Friday, March 8, 2013

God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government

Positions include:
  • Theonomy 
  • Principled Pluralism
  • Christian America
  • National Confessionalism

Greg L. Bahnsen advocates the theonomic position.

From Goodreads:
Originally delivered at a consultation on that topic, each of the four major papers is presented by a leading representative of that view and is followed by responses from the three other perspectives. The result is a vigorous exchange of ideas aimed at pinpointing areas of agreement and disagreement and equipping God's people to serve him more effectively in the political arena.

Visit the Goodreads review page for more info, including online stores that carry it



    

2 comments:

Durandal said...

I suppose that in this book "National Confessionalism" is the position according to which only one precise church-body should be legal in a particular realm (like Presbyterianism in Scotland from 1560 to circa 1650), and that in this book "Theonomy" would be the position according to which multiple protestant church-bodies could be legal in a particular realm, as long as they maintain minimal orthodoxy (like under Cromwell's Commonwealth).

If I am correct, it is the "state church" versus "state religion" model. An intermediate position between these two would be a realm where one particular church-body would be priviledged while the other protestant groups would be legal but disadvantaged (like Anglicanism in England form 1689 to 1848 and some American colonies/states from the mid-1600's to the early 1800's, i.e. Congregationalism in Massachussetts & Connecticut, Low-Church Episcopacy in Virginia & Maryland).

Steve C. Halbrook said...

I currently don't see any biblical warrant for the state to favor Presbyterian government via sanctions, even though I hold to it. However, Popery (aside from its heresies, which the state should suppress) and potentially prelacy oppose the biblical church/state distinctions, and thus should be opposed by the state.