconstructionism has played a role in promoting the trend toward explicitly Christian politics in the larger U.S. Christian Right.^[2] This is the wider trend which some critics refer to, generally, as Dominionism. They also allegedly have influence disproportionate to their numbers among the advocates of the growth of the Christian homeschooling and other Christian education movements that seek independence from the direct oversight or support of the civil government. Because their numbers are so small compared to their influence, they are sometimes accused of being secretive and conspiratorial.^[3][4][5][6] They deny this, noting they have published thousands of newsletters and hundreds of books. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      The Christian... Homeschooling – also called home education or home school – is the education of children at home, typically by parents or guardians, rather than in a public or private school. ...

Some influences on the Christian Right acknowledge looking to the New Testament to justify theocracy.^{[citation needed]} In Matthew 28:18, for example, Jesus is reported to have said, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. This verse is seen as an announcement by Jesus that he has assumed authority over all earthly authority. In that light, some theologians interpret the Great Commission as a command to exercise that authority in his name, bringing all things (including societies and cultures) into subjection under his commands. Rousas John Rushdoony, for example, interpreted the Great Commission as a republication of the "creation mandate" (The Institutes of Biblical Law, p. 729), referring to Genesis 1:28: Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      For the metal band, refer to Theocracy (band). ... In Christian tradition, the Great Commission is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread the faith to all the world. ... Rousas John Rushdoony (1916–2001) was the seminal leader of the Christian Reconstructionist theology in the United States. ...

Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

For Rushdoony, the idea of dominion implied a form of Christian theocracy or, more accurately, a theonomy. For example, he wrote that: Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      For the metal band, refer to Theocracy (band). ... Theonomy The word theonomy derives from the Greek words “theos” God, and “nomos” law. ...

The purpose of Christ's coming was in terms of the creation mandate. . . . The redeemed are called to the original purpose of man, to exercise dominion under God, to be covenant-keepers, and to fulfil "the righteousness of the law" (Rom. 8:4). . . . Man is summoned to create the society God requires.^[7]

Elsewhere he wrote:

The man who is being progressively sanctified will inescapably sanctify his home, school, politics, economics, science, and all things else by understanding and interpreting all things in terms of the word of God and by bringing all things under the dominion of Christ the King.^[8]

According to sociologist and professor of religion William Martin[1], author of With God on Our Side:

"It is difficult to assess the influence of Reconstructionist thought with any accuracy. Because it is so genuinely radical, most leaders of the Religious Right are careful to distance themselves from it. At the same time, it clearly holds some appeal for many of them. One undoubtedly spoke for others when he confessed, 'Though we hide their books under the bed, we read them just the same.' In addition, several key leaders have acknowledged an intellectual debt to the theonomists. Jerry Falwell and D. James Kennedy have endorsed Reconstructionist books. Rushdoony has appeared on Kennedy's television program and the 700 Club several times. Pat Robertson makes frequent use of 'dominion' language; his book, The Secret Kingdom, has often been cited for its theonomy elements; and pluralists were made uncomfortable when, during his presidential campaign, he said he 'would only bring Christians and Jews into the government,' as well as when he later wrote, 'There will never be world peace until God's house and God's people are given their rightful place of leadership at the top of the world.' And Jay Grimstead, who leads the Coalition on Revival, which brings Reconstructionists together with more mainstream evangelicals, has said, 'I don't call myself [a Reconstructionist],' but 'A lot of us are coming to realize that the Bible is God's standard of morality . . . in all points of history . . . and for all societies, Christian and non-Christian alike. . . . It so happens that Rushdoony, Bahnsen, and North understood that sooner.' He added, 'There are a lot of us floating around in Christian leadership James Kennedy is one of them-who don't go all the way with the theonomy thing, but who want to rebuild America based on the Bible.'" (Martin 1996:354)

Christian Reconstructionists describe their view of public ethics by the term, "Theonomy" (the Law of God governs); while their critics tend to label them "Theocratic" (God governs). The notable differences are that "theocracy" is usually thought of as totalitarian and involving no distinction between church and state, while "theonomy" is broadly libertarian and maintains a distinction of sphere of authority between family, church, and state. For example, enforcement of moral sanctions under theonomy is done by family and church government, and sanctions for moral offenses is outside the authority of civil government (which is limited to criminal matters, courts and national defense.) This article is about Jerry Falwell, Sr. ... Dennis James Kennedy, Ph. ... Rousas John Rushdoony (1916–2001) was the seminal leader of the Christian Reconstructionist theology in the United States. ... The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing on cables ABC Family and in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. ... Marion Gordon Pat Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is a televangelist from the United States. ... Greg L. Bahnsen (September 17, 1948 – December 11, 1995) was an influential Christian philosopher, apologist, and debater. ... Gary North For the bisexual rights activist, see Gary North (journalist) Gary North is a writer and publisher from the Christian Reconstruction movement. ... Theonomy The word theonomy derives from the Greek words “theos” God, and “nomos” law. ... Theocracy is a form of government in which a religion and the government are allied. ... The concept of Totalitarianism is a typology or ideal-type used by some political scientists to encapsulate the characteristics of a number of twentieth century regimes that mobilized entire populations in support of the state or an ideology. ... See also Libertarianism and Libertarian Party Libertarian,is a term for person who has made a conscious and principled commitment, evidenced by a statement or Pledge, to forswear violating others rights and usually living in voluntary communities: thus in law no longer subject to government supervision. ...

The founders of the movement have all been Calvinists, and they believe that their view of the law is a faithful extension of the Reformed Christian view of the continuing validity of Biblical Law in a modern context. This is sometimes bitterly contested in the conservative Reformed churches where their influence first began to appear. Some Reformed denominations have crafted official statements rejecting theonomy as a heresy, but others tolerate some forms of it on the grounds that as a Biblical theology it can appeal to historical and doctrinal precedent within the Puritan and Reformed tradition. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Calvinism is a theological... For the record label, see Puritan Records. ...

Christian Reconstructionism was originally formulated as a practical expression of Postmillennial Christian Eschatology, though the distinctive tenets of the school of thought (generally referred to as Theonomic Ethics) are purported to be compatible with other eschatological viewpoints within conservative Christianity. The "second generation" of theonomists includes some premillennial evangelical and fundamentalist movements. It has been suggested that Reconstructionist Postmillennialism be merged into this article or section. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the... Theonomy The word theonomy derives from the Greek words “theos” God, and “nomos” law. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about Premillennialism in Christian...

The Reconstructionist perspective

The social structure advocated by Christian Reconstructionism would have the clergy, laity and government, individually and corporately, to be in ultimate submission to the moral principles of the Bible, including the Old Testament, while retaining their separate jurisdictional spheres of authority and roles in society as inferred from principles of biblical law, both Old and New Testaments. It is the claim of Christian Reconstructionism that even as under the Davidic administration of the Israelites, the Priests (Levitical line) and Kings (Davidic line) were distinguished by their scopes of authority (e.g., the King could not offer sacrifices for others and the Priests could not pass or enforce legislation) and their roles in society (e.g., the King maintained the social welfare and the Priests maintained personal welfare), so it should be in a modern Christian Reconstructionist society. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which corresponds to the Protestant Old Testament. ...

While many Christians believe that biblical law is a guide to morality and public ethics, when interpreted in faith, Reconstructionism is unique in advocating that civil law should be derived from and limited by biblical law. For example, they support the recriminalization of acts of abortion and homosexuality, but also oppose confiscatory taxation, conscription, and most aspects of the welfare state. Protection of property and life needs grounding in biblical law, according to Reconstructionism, or the state set free from the restraint of God's law will take what it wishes at a whim. Accordingly, Reconstructionists advocate biblically derived measures of restitution, a definite limit upon the powers of taxation, and a gold standard or equivalent fixed unit for currency. Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... The Welfare State of the United Kingdom was prefigured in the William Beveridge Report in 1942, which identified five Giant Evils in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness and disease. ... Restitution is the name given to a form of legal relief in which the plaintiff recovers something from the defendant that belongs, or should belong, to the plaintiff. ... The gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is a fixed weight of gold. ...

Views on pluralism

Christian Reconstructionists make no pretense of subscribing to the pluralistic ideals of religious tolerance (derided as "Political Polytheism", by author Gary North, in a book of that name), because this would require them to accept a non-Biblical source of ethical standards. They envision a future in which opponents to Jesus Christ will eventually be relatively few in number and surrender the public square to his rule. In principle they are opposed to bringing this about through martial or political means. Adherents of the movement are opposed to any institutional combination of Church and State, as in Erastianism and Caesaropapism. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... This article is about religious pluralism. ... Freedom of religion is the individuals right or freedom to hold whatever religious beliefs he or she wishes, or none at all. ... Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple gods or deities. ... Thomas Erastus (September 7, 1524 - December 31, 1583), German-Swiss theologian, whose surname was Liber, Lieber, or Liebler, was born of poor parents, probably at Baden, canton of Aargau, Switzerland. ... Caesaropapism is the concept of combining the power of secular government with, or making it supreme to, the spiritual authority of the Christian Church; most especially, the inter-penetration of the theological authority of the Christian Church with the legal/juridical authority of the government; in its extreme form, it...

They do not view politics as their primary, or even an important, instrument of change. Nevertheless, in political terms the ideal that they aim toward might be called "denominational tolerance", or "tolerance within the bounds of Christianity": in the predominantly Christian world they envision, this is the only kind of tolerance that will be necessary. Therefore, they use the Bible, in contrast to political documents like the Constitution of the United States, as their pattern and guide for envisioning the future. They are more in line with the theonomic Christian Commonwealths, such as that of Colonial Massachusetts under John Cotton, Geneva under John Calvin, or the Netherlands under Abraham Kuyper, even though Kuyper was a pluralist who governed in coalition with the Roman Catholic political party and was opposed to the freemaket economics that theonomists think Biblical law requires. Christian Reconstructionists cite the eventual failure of the English Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell as evidence that only majority rule and consent can sustain a Theonomic Christian Commonwealth. They seek to pervade society from within, through the gradual spread and perfection of Christian belief and obedience; and they believe that this influence is ultimately inexorable, having no need for or benefit from top-down coercion of any kind, because it is carried out under the already established authority of Jesus Christ. This article is about the U.S. State. ... John Cotton (1585–1652) The Reverend John Cotton (December 4, 1585 – December 23, 1652) was a highly regarded principal among the New England Puritan ministers, who also included John Winthrop, Thomas Hooker, Increase Mather (who became his son-in-law), John Davenport, and Thomas Shepard. ... Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German:   //, Italian: Ginevra //, Romansh: Genevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich), and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). ... John Calvin (July 10, 1509 – May 27, 1564) was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and was a central developer of the system of Christian theology called Calvinism or Reformed theology. ... Abraham Kuyper (October 29, 1837, Maassluis – November 8, 1920 The Hague; name officially Kuijper) was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian. ... Motto: PAX QUÆRITUR BELLO (English: Peace is sought through war) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Language(s) English Government Republic Lord Protector  - 1649-1658 Oliver Cromwell Legislature Rump Parliament Barebones Parliament History  - Declaration of Commonwealth May 19, 1649  - Declaration of Breda April 4, 1660 Area 130,395... For other uses, see Oliver Cromwell (disambiguation). ...

Christian Reconstructionist leader Gary North summarized his views this way: Gary North For the bisexual rights activist, see Gary North (journalist) Gary North is a writer and publisher from the Christian Reconstruction movement. ...

"What I found is this: the concept of the rule of law was Mosaic, not Greek (Ex. 12:49). The concept of private property is supported in the Decalogue's laws against theft and covetousness. The Mosaic economic law as a whole was pro-market, pro-private ownership, pro-foreign trade, pro-money-lending (Deut. 28:12). The New Testament did not break with most of these laws, and the few that it did break with, such as slavery and the jubilee land law, made the resulting position even more market favorable. It is my goal in life to do what I can to persuade people to shrink the State. The messianic State is a crude imitation of a religion of redemption. It makes the State the healer and, ultimately, the savior of all mankind. This messianic religion is what the early church battled theologically and risked martyrdom to oppose. Christians refused to toss a pinch of incense onto the altar symbolizing the genius of the emperor. For that seemingly minor resistance to State power, they were thrown to the lions. Both sides knew the stakes of that contest. Christianity was a dagger pointed at the heart of the messianic State."("Authentic Libertarianism").

The Torah () is the most important document in Judaism, revered as the inspired word of God, traditionally said to have been revealed to Moses. ... This article is about a list of ten religious commandments. ...

Cultural views

Reconstructionists seek an approach to culture and ethics that is ideally biblical. Unlike most Calvinists, they deny that non-Christians can be appealed to apart from scripture, to persuade them to adopt ideas that are approximately scriptural. They believe that where there is no faith in the Bible, there is no functional common-ground between people, because God is denied in whose image all people are made. This is one reason that politics is not a significant instrument of change in the Reconstructionist program, and the political involvement that they urge is explicitly Christian and biblical, not consensus-building. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ...

Reconstructionists claim that biblical law requires equal treatment of all people regardless of their beliefs, and that it is inherently just toward all men. They argue that the social laws that might be established under biblical law would not regulate beliefs, but only actions, and more specifically, public actions (where public denotes a demonstrable corpus delicti or mens rea). It is not consistent with their goal of a severely limited role for the civil state, to seek out religious deviants. However, public actions, which are contrary to their understanding of general principles of the moral law (e.g., open hostility to God (blasphemy), propagation of idolatry, public homosexuality), would not be tolerated, because these are acts of public intolerance of God's rule and would be disruptive of the social structure. They see only two options inevitably opposed as totalities: the kingdom of God which subverts sin, against the totalitarian humanist state which subverts God's rule. Corpus delicti (Latin: body of crime) is a term from Western jurisprudence which refers to the principle that it must be proven that a crime has occurred before a person can be convicted of committing the crime. ... The mens rea is the Latin term for guilty mind used in the criminal law. ...

Reconstructionists claim to be continuing Reformed theology, especially in its Puritan form. There has been debate between Reconstructionists and their critics over the extent to which similar views were held by the authors of major Reformed standards, such as the Westminster Confession. A more recent precursor to Christian Reconstruction was businessman and Christian Reformed Church member Frederick Nymeyer who published the journal Progressive Calvinism (1955-1960) in which he advocated Biblical law and Austrian economics.

Variations

Christian Reconstruction broadly divided into two branches. One group, oriented to the ideas of R.J. Rushdoony and associated with the Chalcedon Foundation of California, maintained an emphasis on the role of the individual and family in their own self-discipline and interaction with culture, while the other, associated with Gary North and the Institute for Christian Economics (ICE) in Tyler, Texas began to emphasize a unique five-point covenant model, the institutional church, the clergy and sacraments. Some writers published by ICE went on to repudiate Christian Reconstruction. Of these Ray Sutton became a bishop in the Reformed Episcopal Church, and James B. Jordan and Peter Leithart, building on the anti-theonomic theology of Meredith Kline, developed a new theological movement known as Federal Vision theology. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Rousas John Rushdoony (1916–2001) was the major intellectual figure of the Christian Reconstructionist theology in the United States. ... The Chalcedon Foundation is the name for the Christian Reconstructionist organization founded by Rousas John Rushdoony. ... Gary North For the bisexual rights activist, see Gary North (journalist) Gary North is a writer and publisher from the Christian Reconstruction movement. ... James B. Jordan is a Calvinist theologian and author. ... Peter J. Leithart is the author of many books on literature and theology, a frequent contributor to such ecumenical and Trinitarian publications as First Things, Touchstone, and Credenda/Agenda, as well as theological journals such as Westminster Theological Journal. ... Meredith G. Kline is an American theologian. ... This article or section contains too many quotations for an encyclopedic entry. ...

A group adopting some aspects of Christian Reconstructionism has arisen recently, with a new racial reinterpretation of Christian Reconstructionism called Kinism ("kin" as in "family" or "race"). This new movement is neo-Confederate white separatism re-tooled using Reconstructionist rhetoric, and mixed with agrarian economic principles. Like the Reconstructionists, the Kinists claim to be indebted to Reformed apologist, Cornelius Van Til, who argued that the Bible contains a self-vindicating system of knowledge (Van Til 1969). However, they reject what they refer to as "Austrian economic principles", that is, the libertarian market economics advocated by the Reconstructionists, which is comparable to the free-market principles associated with Ludwig von Mises. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... White separatism is a political movement that promotes a separate homeland for white people. ... Agrarian has two meanings: It can mean pertaining to Agriculture It can also refer to the ideology of Agrarianism and Agrarian parties. ... Cornelius Van Til Cornelius Van Til (May 4, 1895 - April 17, 1987), born in Grootegast, the Netherlands, was a Christian philosopher, Reformed theologian, and presuppositional apologist. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... See also Libertarianism and Libertarian Party Libertarian,is a term for person who has made a conscious and principled commitment, evidenced by a statement or Pledge, to forswear violating others rights and usually living in voluntary communities: thus in law no longer subject to government supervision. ... A free market is a market where the prices of goods and services is arranged completely by the mutual non-coerced consent of sellers and buyers, determined generally by the supply and demand law with no government interference in the regulation of costs, supply and demand. ... Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises (September 29, 1881 – October 10, 1973) (IPA: ) was a notable economist and a major influence on the modern libertarian movement. ...

Critical views

Critics are skeptical of the pragmatic value and actual viability of the proposed Christian Reconstructionist social structure, claiming that an overly authoritarian civil society would be a very real threat if such a structure were to be adopted. They believe that Christian Reconstructionism would entail abandoning the historical interpretation of the principle of separation of religion and government as promoted by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Critics also argue that Reconstructionism would in practice result in the domination of the church by the state (or vice versa), regardless of the stated goals of Reconstructionists. Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... James Madison (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836), an American politician and fourth President of the United States of America (1809–1817), was one of the most influential Founders of the United States. ...

Some prominent advocates of Christian Reconstructionism have openly written that according to their understanding, God's law approves of the death penalty not only for murder, but also for active homosexuals, for adulterers, and perhaps even recalcitrant youths (see the List of capital crimes in the bible). Critics have accused such a view of being rigid and cruel as well as being a violation of fundamental American principles; a point that Reconstructionists concede from an opposite perspective: that American culture has eliminated the idea of moral evil as transgression of God's law from its consciousness, so that the "evil" that the society now seeks to eliminate turns out to be God and his law. According to the Bible, these are the offenses which merit the death penalty. ...

Evangelical groups and individuals also worry about postmillennialist Dominion Theology. These include Gavin Finley and others in the free church tradition such as the Mennonites and the Amish. Dominion Theology is a term used by some social scientists and journalists to describe a theological form of political ideology, which they claim has influenced the Christian Right in the United States, Canada, and Europe, within Protestant Christian evangelicalism and fundamentalism. ... The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations based on the teachings and tradition of Menno Simons. ... This article is about Old Order Amish, but also refers to other Amish sects. ...

Theocracy and neofascism

However, some critics categorize the Christian Reconstructionist movement as a form of totalitarianism or theocratic neofascism. For example, Karen Armstrong sees a potential for fascism in Christian Reconstructionism, and notes that the system of dominion envisaged by Christian Reconstructionist theologians R. J. Rushdoony and Gary North "is totalitarian. There is no room for any other view or policy, no democratic tolerance for rival parties, no individual freedom," (Armstrong, Battle for God, pp. 361-362). Berlet and Lyons have written that the movement is a "new form of clerical fascist politics," (Right-Wing Populism in America, p. 249). Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Totalitarianism is a term employed by some scientists, especially those in the field of comparative politics, to describe modern regimes in which the state regulates nearly every aspect of public and private behavior. ... The terms Neo-Nazism and Neo-Fascism refer to any social or political movement to revive Nazism or Fascism, respectively, and postdates the Second World War. ... Karen Armstrong (born November 14, 1944 in Wildmoor, Worcestershire, England) is an author who writes on Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. ... Clerical fascism is an ideological construct that combines the political and economic doctrines of fascism with theology or religious tradition. ...

^{[9] [10]}[2]

Relation to Dominionism

Some sociologists and critics refer to Reconstructionism as a type of "Dominionism". These critics claim the frequent use of the word, "dominion", by Reconstructionist writers, strongly associates the critical term, Dominionism, with this movement. As an ideological form of Dominionism, Reconstructionism is sometimes held up as the most typical form of Dominion Theology.^{[5][11][3][2][4][6]} This article is on the political-religious concept of dominionism. ... Dominion Theology is a term used by some social scientists and journalists to describe a theological form of political ideology, which they claim has influenced the Christian Right in the United States, Canada, and Europe, within Protestant Christian evangelicalism and fundamentalism. ...

The Protestant theologian Francis Schaeffer is linked with the movement by some critics, but some Reconstructionist thinkers are highly critical of Schaeffer's positions and he himself disavowed any connection or affiliation with Reconstructionism. Authors Sara Diamond and Fred Clarkson suggest that Schaeffer shared with Reconstructionism the tendency toward Dominionism.^[3][4] Francis A. Schaeffer (30 January 1912 – 15 May 1984), an American Evangelical theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor, is most famous for his writings and his establishment of the LAbri community in Switzerland. ... This article is on the political-religious concept of dominionism. ...

Christian Reconstructionists object to the "Dominionism" and the "Dominion Theology" labels, which they say misrepresent their views. Some separate Christian cultural and political movements object to being described with the label Dominionism, because in their mind the word implies attachment to Reconstructionism. In Reconstructionism the idea of godly dominion, subject to God, is contrasted with the autonomous dominion of mankind in rebellion against God.

Dominionism and Dominion Theology are pejorative terms that are applied by critics, and not adopted by a group to describe itself. The terms inherently lumps unrelated groups together for guilt by association. Guilt by association, also known as the bad company fallacy or the company that you keep fallacy, is the logical fallacy of claiming that something must be false because of the people or organisations who support it. ...

Christian critics

Within their own Reformed and Christian circles, critics have been vocal. Some have raised the criticism that the use of biblical sanctions will accomplish more evil than good, even though the law is good, because people are not good. In line with an idea like this, Michael Horton of Westminster Seminary California has warned against the seductiveness of power-religion. The Christian rhetoric of the movement is weak, he argues, against the logic of its authoritarian and legalistic program, which will always drive Reconstructionism toward sub-Christian ideas about sin, and the perfectibility of human nature (such as to imagine that, if Christians are in power, they won't be inclined to do evil). On the contrary, Horton and others maintain, God's Law can, often has been, and will be put to evil uses by Christians and others, in the state, in churches, in the marketplace, and in families; and these crimes are aggravated, because to oppose a wrong committed through abuse of God's law, a critic must bear being labelled an enemy of God's law. [3] Michael Horton Michael Scott Horton is Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California and is heard regularly as host of The White Horse Inn radio program. ... Westminster Seminary California is a Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located 25 miles north of San Diego, California in Escondido. ...

Professor Meredith Kline, aspects of whose own theology have influenced the method of several Reconstructionist theologians, has adamantly maintained that Reconstructionism makes the mistake of failing to understand the special prophetic role of Biblical Israel, including the laws and sanctions, calling it "a delusive and grotesque perversion of the teachings of scripture." ("Comments on an Old-New Error," in The Westminster Theological Journal 41 (Fall 1978)).[4] Kline's student, Lee Irons, himself suspended from office in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church for his view of the Law, [5] furthers the critique in his essay, "The Reformed Theocrats - A Biblical Theological Response": Meredith G. Kline is an American theologian. ...

According to the Reformed theocrats apparently ... the only satisfactory goal is that America become a Christian nation.

Ironically ... it is the wholesale rejection (not revival) of theocratic principles that is desperately needed today if the church is to be faithful to the task of gospel witness entrusted to her in the present age ... It is only as the church ... puts aside the lust for worldly influence and power - that she will be a positive presence in society.[6]

Rodney Clapp, in a piece for the Evangelical magazine, Christianity Today (Vol. 31, No. 3 (February 20, 1987), pp. 17-23), entitled "Democracy as Heresy", wrote that Reconstructionism is an anti-democratic movement. This article was answered in a 1987 newsletter by Gary North titled "Honest Reporting as Heresy" (also published in Westminster's Confession, pp.317-341.)

Reconstructionist Dr. Greg Bahnsen writes in the Foreword to The Debate Over Christian Reconstruction by Gary DeMar (Atlanta, GA: American Vision Press, 1988), that Christian criticisms of Theonomy and Reconstructionism tend to be of such poor quality, that they discredit Christian scholarship as a whole:

It is difficult enough for us to gain a hearing in the unbelieving world because of its hostility to the Lord Jesus Christ and its preconception of the lowly intelligence of His followers. The difficulty is magnified many times over when believers offer public, obvious evidence of their inability to treat each other’s opinions with careful accuracy.

See also

• Summary of Christian eschatological differences
• Christian libertarianism
• Christian Exodus
• TheocracyWatch

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Christian anarchism (also known as Christian libertarianism) is the belief that the only source of authority to which Christians are ultimately answerable is God, embodied in the teachings of Jesus. ... Christian Exodus (the brainchild of a Neo-Confederate financial advisor, Cory Burnell) is a group promoting a mass emigration of Christian fundamentalists to South Carolina in hopes of influencing the governmental process in the United States. ... TheocracyWatch is a project run by the Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy (CRESP), located at Cornell University. ...

External links

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

Informational and pro-Christian reconstruction sites

• Many free books on Reconstruction, some of which are linked below
• Christian Reconstruction Newsletter Archives
• Biblical Ethics Newsletter Archives
• "Double Jeopardy: A Case Study in the Influence of Christian Legislation", by Greg Bahnsen.
• "M. G. Kline on Theonomic Politics: An Evaluation of His Reply", by Greg Bahnsen.
• "The Theonomic Antithesis to Other Law-Attitudes", by Greg Bahnsen.
• "Oppressive Religious Liberty", by Greg Bahnsen.
• Christian Reconstructionism - The Foundation of Modern Conservatism
• An Historical Survey of Theonomy in Calvinist Christianity, by James B. Jordan
• The Creed of Christian Reconstructionism
• Christian Reconstruction: A Call for Reformation and Revival
• Example of Theonomic Constitution, by John Cotton
• The Chalcedon Foundation
• Religious Movements: Christian Reconstructionism
• The Five Points of Christian Reconstruction
• The National Reform Association - Explicitly Christian Politics
• The Institutes of Biblical Law - excerpts from Rushdoony's book
• John Frame's 1976 Review of The Institutes of Biblical Law
• American Vision - Gary Demar's ministry
• Biblical Horizons - James B. Jordan's ministry

John Cotton (1585–1652) The Reverend John Cotton (December 4, 1585 – December 23, 1652) was a highly regarded principal among the New England Puritan ministers, who also included John Winthrop, Thomas Hooker, Increase Mather (who became his son-in-law), John Davenport, and Thomas Shepard. ...

Critical sites

• Dominion Theology in Recent Times (Christian critique)
• ReligiousRightWatch Blog

References

• Bahnsen, Greg L. 1977 [2002]. Theonomy in Christian Ethics [3rd edition]. Nacogdoches, TX: Covenant Media Press. ISBN 0-9678317-3-3.
• Bahnsen, Greg L. "M. G. Kline on Theonomic Politics: An Evaluation of His Reply" Journal of Christian Reconstruction (Winter 1979) Or available online for free
• Bahnsen, Greg L. 1991. By This Standard: The Authority Of God's Law Today, Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics. ISBN 0-930464-06-0. Or available online for free
• Bahnsen, Greg L. 1991. No Other Standard: Theonomy and Its Critics, Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics. ISBN 0-930464-56-7. Or available online for free
• Barron, Bruce. 1992. Heaven on Earth? The Social & Political Agendas of Dominion Theology. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan. ISBN 0-310-53611-1.
• Berlet, Chip and Matthew N. Lyons. 2000. Right–Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort. New York: Guilford Press. ISBN 1-57230-562-2.
• Clarkson, Frederick. 1997. Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy. Monroe, Maine: Common Courage. ISBN 1-56751-088-4.
• DeMar, Gary. 1988. The Debate Over Christian Reconstruction. Ft. Worth, TX: Dominion Press. ISBN 0-930462-33-5. Or available online for free
• DeMar, Gary and Peter Leithart. 1988. The Reduction of Christianity. Ft. Worth, TX: Dominion Press. ISBN 0-930462-63-7. Or available online for free
• Gentry, Kenneth. 1992. He Shall Have Dominion: A Postmillennial Eschatology. Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics. ISBN 0-930464-62-1. Or available online for free
• Kline, Meredith G. "Comments on an Old-New Error," Westminster Theological Journal, vol. 41 (Fall 1978): 172-89.
• North, Gary. 1989. Political Polytheism: The Myth of Pluralism. Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics. ISBN 0-930464-32-X
• North, Gary. 1990. Tools of Dominion: The Case Laws of Exodus. Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics. ISBN 0-930464-10-9. Or available online for free
• North, Gary. 1991. Theonomy: An Informed Response. Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics. ISBN 0-930464-59-1. Or available online for free
• North, Gary and Gary DeMar. 1991. Christian Reconstruction: What It Is, What It Isn't. Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics. ISBN 0-930464-53-2. Or available online for free
• Rushdoony, Rousas John. 1973. The Institutes of Biblical Law. Nutley, NJ: P & R Publishing (Craig Press). ISBN 0-87552-410-9.
• Rushdoony, Rousas John. 1978. The Nature of the American System. Fairfax, VA: Thoburn Press.
• Sugg, John. "A Nation Under God", Mother Jones, 2006-01-01. Retrieved on 2007-03-27. 
• Van Til, Cornelius. 1969. A Christian Theory of Knowledge. Philipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing. ISBN 0-87552-480-X