christ-and-culture-march-april-1992

modernREFORMATION © is a production of CURE Publications Ltd.

Editor-in-chief and President Michael S. Horton Vice President Kim Riddlebarger Managing Editor Shane Rosenthal Assistant Managing Editors Paul Gelormino Doug Hoisington Production Manager Mark Salo Contrib utors Richard Gilbert Michael S. Horton Alan Maben Kim Riddlebarger Rick Ritchie Dr. Rod Rosenbladt Special Assistants Lori Ann Bach Rodney Castellanos 10 Horton Heidi Spitler CURE Board of Trustees Howard F. Alunanson Cheryl Biehl Robert den Dulk Dr. W. Robert Godfrey Richard Hermes Kim Riddlebarger Dr. Rod Rosenbladt CURE Board of Directors Executive Director Vacant Director of Communications Alan Maben Director of Development Dan Bach Director of Media & Production Shane Rosenthal Director of Research Richard Gilbert Treasurer Micki Riddlebarger Secretary 10 Horton CURE is a non-profit educational foundation committed to communicating the insights of the 16th century Reforma­ tion to the 20th century Church. For more information, call during business hours at: (714) 956-CURE, or write us at: Christians United for Reformation 2034 E. Lincoln Ave. #209 Anaheim CA 92806

modern REFORMATION

MARCH/APRIL 1992

Christ & Culture

ARTICLES

My Father's World

1

by Michael S. Horton

When World Denial Becomes Worldliness

5

by Alan Maben

Thy Kingdom Come

7

by Kim RiMlebarger

Culture as a Ladder to Heaven

9

by Rick Ritchie

How Your Theology Shapes Your World-View

11

Was Geneva aTheocracy?

12

by Michael S. Horton

IS. Eliot on Christianity &Culture

16

Christ & Culture: An Illustrative Life

17

DEPARTMENTS

INTERVIEW: Dr. Alister McGrath Book Review

13 16

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My Father's World

Have we become so spiritually minded that we're just no earthly good?

MICHAEL S. HORTON

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Where are today's Rembrandts, Bachs, Durers, Miltons, Handels, Bunyans, Herberts and Donnes, the great believing scientists, spokespersons for liberty ,justice, education, and the simple workers and home-builders who translated the Refonnation's God­ centered theory into dail y practice? Columbia University historian EugeneF. Rice observes that the Refonnation brings us face to face with "the gulf between the secular imagina­ tion ofthe 20th cen tory and the 16th cen tory's intoxication with the majesty of God."l "Thisworldisnotmyhome: I'mjust 'a passin'through." Those are familiar words to many of us reared in the evangelical world. The late Francis Schaeffer wrote a booklet titled Super-Spirituality in which he , criticized a church which is, in the words of Os Guinness, "privately engaging, but so­ cially irrelevant." And yet, from time to time, we sing, "This is my Father's world."

What I hope to accomplish is a brief sketch of the Reformation approach to culture, first with regard to some important contrasts with current spirituality and then in terms of the biblical support; finally, we will very briefly explore what this approach holds forth for our practical needs at the end of the 20th century.

CURE PRESIDENT

which Christians ought to interact with the world. In other words, the antagonism that the world had toward the early church ought to be regarded as a normal picture for the church and its relationship to any given culture.

The Mennonite and Amish communi­ ties probably are the most obvious examples of this tradition. Although there are rich traditions of service within the group, the

Lord will bring upon them."

The second approach is ''The Christ of Culture." Writes Niebuhr 'of this position, "In every culture to which the Gospel comes there are men who hail Jesus as the Messiah of their society, the fulfIller of its hopes and aspirations, the perfecter of its true faith, the source of its holiest spirit." Forthesepeople, there is not only the absence of antagonism between Christ and the culture; there is hardly any difference between the two!

With the ancient heretic Pelagius, these ad­ herents view Christ as the moral example who points us to a perfect society.

We have seen in history, and especiall y in our own day, this tendency to confuse creation and redemption, the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world, from both the Christian Left (identifying Christ with utopian socialism) and the Christian

Five Approaches It was a Yale theologian, H. Richard Niebuhr, who distinguished between five approaches Christians have historical! y taken to their world. 2 The first model Niebuhr calls "Christ Against Culture." Many Christians notice the antagonism of the world toward Chris­ tians in the fIrst few centuries. John warns converts who must make a decision between standing up publicly for their faith on one hand, and the attractions of worldly accep­ tance on the other (1 JnA). Successive generations, often influenced by their own social conditions and treatment, interpreted such texts as normative for the manner in

world is viewed as a place from which to escape into communities of "separated brethren." The Schleitheim Confession of the Anabaptists (1527) argued: "Since all who do not walk in the obedience offaith ...are a great abomination before God, it is not possible for anything to grow or issue from them except abominable things ...God further admonishes us to withdraw from Babylon and the earthly Egypt that we may not be partakers of the pain and suffering which the

Right (identifying Christ with capitalism and American culture).

The third approach is Niebuhr's "Christ Above Culture." Here are the "centrists," those who have "refused to take either the position of the anticultural radicals or that of the accommodators of Christ to culture" (p.124).

Fourth is "Christ and Culture in Para-

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Continuedfrom World on Page 1 dox." This tradition, encompassing Lutheranism, refuses either to reject culture or to confuse culture with Christianity. In­ stead, God has created two distinct realms of activi ty in the Christian's life: one by creation and the other by redemption. In creation, God gives us work, service to neighbor, . pleasure, the state and the, family. In re­ demption, he gives us the church, with the Word and the sacraments. These are not two antagonistic realms, nor two identical realms, but two different realms.

Thus, the Christian who follows the "Christ and Culture in Paradox" motif par­ ticipates gladly in culture, butnotasa means of grace; it is an aspect of being human, nOl merely of being a Christian.

Martin Luther spoke of the "two king­ doms," The sword of the earthly kingdom was a real sword and it was to be exercised with strict justice. But the sword of the heavenly kingdom was Scripture in general, and the gospel in particular, and it speaks of compassion and mercy. Thus, when the peasants saw Luther's message as high­ ligh ting the lifting up ofthe poor, the despised, the unworthy, they were surprised to see his lack ofenthusiasm at their uprising, illustrated in his famous work, "Against the Robbing and Murdering Hordes of PeaSanLI)." The gospel raised up the poor in the kingdom of God, but did not justify rising up against the prince in the temporal realm. The pastor must exercise charity, Luther writes, but the prince is God's "minister of wrath." "Here there is no time for sleeping; no place for patience or mercy. It is the time of the sword, not the day of grace."3 The final category is "Christ the Trans­ former of Culture." The transformer type emphasizes God's lordship over all of cre­ ation and, therefore, all aspects of life. Al­ though culture is fallen, it is still God's crea Lion and the kingdom of God in re­ demption is expected to have positive effects in transforming the kingdoms of this world.

This does not mean that these activities are redemptive, but that they are related to re­ demption as the effect is to the cause.

Niebuhr appeals to John's gospel as a characteristicexarnpleofthisapproach. Here Christ is emphasized as "the Word made flesh. " Christ is not only the priest of re­ demption, but the king of creation. God

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loves the world, not just individuals in it, and his redemptive work secured redeemed in­ dividuals who are part of a new creation (Rom. 8:20-23).

Historically, this tradition is represented

by Augustine and Calvin in particular, ac­ cording to Niebuhr. Whereas the "Christ Against Culture" adherents would say, with the church father Tertullian, "WhathasAth­ ens to do with Jerusalem?", referring to the relationship between culture and Christ, those

The Reformation is regarded by the consensus of secular nistorians as the most decisive moment in the social and cultural transformation of Europe into the "m~dern age." of the "Christ Transforming Culture" stripe would view culture as a distinct, though related,partofChrist's universal reign. While creating a great sculpture or building a house or raising a family may not be redemptive activities of the kingdom of God, they are important activities to which Christians re­ alize an urgent call, because they are com­ manded by the uni versal Lord in the "cultural mandate" of the early chapters of Genesis.

However, here I must take issue with Niebuhr 's thesis, as many have since its pu blication in 1952. Niebuhr argues a wider gulfbetween Luther and Cal vin on this point than the facts warrant:

Calvin's more dynamic conception of the vocations of men as activities in which they may express their faith and love and may glorify God in their calling, his closer as­ socialion of church and stale, and his insis­ tence that the state is God's minister not only in a negativefashion as restrainer ofevil but

positively in the promotion of welfare, his more humanistic views of the splendor of human nature still efJident in the ruins ofthe fall, his concern for the doctrine of the resurrection of the flesh [against the Men­ nonites] , above all his emphasis on the ac­ tualityofGod' s sovereignty makefor a more dynamic involvement of Christians in culture.... (p.217) First, while there are distinctions between Luther's sharp contrasts between the sacred and secular spheres and Calvin's interest in showing the relationships between them, Calvin's theory is not nearly as far from Luther's as Niebuhr is suggesting. For in­ stance, Calvin includes an entire section in his Institutes titled "The Two Kingdoms," in which he insists:

There is a twofoid government in man: one aspect is spiritual, whereby the conscience is instructed in piety and reverencing God; the second is political, whereby man is educated for the duties of humanity and citizenship that must be maintained among men. These are usually called the 'spiritual' and the 'temporal' jurisdiction (not improper terms) ... The one we may call the spiritual kingdom, the other, the political kingdom.

Now these 0110, as we have divided them, must always be examined separately,' and while one is being considered, we must call away and turn aside the mindfrom thinking about the other. There are in man, so to speak, two worlds, over which different kings and different laws have authority. Through this distinction it comes about that we are not to misapply to the political order the gospel teaching on spiritual freedom, as if Christians were less subject, as concerns outward government, to human laws, be­ cause their consciences have been setfree in God's sightA In other words, the reformers were agreed that while there was no conflict between a Christian being involved in both realms, there was a contrast. Human activity can never bring salvation: that was the Reformation's central affinnation. And yet, the activity of Christian men and women does bring a certain transforming element as they live out their callings in distinction and honor, serving both to attract non-Christians to the gospel while also bringing civil righ­ teousness, justice, and compassion to bear on human relationships. The Reformation is regarded by the consensus of secular histo­

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rians as the most decisive moment in the social and cultural transfonuation of Europe into the "modem age." Nevertheless, its contributions to culture are the fruit, not the root, of that movement's message.

One can observe the effects of a shift from a basically human-centered and church­ centered approach to a Christ-centered the­ ology in the daily lives of the simple and the great Liberating Christians from the tyrann y of monastic spirituality to engage in worldly affairs as the truly godly and worthwhile activity was one of many theological re­ fonus that had enonuous sociological impli­ cations. We must urge our brothers and sisters again in our day to discover their callings, not by probing heaven's secret files, but by pursuing their particular interests, doing what is necessary to equip them for distinguished service in that field, and then using that vocation as a vehicle for bringing glory to God by serving the community.

Another contribution of the Refonua­ tion to the discussion of Christ and culture is the distinction between callings. Calvin lamented that "most of the problems in the world today are due to the fact that men transgress the boundaries of their callings."

The city of Florence had been ruled by the eccentric and moralistic preacher Savonarola a century earlier, and secular princes ruled the church either by purchasing bishoprics or by declaring themselves the head of the church by divine right (Henry VIII and the Church of England being an example of the latter). Calvin, no doubt, had such trans­ gressions of boundaries in mind, and if not, he had plenty of his own headaches of this type to contend with in Geneva. God had called some Christians to be his ministers in proclaiming the gospel and had called others to be his ministers in creating and enforcing legislation. The Geneva Confession of 1536 declared, "Since in performing their office they serve God and follow a Christian vo­ cation, whether in defending the afflicted and innocent, or in correcting and punishing the malice of the perverse ... we ought to regard ci viI officials as vicars and lieu tenan LS of God." Christians were to be salt and lightin the arts by actually becoming artists, not by the church issuing edicts and pronouncements.

Those engaged in business and trade were to glorify God by producing or offering quality goods at a reasonable price. This is an

essential point. When one asks, "So the Refonuation wanted the church to be in­ volved in every aspect of life?", we must reply, "Not on your life!" In fact, the lord­ ship of Christ over every sphere was not the lordship of the church. God rules his world through institutions he created before and after the fall that have to do with culture, not redemption. It is not the place of the church to issue political pronouncements, but the place of Christians wh'o have been called to that arena; it is not the place of the church to create great works of art and music, but the place of Christians who have been given an artistic vocation. In medieval theory, the City of God (Christendom: church and cul­ ture as one) was ruled by the church; in Reformation theory, the City of God was spiritual and redemptive, not cultural.

Therefore, the involvement of Christians in these spheres to the glory of God took pre­ eminence, breaking the centuries of eccle­ siastical rule.

also is true of pleasure, leisure, science (the naming of the animals), agriculture, and, most important, the union of husband and wife (Gen. 2:5-20). The judgment on the human race due to the fall affected all of these areas of life that God created good, but these activities are in themselves noble and acceptable aspects of our divinely ordered existence.

After the fall and Cain's murder of Abel, we read of two lines: the ungodly line of Cain and the godly line of Seth, corre­ sponding to the ungodly Adamic race and the godly line from which the Second Adam, Christ, came. Nevertheless, God issues Cain a pardon from execution for his brother's murder and promises his temporal protec­ tion in order to further culture, not redemp­ tion. Therefore, Cain builds a city (Gen. 4: 16) and his descendants included Jabal, the father of the nomads (v. 20), Jubal, the father of those who play the harp and flute (v.

21), and Tubal-Cain, "an instructor of every

Christ &Culture in the Scriptures

craftsman in bronze and iron" (v. 22). Cul­ ture is not evil, because God in his provi­ dence is creating it. And yet, culture is not redemptive, for the City of Man is being built by the ungodly line. Nevertheless, God's people participate in and contribute to that common culture and even make use, later in their history, of the raw materials and skills they brought back after exile in pagan lands.

While each of these five approaches tell a part of the truth, many readers will notice that the biblical record is richerthan Niebuhr'S survey. Of course, it was never his intention to provide an exhaustive account of the biblical attitude toward culture, nor is itmine in this b~ief survey of the views.

However, wemustrealizc that the Bible has a great deal to say about our relationship to this world. Work was instituted before the fall, not as a curse, but as a blessing. This

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Continuedfrom World on Page 3 We could rehearse the numerous Psalms praising God through instruments of every kind. We could point to the remarkable poetry of Hebrew literature and the nobility that the Proverbs attach to honest labor, loyal friendship, and so on. When these worldly activities, however, so attract us that we see them no longer as means to' raising our eyes in gratitude to the Giver, but as ends in themselves, such pleasures become demons, as the writer of Ecclesiastes (probably Solomon) points out so eloquently. "I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied," he writes. "He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Also he has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor-it is the gift of God" (Ecc. 3: 10-13).

Calvin commented in this vein: "To sum up, we see wither this freedom tends: namely that we should use God's gifts for the pur­ pose for which he gave them to us, with no scruple of conscience, no trouble of mind.

With such confidence our minds will be at peace with him, and will recognize his lib­ erality toward us." Our involvement in this world includes, therefore, participation in the social life of non-Christian co-workers, family and friends, as long as such involve­ ment does not cause us to misuse our liberty in "things indifferent" (i.e., things not ex­ pressly forbidden in Scripture).

Many Christians, especially the monks, writes Calvin, expect believers (at least the truly committed ones) to separate from the world in outward behavior, style oflanguage, dress, and other externals. "We have never been forbidden to laugh," Calvin writes, "or to be filled, or to join new possessions to old or ancestral ones, or to deligh t in musical harmony, or to drink wine."5 Rather, it is the misuse of these common gifts that offends God. Our Creator is pleased to see his children enjoying his creation with the other kids on the playground, since only they can truly praise him as the Giver of all good things.

Culture comes into the picture as a negative force in the New Testament due to

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the fact that Israel is occupied by Rome and both Jewish and Roman cultures seek the elimination of Christianity. Nevertheless, even in the face of such aggressive opposi­ tion, Paul urges Christians to participate in common culture: "Remind them [the Chris­ tians] to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men," since, as Paul goes on to say, we were saved by grace ourselves, " not by works of righteousness which we have done" (Tit. 3: 1-5). Further, "Aspire to lead a quiet life, mind your own business, and work with your hands, as we commanded you, so you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing" (1 Thes.4:11-12). Very often we consider what we do throughout the week as "mundane," while the things we do for the church are truly important. But this misses Paul's whole point in these passages. Honest labor is a pre-evangelistic apologetic for Christianity, Paul argues.

The New Testament does speak quite clearly about the cosmic nature of redemp­ tion. Notonly is God concerned with saving individuals; he has also purchased atChrist' s expense a new heavens and earth, where the effects of the fall are no longer felt. "The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious lib­ erty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs Logether until now" (Rom. 8:2] -22). Injustice, poverty, hunger, disease, and all that plagues our sophisticated, tech­ nological age do have a solution- but only if we are willing to work for the advance of the kingdom of God and wait for the con­ summation.

Insights for Today's Situation First, let's look at the political realm briefly. The Moral Majority was an utter failure. Lou Harris, one of America's lead­ ing pollsters, notes, "The American people are now distrustful or many religious types in public life." Besides the fact that many who led the Christian Right were themselves wrapped up in moral scandals, there is the general impression in society today that conservative Christians are, like Iran's Moslem extremists, committed to enforcing the moral and religious convictions of a minority on the nation's majority. To be sure, the secular media have greatly exag­

gerated this image, but there is enough truth to make the caricatures believable to many.

Now, instead of offering more fuel for the fIre of anti-media sennons, that should lead us to ask why this is the case.

From the time of the Puritans to the activities of the evangelicals in the last century, conservative Protestants have al­ ways considered the proclamation of the gospel and the improvement ofsociety to go hand-in-hand. Though distinct activities, they are, like faith and works, related as cause to effect. They founded Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, Rutgers, and on we could go. They were among the nation's greatest artists, writers, poets, musicians, politicians, social activists, and opinion-leaders. And then, through the disillusionment of World War I, followed by the second, pessimism was the rich soil in which dispensational premillenialism flourished. By this time, too, pietism (em­ phasizing one's personal relationship with Christ and separation from the world, often to the exclusion of equally biblical notions) had evangelicals wondering about involve­ ment in this world as a matter of principle.

"Why polish the brass on a sinking ship?" many were asking themsel ves. The rapture is around the comer and this world's clock is winding down, so evangelism is the only justification for the Christian's continued existence.

But then, in the seventies, an obscure American intellectual whose Swiss chalets became havens for disillusioned evangeli­ cals who had been nurtured in this anti­ world separatism and escapism found a growing audience back home. That man was Francis Schaeffer. While many evan­ gelicals with their roots in the Reformation of Luther and Calvin continued to support social causes, fundamentalists and even some evangelicals who had previously disavowed any involvement in worldly af­ fairs suddenly awakened to the reality that Christians were living like the ostrich, with their heads in the sands, or as those who could never leave what Schaeffer called "the evangelical ghetto," with its own lingo, bumper stickers, network ofChristian busi­ nesses, and so on.

However, it was their practice and not so much their theology that was altered by this

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writing, The Gospel ofTruth has it, "If one has knowledge, he receives what is his own, and draws it to himself." The individual is almost exclusively interested in him or her self, and it becomes nearly impossible to distinguish this spiritual self-realization from mere subjectivism. ".. .it is the spirit that raises the soul, but the body that kills it ... "--Apocryphon ofJames

F.F. Bruce, in The Defense of the Gos­ (early Gnostic writing)

pel in the New Testament, points out that "...our problems arise from living as redeemed spirits in unredeemed bodies." --a recent Gnosticism can be ascetic, as the type at­ evangelical Bible Study Guide.

tacked in the letter to the Colossians; as well as antinomian, such as that opposed in the ALAN MABEN CURE STAFF WRITER letter of Jude. Opposition to secret knowl­ Like the ancient Gnostics faced by the yet, it was a recently published non-Pente­ edge of God is displayed in other New early church, today' s society has adopted an costal, evangelical study guide I discovered Testament writings. Paul, for example, states escapist, anti-materialistic, anti-intellectual, that reads, "Our problems arise from living in I Corinthians 15 that he passed on the anti-institutional, anti-sacramental spiritu­ as redeemed spirits in unredeemed bodies."3 saving know ledge that he had recei ved: Dr. Eric Voegel in, a poli tical scientist at objective historical events with theological ality. This is as true for non-Christians, with New York business executives attending the University of New Age seminars taught by Stanford in­ Munich, regards our era structors. Both the past and the future are as "the revi val ofGnosti­ perceived as irrelevant intrusions into the cism," although he has present moment of what Francis Schaeffer politics and science, not called "personal peace and affluence." religion, so much in People want to escape reality and create their mind. "The world is no own. longer the J udeo-Chris­ This tendency has been evident both in tian world that God cre­ the secular, Greek strain of Western history ated and found good. (plato, Neoplatonism, etc.) and in the reli­ Gnostic man no longer gious adaptations of that strain (mysticism, wishes to perceive in ad­ much of monasticism, the abundance of miration the intrinsic or­ taboos designed to keep believers from the der of the cosmos. For world). The early name for this mixture of him the world has be­ Christianity and pagan, anti-material mys­ come a prison from ticism was "Gnosticism," and according to which he wants to es­ Marilyn Ferguson, a New Age guru, Gnos­ cape."3 This Gnostic re­ ticism is the fountain of contemporary mys­ vival sweeps everyone ticism.! these days into its wake, What on earth, therefore, could Funda­ or so it seems, from the mentalism and the New Age movement secularists who just want A Quest for Solitude have in common? There have been many to make money in order New Age conspiracy theories floating about, to pay for things that will allow themselves meanings, not esoteric mysteries ofthe spirit­ trying to implicate nearly everyone, but isn't to escape life's realities, to the fundamental­ world known only to the spiritual elite. this stepping over the line of sanity just a bit? ists who escape earthly responsibility for However, in the American culture we Not really. Let me explain. are vulnerable to the loose interpretive speculations on the end-times.

An early pseudopygriphal writing (i.e., framework of Gnostic subjectivism (with a document pretending to have been written First, what is Gnosticism anyway? more than a dash of Yankee pragmatism by an apostle), states the recurring Gnostic It is not a tight, systematic body of thrown in). A belief is true for me if it disdain for the material world: "It is the spirit beliefs, but an amorphous collection of satisfies a personal need for security. Hence, that raises the soul, but the body thm kills it" concepts easily intergrated into other mu­ non-Christian influences, under the guise of (Apocryphon of James). It is this same tually exclusive belief systems. Common spirituality, are often welcomed uncritically mysticism one finds in current New Age denominators usually include a dualism of into the Church. Again, it is a loose inter­ pretive framework. It is a collection of thinking. It also is the sentiment revived by spirit (good) vs. matter (evil),and a constantly many forms of Pentecostalism, with com­ developing access to direct, intuitive, divine attitudes, beliefs, and criteria that easily mix ments such as, "Don't focus on that body of knowledge that improves and liberates the yours ....The problem area is not in your spirit of the individual from its material and Please turn to Denial on Page 6 spirit; it lies in your mind and body."2 And intellectual bonds. As another Gnostic

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Continuedfrom Denial on Page 5 with nearly any belief. Its colored glass is the window through which many unwary Chris­ tians view their Christianity and the world.

In this model, what can't be seen through this glass is either highly suspect, or un­ questionably evil.

Accepting this Gnostic subjectivism as a world-interpreting window means we lose our awareness of God, his character, Word, and purposes, as existing independent of us.

That which is true of God and Scripture is that which benefits me spiritually, orconfmns what I already want to believe about him.

Truth, doctrine, and theology become irrel­ evant. What matters is how I am progressing with my own personal, private, spiritual agenda. It is always welcome when God's interests and my own coincide-but if they collide, his statements in Scripture can be dismissed as not being practical, or as being irrelevant to my daily walk.

In the aspects ofevangelicalism colored

by Gnostic spirituality, God seems distant from our world. He is reluctantly involved, and intrudes only to do something vaguely prophetic in the Middle East. End-times prophecy becomes important since the Rapture is the means of getting out of this world. Since many have dumped the doc­ trines of Creation and Providence, this focus on prophecy is the only way to be sure that God is concerned about this present world (aside from the non-material transformation of the spirit ofeach Christian). Others ignore the realities of this world by becoming in­ volved, once more like the ancient Gnostics, in cosmic spiritual battles with demons in "power encounters." How easily we miss the point even ofPaul ' s discussion of spiri tua! warfare in Ephesians 6, often the proof-text for such heavenly warmongering. For in that passage, the apostle makes clear that the spiritual battle in heavenly places revolves around the truth of the gospel and its world­ wide proclamation; it is not a blueprint for direct hand-to-hand combat with demons, but a metaphor for the urgency of gospel preaching.

According to the end-times obsession, Christ is Significant mostly because he is coming to get us out of here and destroy this material world. After all, isn't Satan the god of this world? Letitbe understood that Satan is the god of this world only in the sense that

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all those in creation who oppose God pro­ claim loyalty to Satan by default. When God created the heavens and the earth, he said that it was very good (this includes people and their bodies). As C. S. Lewis once quipped, "God likes matter; he invented it."

But like us, the material world is affected by the fall in such a way that an odor of death lingers in it. The visible (and invisible) world is still God's world, and the devil is still under control. . Writes the apostle Paul, "The creation itself also will be delivered

Such thinking causes us to reject ou r responsibility as stewards of creation, and keeps us from admitting that Chirst is Lord over every part of His creation. from the bondage to corruption in to the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs at this time" (Ro.8:21­ 22). Our bodies, along with the rest of the material creation, will be physically resur­ rected as the finishing touch of the New Creation.

Second, How does this influence our own lives?

The Gnosticism we see attaching itself to Christianity throughout its history often comes from a misdirected desire to protect true spirituality from intellectualization.

However, rather than loving the Lord God with all our mind, as Christ commands us (Mt. 22:37; tvlk. 12:30), we seem to avoid the mind's very existence becauseofadesire for personal comfort. Perhaps we fear that our underslanding or Christianity won't cut it intellectually, fearful that others, Chris­ tians or not, might see a prevailing weakness.

That weakness is that we really are not sure of what we are talking about. It is safer to stick to personal experiences, since we're often more certain of our own subjective experiences than we are of Scripture.

Refusing to view themselves and their culture through Scripture isa gi ven for unbe­ lievers. Unfortunately too many Christians are guilty of this same sin when they refuse to responsibly screen the influences of our world upon Christian experience. Instead, we are likely to absorb these influences uncritically, and even to defend them as Christian. Such Christian Gnosticism causes us to reject our responsibility as stewards of Creation, and keeps us from admitting that Christ is Lord over every part of his creation.

Ifwcdonotadmit Him as Lord overall, how can we serve him? And where, if not in creation? Ironically, this Gnostic irrespon­ sibility of stewardship is all being done in the name ofobedience! If anything, this disobe­ dient retreat from our God-given responsi­ bilities means that Christians are ensuring that Jesus is denied as Lord of creation.

It is obvious that this influence causes our stewardship over the ecological state of the environment to suffer. After all, the environment is material, and it is destined for extennination anyway. Stewardship in just government suffers as well, since no Christian should be involved in worldly pursuits. Talented artists are made to feel guilty if they give too much time to their "secular career"; honest workers and diligent homemakers feel as though they are not giving God their best if they don't have enough time in the week to give to a whole series of church meetings and activities.

Secular work iscutofffrom spiritual service.

While our calling in this world is not spiri­ tual or sacred (being a matter of creation, not redemption), it does not require a spiritual justification in order to be honoring to God. As was mentioned above in regard to Satan, the worldliness evident in anti-worldly Gnosticism is the net effect of attitudes and beliefs that see all that is material in creation operating independently of God. The same Gnostic disdain is held for culture in general, including dancing, drinking, reading secu­ lar literature, or going to movies.

Surprisingly, such concern for sin does not take sin seriously at all! Rather, this

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Thy Kingdom Come Does your eschatology affect the way you view life and the world around you?

KIM RIDDLEBARGER

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It is not surprising that a Christian's particular view of end-times and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ would have a dra­ matic effect upon how one understands the role of the individual Christian's involve­ ment in the world around him. Those who hold to a more pessimistic view of the future, and who see the world as merely the stage for the outbreak of God- hating evil predicted in Holy Scripture, will tend to view the world around them as an evil place, awaiting judgment and destruction. The world and the unbelievers who inhabit it will ulti­ mately be destroyed, because it, and they, are evil. On the other hand, those who view the world more op­ timistically tend to see the world as the theater of God's redemptive ac­ - tivity, which accordingly extends to all spheres of life, including the po­ litical and social arenas. Involve­ ment in Christianizing the world be­ fore Christ returns is seen as the primary mission of the church and involvement in reforming activity is seen as the hallmark of true piety.

Both of these tendencies are popular in American evangelicalism today.

Don't Polish The Brass On A Sinking Ship Those influenced by dispensalional­ ism, and holding to a doctrine such as a pre­ tribulational rapture, anticipate the removal of believers from the earth before the great seven-year tribulation period. On this scheme, the primary focus of the church's involvement in the world shifts to evange­ lism, since the world will soon be subject to tremendous evil due to the rise of Antichrist and the bowl and trumpetjudgmems of the Apocalypse. The church's mission is thatof Noah, to rescue as many lost souls as pos­ sible from the coming catastrophe. Implicit within this system are depreciated roles assigned for ecological stewardship, reform ofinjustices in society, political involvement,

CURE VICE PRESIDENT

as well as a markeq diminishing of the doctrine of calling, or vocation, which is each individual's divinely assigned role in fulfilling his or her God-given mandate to contribute to the building ofa noble (though not redemptive) culture through common, everyday "secular" activities.

Instead, high value is assigned to full­ time Christian service, and other tasks spe­ cifically orienled toward evangelism, and the creaLion of a Christian subculture de­ signed to insulaLe Christians from the in­ creasing worldliness and evil associated with the impending end. After all, the kingdom of God will not come in any form until Christ reigns physically upon the eartH during the millennium. The kingdom of God is strictly future, something we await with the coming of our Lord.

The Ship Isn't Sinking After All A more recent evangelical fascination is the renewed interest in the optimistic eschatology of poslmillennialism, the view of choice for evangelicals in the last cen tury.

Ironically, many of those who eschew

the postmillennial label for the more ac­ cepted premillennialism of American fun­ damentalism are nevertheless functionally postmillennial in their view of Christian involvement in the world. HereaChristian's role in the world is seen as the distinctly churchly and Christian activity. The goal is the complete Christianization of civil gov­ ernment, culture and society in general, and the means is any and all available to the Christian, whether political , cultural, or eco­ nomic.

Various evils in society, such as por­ nography, abortion on demand, and the like, must be rooted out at every possible tum.

The Church should use every possible means to accomplish these ends, extending all the way from the pacifist approach of simple prayer vigils to the more militant approach of physically ob­ structing entrances to abortion clin­ ics. The kingdom of God is ad­ vanced through the church's king­ dom activity here on this earth. The primary focus of such an eschato­ logical viewpoint is upon the moral improvement of the world in an­ ticipation of Christ's return. Since his coming is imminent, those hold­ ing to this optimistic view will ask themselves: "To what kind of a world, and a moral mess will our Lord return? Have we really done all that we can do? How do we build the kingdom of God on this earth?

Can our efforts usher in our Lord's return?"

Clearly, there is a great deal that rings true about both views. But if you are like me, there is also something definitely amiss about them as well. How can I deny the present reality of the kingdom ofGod, as the dispensationalists so easily do, when the scriptures clearly teach the present reality of that kingdom? (Matthew 3:2; Mark 1: 15; with Luke 11 :20 and Matthew 112:28.) On the other hand, I find myself asking, "Just exactly whose kingdom is this that we are talking about? And what is my role as an individual believer, and how does the church's corporate role as the body ofChrist relate to this kingdom?" For the scriptures also declare that this kingdom is not politi­ cal. In fact, we are told that this kingdom is

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Continued/rom Kingdom on Page 7 not even of this world (John 18:36). It is a kingdom that is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14: 17). How am I to deal with the fact that both Paul (II Thessa­ lonians 2) and John (Revelation 20) antici­ pate a great rebellion and cataclysmic up­ heaval of evil and apostasy immediately before the return of Christ to judge the world?

Well, if you have these or similar ques­ tions, take heart, for Christians have thought long and hard about questions of how be­ lievers are to be involved in the world. The answer is to be found, in part I think, by returning to the historic and biblical escha­ tology that has been maintained by Protes­ tants and Catholics at least since the fifth century.

The Ship Is Sinking, But Polish The Brass Anyway One helpful aspect of this historic es­ chatology (sometimes known as amillenni­ alism, or present millennialism) is the dis­ tinction made between the doctrines of re­ demption and creation. Simply stated this means that the world was created by God as good. It was the fall of Adam that subjected the world to futility (Romans 8:20), and in fact, one of the great promises that Paul sets out in Romans 8 is that the world itself will someday be redeemed at Christ's return to earth (8:21) . Therefore, it must be pointed out that the world has evil in it due to the fact that sinful men and women walk about upon it, and not because the material world itself is evil. The language in Scripture concerning the coming destruction of the world is al ways connected to express declarations that the world will be re-created in a new heaven and earth (II Peter 3: 10-13).

Therefore, Christians should see those aspects of the doctrine of creation, such as universal human dignity (because God has created all men and women in his image) , involvement in civil affairs, the institution of marriage and the sanctity of the family, the need for ecological stewardship of the earth's natural resources and beauty, the importance of calling and vocation, and the creation of culture as good in and of them­ sel ves because they are a part of creation. A Christian's concerted involvement in all of these vital activities is good and necessary .

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Thus, he should not hate the world but rather should strive to participate in cre­ ation to the fullest. We must remem ber that a prim ary aspect of eschatological expecta­ tion is that God himself will redeem and restore the world; an expectation that is to give the Christian hope that one day all will be right. There is biblical optimism, there­ fore, regarding a Christian's participation in that which belongs to the doctrine of creation.

However, there is another aspect of

Ch ristians are not only to engage in such churchly tasks as evangelism, but they are also to fu nction as salt and light - by fu lfilling their roles assigned them through the doctrine of creation. biblical data and historic eschatology that also is extremely important to keep in view.

Christians know that a historical fall did take place in a historical individual named Adam who represented all of humanity.

And thus , a Christian must see the world as fallen in Adam. There truly is a biblical realism about the world associated with the reality and gravity of sin. Weeds grow in gardens where they once did not. Sweat forms on the brow where it once did not.

Women travail in giving birth, when they once did not. There will be wars and rumors of wars. Loved ones will perish without Christ. Christians must realize that there is great evil residing deep in every human heart, and that because of this fact, the creation itself is said to be subjected to frustration. Things do not work as they should. There is death, sin, and material decay everywhere. Therefore, there is the constant need to work to restrain the evil in

the human heart, to work to restore what is in a continuous state of decay, and to con­ stantly work to undo the great injustice that exists in society because of fallen human nature. Thus, Christians are not only LO engage in such churchly tasks as evangelism , but they are also to function as salt and light in the restraint ofevil by fulfilling their roles assigned them through the doctrine of cre­ ation.

And yet Christians need not ultimately be pessimists, even if they are pessimistic about human nature, for paradoxically, they know that this battle, however hard and justly they fight against evil, cannot be won, and will not be won until Jesus Christ returns to earth to raise his own from the dead, and to restore all things. But there is no doubt that Jesus Christ is coming again and he will restore all things when he does return. The final outcome of human history is therefore, quite secure, and there is no need to be an eschatological pessimist, even if one is realistic about sin and the human condition. His kingdom will come and his will shall be done!

But the Scriptures also exhort Chris­ tians to be in the world, and yet not of it.

There is the sense in which we must see ourselves as pilgrims, awaiting the sum­ ming up of all things in Jesus Christ. Our ultimate home is to be the new heavens and the new earth and not in the earthly existence that we now know. One reason for this focus is that the creation itself is not to be worshipped, for it testifies to the God who made it. And even in its fallen condition the world bears compelling testimony to the fact that a day is coming when God will come in Jesus Christ to restore all things.

Thus we must operate under the correct biblical assumptions that our involvement as Christians in this world really matters, and therefore, in a sense we are to be opti­ mistic about our duties as Christians.

But we must also be realistic, for all of our efforts cannot ultimately usher in the consummation of the kingdom of God and a new and redeemed earth. The Scriptures assign this role to the Creator-Redeemer at his return. Therefore, we must be careful not to offer our ultimate commitment to this world and the vanquishing of the evil con­ dition of fallen humanity. ThegreaLcultural accomplishments, from the Taj Mahal to the pyramids, and the great worldly empires, from the Egyptian Pharaohs to Washington,

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D.C., will be reduced to ashes in one mo­ ment.

Nevertheless, God has decreed that our involvement in this world and our prayers on its behalf really do make a difference in improving the course of events in the mean­ time, by restraining evil and promoting the good of our neighbor, and by serving as the means God uses to bring redemption in the midst of increasing evil. From our perspec­ tive, our involvement does change things.

We can participate in the evangelism of the world. On a limited scale we can see injustice remedied, the homeless fed and clothed, and the rape of the earth undone while we await our Lord's return. Thus, there is a realistic appraisal of the world and the human con­ dition, and a promise that our efforts do make a difference based upon the knowledge that our Lord will come back to set all things right.

Another vital aspect of this eschatology relates to our understanding of the nature of the kingdom of God. We must be clear that the kingdom for whose arrival we pray ear­ nestly is not ours, nor brought by our efforts.

It is God's rule, or reign, to which we refer when we speak of the kingdom of God. Yet God is pleased to use us, his people, in the process of the unrelenting advance of his kingdom, which is fast approaching its sec­ ond millennium.

Thus, this kingdom cannot be seen as a geopolitical or national entity (such as the nation-state of Israel), nor as a movement headquartered in a sacred city or building, nor as a particular ministry or denomination.

But let us not lose sight of the rest of the biblical data that declares that this kingdom is a real and powerful kingdom, ultimately conquering all of God's enemies in the ap­ pointed time (I Corinthians 15:23-28).

Christians must balance this tension be­ tween the kingdom ofGod as all-conq uering on one hand, and evil as constantl y increasing before the end on the other.

One way in which the historic eschatol­ ogy of the Reformation has done this is with the helpful motif of the "already and the not yet." The Scriptures declare that the king­ dom has come. We live in the light of its benefits. That is, we possess the "already" elements of it. It is advancing unceasingly even now. We participate in the advance of the kingdom of God through all of our spiritual activity. But this kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, and it does not occupy

any specific geographical location, nor does it have an address. It does not issue political or social decrees, nor does it accept the repeated attempts ofpower-seekers to help it materialize in terms of visible social and political power in exchange for its support.

The very nature of this kingdom and its constant advance is to provoke the ever­ present evil in the world to violent wrath.

Physical evil has not yet been fully de­ stroyed, as it will be when our Lord returns to this earth to judge the living and the dead.

Thus, there is a sense in which we eagerly await the coming of our Lord to finally put an end to evil and human suffer­ ing, to create the new heavens and earth, and to raise up our mortal bodies for glorious ones. This is what is known as the "not yet" for which we eagerly wait. This is why our Lord expressly instructed us to pray, "Thy

kingdom come, thy will be done." For that kingdom which has come and iscoming, will one day yet in the future come in its fullness, when Christ returns and assumes his lord­ ship over the whole earth that he has re­ deemed, personally exercising from his throne all dominion, authority and power, when every tear has been wiped away and there is no night. Only then will our work and involvement as Christians in service to our Master and his kingdom finally cease as we enter into the eternal Sabbath rest, of which we have had but a taste in this life.

For Further Reading Kim Riddlebarger, For He Must Reign: An Introduction to Reformation Eschatology (Available through CURE); Anthony A. Hoekema, The Bible and the Future (Erdmans Publishing Co.).

Culture as a Ladder to Heaven RICK RITCHIE

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CURE STAFF WRITER

To many, the mainstream evangeli­ cal subculture is a confining ghetto.

Creators, intellectuals, workers, en­ trepreneurs who would otherwise invol ve themselves in their callings and in the production and enjoyment of good art, literature, architecture, or cuisine are ex­ horted to leave aside worldy things and seek those things which are above. While this causes some to become cynical and bitter, others are rescued by brethren who know that God created the world to be enjoyed. While the liberty that these people offer is a true liberty, its basis is often misunderstood. When the right re­ lationship of culture to the faith is misun­ derstood, the pursuit of culture that was once neglected is not only legitimized, but sacramentalized, often by individuals who do not believe in sacraments!

Is EveryDay Life Sacramental?

There are many Christian voices to­ day who tell us that we need a more sacramental view of life. By this they mean that because God is Creator, we can get to know him by getting to know what he has made. Culture is one window that these Christians use to peer into heaven.

There is much to commend in this view . It seeks to emphasize that God is the author

of history as well as of the church, and that the Lordship ofChrist extends to all spheres of life. Some distinctions need to be made, however, if we are to avoid drink­ ing to our judgment at the sacrament of culture.

As Christians, we are citizens of two kingdoms. We were born into the world as citizens of the world. This citizenship, along with its rights and responsibilities, pleases God, for he created the world (The Bible uses the term world in at least two senses. I am using it exclusively to refer to what was created, and not to the world­ system that seeks to defy God). When we came to faith in Christ, we became citizens of the kingdom of heaven by virtue of the redemption accomplished for us on the cross. Only believers are citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Nevertheless, when we became Christians our citizenship in the world was not revoked, so we share that citizenship with unbelievers.

The message that we are free to en­ gage in cultural tasks (e.g. raising families, building cities, writing books, restoring houses, going to movies, making music) is grounded in our citizenship in the first kingdom, because God created the world Please turn to Culture on Page 10 MARCH/APRIL 1992

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Continued from Culture on Page 9 and put his stamp of approval on it. We are free to do these things not because we are redeemed, ·but because like the unbeliev­ ers, we are human.

Unfortunately, some people are given the impression that the reason that these activities are open to them is that they are spiritual, because all of life is spiritual.

This confuses what God is doing in cre­ ation with what he is doing in redemption.

Some say that all of life is spiritual. Fine.

Now how are we to evaluate our activities in light of this insight? When we view an avant-garde film produced by a brilliant non-Christian director, do we really want to say that this is a spiritual experience? It is one thing to say that it is worthwhile, or even God-pleasing, but does this activity have the same power to bring us into the presence of God as the Word or Sacra­ ments?

The answer has to be, certainly not!

No unregenerate person seeks after God, and even the regenerate do not know how to find him apart from where he has chosen to reveal himself. If an individual is enjoy­ ing the presence of God, it is because God revealed himself to that person, and he has revealed his graciousness to us nowhere other than the word and sacraments. This is not to rule out movie-going or any other cul'tural activity. What we do in the world can still be God-pleasing, even if it does not contribute to bringing people to God and even if it is not, strictly speaking, "spiri tual. " I am cheered by the fact that of the great literary scholars one of this century, C.S. L~wis, was able to consider literature to be of little importance in comparison to the gospel, yet still felt free to throw him­ self whole-heartedly into this endeavor to enrich his life and that of others. He saw his calling as that of providing his students with a living specimen of old Western Man, one who knew the old books of the culture intimately, and the lost worlds they contained. Lewis knew that his painsLak­ ing research into Icelandic saga and 16th­ century poetry would contribute to the salvation of no one, but he did it, neverthe­ less, to the glory of God. It was of little importance in comparison to the gospel, but it was his calling.

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The Dangers of Spiritualizing

First, there is even a danger to culture in our insistence that it is sacred, sacra­ mental, or spiritual. How many universi­ ties have spoiled the study of literature by not reading it for pleasure but as political

The message of God's grace is not found in the data from a radio telescope at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, nor in the beauty of Paris nor the music of Mozart. It is found in the scriptures alone. and social criticism? The underlying as­ sumption is that nobody would endorse the use of taxpayers' money for the uni­ versity to teach people how to enjoy a good book, but they might pay to have their values insulted. OUT belief that hu­ man creativity must be justified by its importance to the gospel is just a variation on the culture's general insistence that literature and art serve some higher social purpose. This does not free us to enjoy culture more, for when we use it to another end, it ceases to be what it is.

Second, when we use culture to the wrong end , we endanger not only cui ture, but ourselves. Luther said of the scholas­ tics and mystics of his time that they used reason and mystical experience as a ladder by which to climb into heaven so that they could peek at God in the nude (the Deus nudus). These men wished to know God as he was in himself, not as he revealed himself in Christ. If God is sought apart from Christ and the Scriptures, the God who is found is a severe judge and a consuming fire. This is because his holy Law, the Law that demands utter moral perfection of all, was written into the

fabric of the universe at creation. The Gospel was not.

The heavens declare the glory of God everyw here, always; but God became man in the days of Caesar Augustus in a small village. The message of his grace is found in the Scriptures alone. It is not found in the data from a radio telescope at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, nor in the beauty of Paris nor the music of Mozart.

Today alongside of reason and mys­ ticism, we see culture being offered as a ladder to heaven. When we are told that we can find God in culture, or that culture can be Christian and sacramental, wemust beware. If we do find God in culture, he will be a naked God, a disincarnate God, a judging God. Apart from Scripture, we do not know what lessons to draw from our ex perience. Instead of considering the lilies of the field and learning that we can trust God to fulfill our need for clothing, we might, like the cannibals, consider the beasts of the field and trust our neighbors to fulfill our need for food. Sooner or later, our ladder to hea ven will fall, and the farther up we have climbed, the more secrets of God we have learned from cul­ ture, the greater will be our fall.

If we are ever to see God in culture, we had better use Scripture as a lens so that we see the right image projected onto the cultural screen. Culture is not a sacrament by which we can grasp hold of God. In order to see culture rightly, we must let God find us through his Word and Sacra­ ments. Then we will know that the God who has created the world is a gracious God, and we can enjoy culture and the world as a gift.

Cultural activity is not spiritual, if by this it is meanl that we get close to God by engaging in it. As Christians this ought not bother us. We should not mourn that our ladder to heaven has been taken away, for we need no ladder. God has come down to us. Now we are free to enjoy culture as culture, simply because God has already drawn close to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For Further Reading C.S. Lewis, "Christianity & Literature," and "Christianity & Culture" in Christian Refections (Erdmans); Werner Elert, The Structure of Lutheranism (Concordia).

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Continuedfrom World on Page 4 interaction with the Refonnation "world­ view," as it was coming to be called. This is the important part of this observation. While Schaeffer wrote a great deal of material on the Christian view of the world, creation, fall, redemption, eschatology, and other as­ pects of Refonnation theology, his real legacy will be for generations to come that it was he who awakened evangelicals to the pro-life cause. While Schaeffer would be honored that his gifts were used so greatly

by God in the service of so worthy a cause, he would also be disappoint0d that evan­ gelicals and fundamentalists had remained essentially hostile toward this world, though involved again for the flrst time in decades.

This is why evangelical social action today is characterized, not by the positive involvement of the past, when Christians were the nation's great educators, artists, scientists, and professionals, but by the es­ sentially negative cast of evangelical in­ volvement in the public square. Our agenda is basically negative and reductionistic­ like our theology, cen tered on w hat we don't believe and what we don't do, as it is self­ serving. Past social action served theculture and community as a legitimate end in itself.

But recent evangelical engagement has been rude, arrogant, confrontational and self­ serving. The public knows evangelicals, not as those who are looking out for the good of

society, but as those who wish to enforce their own agenda without having to present a good defense for it in the public square. It is worthwhile to contrast the interests of evangelicals in the last century-opposi­ tion to child labor and monopolies, insis­ tence on world peace, the minimum wage, women's rights---with their interests today.

Perhaps they were as triumphalistic then as many evangelicaJs are today, but the agendas, with the exception of the move­ ment to prohibit the sale and use ofalcohol, could not have been more remotely asso­ ciated.

As long as fundamentalist.s and evan­ gelicals have a theology that places them in an adversarial relationship to this world and its culture, they will continue to get involved with art only when trying to censor it; with politics, only when they want to get their way among the other lobbies; with science, only when they want to force teachers to give equal time to a view of which the latter are not convinced; with victims of AIDS, only when we remind them that they deserve it, as if death did not come to the rest of us because of sin, too; with education, only when sex education comes up for discussion. If we cannot get beyond our moralistic, self-righteous, self­ serving, and world-despising theology, we cannot hope to overcome the program it produces, nor the negative effects it creates in the culture. Unless we begin to take this

world as seriously as God does (in kind, if not in degree), we will continue to create hostility not only toward legitimate Chris­ tian involvement in the world, but toward the gospel itself.

If, however, we return to the rich soil of Scripture, which takes this world very seri­ ously (both in its created and fallen reality), we have the potential not only to prepare the way for a new generation of Christian lead­ ership in the culture, but to prepare the way for a renewed interest in the gospel as well.

Notes I Eugene F. Rice, The FOlmdations of Early Modem Europe (NY: Norton & Norton, 1987) 2 H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture (London: Faber and Faber, Ltd., 1952) 3 Martin Luther, Works (philadelphia: For­ tress, 1915-32), vol.2, p.338 4 John Calvin, Institutes (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960),3:19:15 5 Ibid., 3:19:9

For Further Reading Martin Luther, Freedom ofa Christian Man; Henry Meeter, The Basic Ideas ofCalvin­ ism (Baker Books); Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvinism (Eerdmans); Paul Althaus, The Ethics of Martin Luther (Minneapolis: Augsburg); The Works of Francis Schaeffer (Crossway); T.S. Elliot, Christianity and Culture (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich).

How Your Theology Shapes Your World View

1. Your doctrine of God. Does God have all power and authority over the universe? Or is history a battle between good and evil forces? Is this world rational and ordered? What is justice, good, truth, beauty? How are these reflections of God's character?

Whatis thesignificanceoftheaffirmation that "the Word became flesh" for our view of our humanness and the impor­ tance of this world?

2. Your doctrine of man Is man a product of chance? Whal distin­ guishes humans from th e restof creation ?

What is the "image of God"? Do people still possess that image even if they aren't Christians? What does this mean for the arena of life we share in common with

non-Christians (work and play, etc.)? Are humans basically good or evil? What does this mean for government and law?

How do we balance liberty and justice?

Can we expect to build an ideal society?

3. Your doctrine of salvation Is salvation eternal or temporal? Do people really need saving? From what? or what docs the Christian doctrine of salvation consist? Is salvation the work of God entirely, or the work of God and man , or man alone?

.4. Your doctrine of the church Arc we savedfrom the world, or saved in the world? Is the church a community that is separated from the world or to God in the world? Is the church a community

of only those who are truly saved, or is it a mixed body ofChristians and hypocrites who will only be sorted out on the last day? How important are the earthly sac­ raments of bread, wine and water in our Christian experience? What are my re­ sponsibilities to the church as well as to my calling?

5. Your doctrine of history and the future Is God's history of salvation, from Gen­ esis to Revelation, a story of escape from this world and normal human history, or a story of providence and redemption in real time and space history? Are we wasting our time getting involved in this world when it is going to pass away at our Lord's return?

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Was Geneva a Theocracy?

Heretics were burned, cards and dice were outlawed. What's the story, John Calvin?

MICHAEL S. HORTON

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CURE PRESIDENT

From the first-hand accounts, Oxford's Gillian Lewis notes: "The city of Geneva possessed a significance which was sym­ bolic and mythical. Her friends saw her as the mirror and model of true piety, a haven

equivilent of the secret police to ensure that no one, at any time or any place, was enjoying himself. The amazing thing abou t this is not the image itself, but the fact that it has survived in the public imagination

of refuge, a roosting -place for fledglings, a stronghold to train and despatch abroad soldiers of the Gospel and ministers of the Word." And yet, there were enemies as well, enemies who saw Genevaas "Satan's sanctuary, a source of heresy, atheism, and libertinage and a centre for the active dis­ semination of sedition."1 Just as soon as Geneva embraced the Reformation officially and severed its loyalties to the bishop and Duke of Savoy, the city was flooded with refugees from all over Europe. Over night Geneva became, after Wittenberg, Zurich, and Strasbourg, a capitol of the Protestant faith. Foreign visitors expressed amazement as they ob­ served both the theological and practical attractions of the city.

Nevertheless, the impressions we re­ cei ved from our high school teachers, more than likely, had little in common with those reported by first-hand witnesses, friend or foe. Images abound of a tyrant in a black academic gown, organizing a 16th-century

even though it has been refuted by the consensus of the world's leading Renais­ sance and Reformation historians for more than a half of a century. The foundation for this public myth is the assertion that Geneva was a theocracy and Calvin was its pope.

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The Reluctant Reformer Oxford professor Alister McGrath writes: "Before the Reformation Geneva was an episcopal city indecline."2 In 1535 the city council aboli shed the Mass and th e bishop responded by excommunicating the Genevan population. Months later they minted their first coins, which read, "After darkness, light!" Protestant Berne came to Geneva's defense militarily and Geneva gained its independence from the DukeofSavoy. Nevertheless, the city was in severe debt and administratively con­ fused, much as we are used to seeing with the new independent republics of what used to be the Soviet Union. While the

bishop threatened the use of force, the people voted for the Reformation on May 25,1536.

But that was only the beginning.

Without qualified leadership, Geneva was on the verge of collapse. What the new republic desperately needed was a young visionary.

John Calvin was trained in theology and law, the latter being his chosen course, stud ying under some of the most sensi tive intellects of the Renaissance, and had finished his first published work, a com­ mentary on Seneca's De Clementia.

Combining his interests in language and civil law, this work explored the Roman philosopher's concern (and, no doubt Calvin's as well) for leniency and com­ passion in the execution of civil justice.

Seneca and Calvin both lived during dif­ ficult times, when power was used for personal advantage to such a point that church and society both had become de­ moralized.

At this time, Calvin was becoming a "Lutheran" and read every evangelical tract he could find. Fleeing the authori­ ties in Paris, Calvin set off on July 15, 1536, for the reformed city ofStrasbourg, where Martin Bucer was centered.

However, the French king and the emperor were engaged in a war that blocked the road to Strasbourg from France. Frus­ trated, but undaunted, Calvin took a de­ tour to Geneva for the night. That's right, for the night.

Little did Calvin know what awaited him in God's providence. The chief re­ formed pastor, Guillaume Farel, a stem older gentleman, greeted the young re­ former. Calvin was anonymous, and wanted it LO stay that way. Here is his own account: Nobody there knew J was the author [of The I nstitutes} ...untilfinally Guillaume Farel kept me at Geneva, not so much by advice and argument, as by a dreadful curse, as if God has laid his hand upon me from heaven to stop me ....Then someone .. .discovered me and made it known to others. Upon this Fare!.. . went out of his way to detain me. And after Continued on next page

I Modern Reformation: Has the Reformation produced more than its fair share of cultural products?

Dr. Alister McGrath: It sure has. The Reformation was a period of enormous vitality and creativity, in which men and women sought to apply their faith to every area ofculture. Liberated from the monas­ tic outlook of the Middle Ages, they set out, confident in the resources the gospel and related doctrines had to offer, to transform not only individuals, bu t an entire culture.

Can you offer some examples?

You must have a time limit on this inter­ view, so I shall limit myself to three. A new and positive attitude to work devel­ oped. God has placed Christians in his world, and they could glorify him by their ordinary everyday labors. By doing things well, and doing them for God, Christians were enabled to make work into an act of praise. This new commitment to work led to those countries which embraced the Reformation-such as Switzerland, Ger­ many and England-forging ahead in­ dustrially, on account of what has come to be known as "the Protestant work ethic."

Second, a new attitude to public wor­ ship developed, with music being seen as a way in which-at one and the same time-God could be glorified and his people edified. Luther was an outstanding musician and blazed the trail to be followed by folk such as Charles Wesley. Music involved the whole congregation in the praise of God-using words and tunes they could identify with. This gave a new stimulus to hymn writing and a new having heard that / had several private studies for which / wished to keep myself free ... , he gave vent to impreccation, that it might please God to curse my leisure and the peace for my study that 1 was looking for, if1 went away and refused to give them support and help in a situation of such great need. These words so shocked and moved me that 1 gave up the journey 1 had intended to make However, conscious ofmy sharne a~d timidity, 1 did not want myselfto be obliged to carry out any particular dUli es. 3

N T

E

R V

lEW

Dr. Alister

McGrath

Professor of Theology, Wyclitfe Hall, Oxford and member of the Oxford University Facu Ity of Theology. Dr. McGrath has been hailed as "one of the very best scholars and teachers of the Reformation" (London Times) with numerous books for both academic and lay audiences.

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of God. No wonder so many of the great­ est scientists were Christians! And these are just some examples of the Reformation's deep and positive impact upon western culture!

What are the underlying motifs which moti­ vate such energetic activity in this world?

Let's look at just one: a sense of confi­ dence in the gospel. As Christians, we ought to be in the world, converting it from within. The reformers knew that getting involved with the world was a risky busi­ ness. It could change us, and make us lose our faith. But the reformers believed that believers could change the world, and help it to gain faith. The Reformation encour­ ages us to be salt and light to the world­ by getting involved! There were no mon­ asteries for the reformers. Withdrawal from the world was an act of irresponsi­ bility. Our place is in that world, as we try to convert it from within.

How can we draw on these resources today?

awareness of how the music and words of hymns could aid Christian devotion, praise, and evangelism. That's a major (and very welcome!) cultural shift. You could argue that popular music owes much of its origins to the reformers.

But then the Reformation also laid the foundations for the development of the natural sciences. Reformers such as Calvin stressed that the invisible God could be understood to some degree in the wonders of his creation. He encouraged the study of nature, as a means of appre­ ciating more fully the wisdom and glory

Let me just give one example. We've lost our sense that work is a way in which we glorify God. Too often, we see it just as means of keeping alive. Sunday is the day when we praise God; the rest of the time we just work! We retreat into our Chris­ tian subculture, without getting involved in the world outside. But the reformers ask us to see our work during the week as an act of praise and an act of witness. It is a means by which we can glorify God, by giving him our best. And people will notice the difference. They'll ask what motivates us. Work is a means by which the gospel can be brought to the world.

Dr. McGrath observes, "Withdrawn in personality and intellectual in inclina­ tion, he gave little indication of being of potential value in the cut-and-thrust world of Genevan politics of the 1530s."4 Atthis time, Calvin was no more than a lecturer in the Bible and theology.

The big moment apparently came when Berne, attempting to convert Lausanne via a public debate, invited Farel to represent the reformed position and Farel brought Calvin along. Caught in a bit of a pinch over how to handle the Catholic representative's claim that the

reformed ignore the church fathers, Calvin rose to answer. "Reeling off a remarkable chain of references to their writings, includingtheir location-apparently totally from memory-Calvin virtually destroyed the credibility of his opponent. "5 After winning Lausanne to the Reformation, Calvin was asked to write the Confession of Faith for the city. Thereupon he was ap­ pointed pastor of St. Peter's, the cathedral church of Geneva.

After years of clerical domination, the city council was notabout to give the church its proper spiritual authority, much less MARCH/APRIL 1992

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Continued from Geneva on Page 13 civil power. "Unlike their Catholic prede­ cessors," writes McGrath, "they were de­ void of power and wealth within the city; indeed, they were not even citizens of Geneva, with access to decision-making bodies. "6 Tension began tobuild between Calvin and the city council. Calvin wanted communion to be administered frequently (preferably, every time the Word was preached); he insisted on L~e authority for excommunication resting with the church, not with the state, the latter often using it as a threat against political enemies. In other words, Calvin wanted more of a separation between the religious and civil spheres.

However, the city council, for political reasons, denied Calvin and Farel their re­ forms. When they refused to tolerate the interference of the city council in spiritual affairs, they were exiled to Strasbourg.

The Reluctant Returner In Strasbourg (1538-41), Calvin felt as though he were in heaven. Martin Bucer became his mentor and Calvin assumed the pastorate of the French Reformed church there. During this time, Calvin published some of his most noted works and settled down enough to marry Idelette de B ure, the widow ofan Anabaptist friend. With every success Calvin became more satisfied in Strasbourg, but once again Geneva was calling.

First, the city council asked Calvin to write a response to Cardinal Sadoleto' s appeal for the Genevans to return to the Roman fold. This Calvin did, and a con­ vincing defense it is, and the reformer thought the project was harmless enough, since he could write it in the leisure of Strasbourg's more supportive environ ment.

Geneva issued its apology and a plea for Farel and Calvin to return, but neither appeared particularly moved by the invita­ tion. Finally, in February, 1541, Farel persuaded Cal vin to return, though he him­ self did not, and Calvin arrived September 13.

Dr. McGrath points out "how deeply the myth of 'the great dictator of Geneva' is embedded in popular religious and his­ torical writings," and points to the work of Balzac and Huxley as examples of writers who made assertions without any histori ­

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cal facts supporting them, but who never­ theless seem to have had more influence in the shaping of the modern view of Cal vin than the facts of history. 7 The Genevan reformer was "denied access to the city's decision-making machinery. He could not vote; he could not stand for office."8 In fact, he still had little power over his own church affairs!

Did Calvin Have Servetus Burned At The Stake?

There is one event that stands out in our minds concerning Cal vin' s leadership in the Genevan church, however, that de­ serves closer consideration: On October 25, 1553, the city council issued the de­ cree that Michael Servetus be burned at the stake for heresy.

Did Calvin "have Servetus burned at the stake," as is the popular impression?

The answer, clearly, is no! First, Calvin had corresponded with Servetus and there is some evidence to suggest that he had even tried to clandestinely meet with the anti-Trinitarian in order to try to convince him of his error. After escaping certain execution from Roman Catholic authori­ ties in France and Vienna, Servetus ar­ rived in Geneva and made himself known to Calvin in public. Servetus was arrested and, although Calvin was both a theolo­ gian and trained lawyer who had been employed by the city council to draft legislation concerning social welfare, city planning, sanitation, and the like, he was not the prosecuting attorney. Remember, he did not even have the rights of a com­ mon citizen!

Second, Calvin was at the height of his battles with the city council at this time. Had he, in facl, urged the execution of Servetus, that might have been just the thing to have saved the victim 'slife! When Servetus was gi ven the option of facing trial in Vienna or Geneva, Servetus chose Geneva. For some reason, he must have thought his chances of survival were bet­ ter in Geneva. However, the council, led by the anti-Calvin faction at this time, was determined to demonstrate that Geneva could be trusted as a reformed city com­ mitted to upholding the creeds and Servetus was sentenced to death by burning. Cal v in pleaded with the council to execute Servetus in a more humane manner than

the traditional ritual burning for heretics.

But, of course, the city council refused Calvin's plea. Farel visited Calvin during the execution and was, reportedly, so dis­ turbed that he left without even saying farewell.

During this same period, by the way, 39 heretics were burned in Paris, the In­ q uisi tion was being enforced in Spain, Italy, and other parts of Europe. In spite of the fact that many sought refuge in Geneva who were less than orthodox, fleeing Catholic authorities, Servetus was the only heretic burned there during Calvin's dis­ tinguished career.

In fact, it must be noted thatJews were invited by the reformed cities to find safety from the Inquisition . The Puritan Oliver Crom well was laterto make England a safe haven for dissenters, even for those with whom he dissented, and especially for Jews.

The same is true of the Netherlands and Strasbourg. It is no small wonder that when we think of human rights and inter­ national relations, these reformed (or once­ reformed) capitals-Geneva, Strasbourg (home oftheInt' I Institute ofHuman Rights, the European Parliament, and other relief and human rights agencies), Amsterdam, and London, find their way to the top of the list.

Will The Real Calvin Please Stand The fact is, Calvin was a caring pastor who visited patients dying of the deadiy and contageous plague in the newly orga­ nized hospital he had established, even though he was warned of the dangers of contact. He "not only risked his life," according to Dutch historian L. Penning, "but accomplished more for the patients by adopting sophisticated hygienic mea­ sures."9 He was the genius behind the establishment of the network of deacons who, according to Dr. Gillian Lewis, "took .

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charge of the day-to-day care of the sick and impotent poor," giving the position "the dignity of being a part of the four-fold ministry of the church."!O It was he who urged the council to secure low-interest loans in banking for the poor but entrepre­ neurial exiles who had been trained in a craft through the training and employment agency that was the functioning diaconate.

It was Calvin who urged universal, free education to all inhabitants of the city, as Luther and the other reformers had done, and "from 1541 he al ways rose and went to bed with this thought upermost in his mind: 'How can wegiveGenevaa University?"'!!

And it was his students who spread the gospel as well as proto-democratic ideals throughout the western world.

For the reformers in general and for Calvin in particular,soLiDeo gloria (to God only be glory) was the design of life and good works were caring for one's neigh­ bor, working for justice and right dealings, building churches, pubs, hospitals and uni­ versities for the honor of the Great King.

So here is our "tyrant of Geneva," whose ministry was first opposed, then summoned with repeated pleas, then frus­ trated, and finally held in high honor by the people he is supposed to have abused.

Penning writes that, LOward the end of his life, when Calvin was seen in the streeLS, citizens and "famous strangers" would say, "'Look, there goes our Master Calvin!'"

On March 10, 1564 the council decreed a day of prayer for Calvin's health and the reformer recovered for a time. On Easter,

April 2, Calvin was carried to St. Peter's in his chair and after he received communion from Beza, his successor, the congrega­ tion began weeping.

The council that had years earlier determined the length of sermons in Geneva and opposed so much of his pas­ toral ministry voted to give Calvin a sub­ stantial financial gift, but the reformer refused to accept any money, since he could no longer fulfill the functions. On Saturday, May 27, Calvin died, at the age of 55. "When late at night the news of Calvin's death spread, there was much weeping in the town, as a nation weeps when it loses its benefactor," writes Pen­ ning. "Cannon Street was crowded with people; it became a pilgrimmage to the Reformer's death-bed, and the Govern­ ment had to take measures to prevent too great a pressure."12 The city, with its thousands of exiles, citizens, and foreign dignitaries, followed the procession.

Calvin had insisted that he be placed in a simple pine box, buried in an unmarked grave. This surely was not the funeral of a despot.

Even the greatest heroes of the past have blemishes and have made decisions or statements that cause us, centuries later especially, to rIinch and Calvin is no ex, ception. But at a time when preachers, much less politicians and celebrities, ap­ pear to offer some less than heroic role models, the shy and reluctant man of Geneva seems to have weathered the dis­ dain of those today, like those of his own

day, who cannot understand what it is like to be possessed by a passion for God. Tom Wolfe, author of "Bonfire of the Vanities," told TIME magazine, "Ours is not an age likely to produce great heroes." May today's Bible-believing heirs of the Refor­ mation prove him wrong.

Notes Dr. Gillian Lewis, "Calvin and Geneva," in International Calvinism (Oxford Univ.

Press), p.39 2Dr. Alister McGrath,ALifeoflohnCalvin (Cambridge: Basil Blackwell, 1991), p.86 3 ibid., p.95 4. ibid., p.96 5 ibid., p.97 6 ibid 7 ibid., pp.105 ff 8 ibid., p.109 9 L. Penning, Life and Times of Calvin, transl. by B. S. B errington (London: Kegan, Trench, Trubner, 1912), p.287 10 Lewis, op. cit., p.44 11 Penning, op.cit., p. 288 12 ibid., p.391

For Further Reading Ralph Hancock, Calvin and the Founda­ tions of Modern Politics (NY: Cornell Univ. Press); J. McNeill, The History & Character of Calvinism (Oxford Univ.

Press); Ronald Wallace, Calvin, Geneva and the Reformatio,n (Baker/Scottish Academic Press); Alister McGrath, A Life of John Calvin (Basil Blackwell).

Book Review

Worldly Saints:

The PuritansAs They Really Were

Leland Ryken, ForewordbyJ .1. Packer; (Grand Rapids, M I: Zondervan) 1986, 281 pp.

A way with the caricatured scapegoating of the Puritans! Ryken' s work draws from the Puritans' own writ­ ings to dispel thepopularmyths surround­ ing them. In his foreword to the book, J.1.

Packer sums it up nicely: "rTlhc typical Puritans were not wild men, fierce and freaky, religious fanatics and social ex-

tremists, but sober, conscientious, and cuI Lured citizens, persons of principle, determined and disciplined, excelling in the domestic virtues .... At last the record has been put straight."

Ryken recovers a far more accurate understanding of the Puritans by knock­ ing over one misconception after another.

His selections from their writings are organized into categories so to reveal Puritan thinking in all areas of life. This organization makes it all the easier for Ryken to conclude as the Puritans would want him to: with application of their wisdom to present life. Not that the

Puritans were free from error; Ryken also lists their weaknesses and excesses.

Worldly Saints is not difficult to read at all. An historical outline assists the reader in understanding the temper of the times, photos and prints are scattered throughout the work, and indices of both topics and persons are included. In addi­ tion, an extensive bibliography follows the text notes, and each chapter is con­ cluded with a summary and list of rec­ ommended works. This is an excellent introduction to our brothers and sisters who most certainly glorified God through their involvement in the creation.

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Continued from Denial on

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thinking limits sin to things external to us, ignoring completely our guilt for inwardly giving in to the unseen sinful desires operat­ ing within us. The Sennon on the Mount, and Mark 7:14-23 clearly present Jesus's position on this confusion of sin with the external world. Against the revival ofGnos­ tic mysticism in his own day Calvin wrote, ''The depravity and malice both of man and of the devil, or the sins that arise therefrom, do not spring from nature, but rather from the corruption of nature." Therefore, "Let us riot be ashamed to take pious delight in the works ofGod open and manifest in this most beautiful theater" (Inst. I: 14: 20).

Nor are other Christian truths safe from this mess. The sacraments of the Lord's Supper and Baptism suffer because they become merely movements of matter in this Gnostic understanding of Christianity. Af­ ter all, how can spirituality be involved with matter? Imagine what can happen to the Incarnation in this model! After all, if we insist on the notion that the bread and wine in communion are merely symbolic on the basis that they are material things (and this is indeed how many Christians argue today), how can we say that "the Word became flesh" nearly two thousand years ago? While we may, as believers, have differing views of the sacraments and their efficacy, there is no doubt that the denial of God's involve­ ment with matter in communicating to us (either in his living Word, Christ; the written Word, the Bible, or in the sacraments) is heretical.

Gnostics new and old may caricature the orthodox as "dead," bound to the "letter" rather than the "Spirit," devoted to "head knowledge" instead of "heart knowledge," "more interested in what the Lord did yes­ terday than what he's doing today," and so on, but in so doing they are denying the onl y objective communication they have from God. Our evangelism certainly suffers as well.

If we do not know the philosophies that shape our world view, it is nearly impossible to communicate the gospel. But perhaps we don't want to be seen in the company of worldly people anyway. Serious Christians might question our spirituality if we know too much about the world. Besides, it might ruin our witness.

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Our understanding of ourselves is also affected. As has been cited extensively in The Agony o/Deceit, televangelistic Gnostics set the human spirit over the rest of the person in an attempt to put ass under that which God has joined together. A cycle of despair results. Believers start with emo­ tional, psychological, relational, or moral . struggles and they are told that such'afflic­ tions are the old things that havl(passed away upon conversion: Now they are to totally surrender and submit those things to God. Believers are to deny not only the reality of sin's dominion (which Paul does teach) , but to deny the reality of ongoing sinful affections and behavior (which Paul does not teach). Christians are not, there­ fore, supposed to deal with these problems at all (for that would involve "the flesh").

They mustsimply let God fight those battles without their efforts. Immediately, they become aware of their inability to experi­ ence such victory in these areas, and feel even more distant [Tom God. At this point they either begin denying the realities of their fallenness, or they try harder and harder to not try at all.

A Christianity that is really a collection of Gnostic experiences then becomes a commodity to be advertised (disguised as evangelism), sold (disguised as acceptance, not necessarily conversion), compared (dis­ guised as fellowship), and hoarded for our own development (disguised as a personal relationship). Francis Schaeffer forewarned us of this new Super-Spirituality, which stands opposed to creation. We have be­ come interested in saving souls, not people.

We deny the Lordship of Christ over the world when we refuse to be involved with his creation, including employment and cul­ ture. God's gifts to us in creation, including the intellect, our psychology, relationships, social institutions, and nature, too often are seen as evil by Christians. Isaiah's warning still calls us to repentance in our disdain for this world: "Woe to those who call evil good and good eviL"

Notes 1 M. Ferguson, The Aquarian Conspiracy (NY: St. Martin's Press, 1987) 2 K. Copeland, Believer's Voice o/Victory, 1982,vo1.2 .

3 Eric Voegelin, Science, Politics, and Gnosticism (Regnery Gateway, 1968), p.9.

T.S. Eliot On Christianity &Culture: .,

1~ We have to remember that the Kingdom of Christ on earth will never be realized, and also that it is always being realized; we must remember that whatever reform or revolu­ tion we carry out, the result will always be a sordid travesty ofwhat human society should be--though the world is never left wholly without glory." ...

"Ataperiod in which each nation has less and less culture for its own consumption, all are making furious efforts to ex port their culture, to impress upon each other their achieve­ ments in arts which they are ceasing to cultivate or understand. Just as the supposed intellectuals who regard theology as a special study with which they need not concern themselves, while at the same time the theolo gians observe the same indifference to Ii terature and art, as special studies which do not concern them, so the masses regard both fields as territories of which they have no reason to be ashamed of remaining in com­ plete ignorance about. Accordingly, the more serious authors have a limited, and even provincial audience, and the more popular authors write for an illiterate and uncritical mob."

"To justify Christianity because it provides a foundation ofmorality for the general culture, instead ofshowing the necessity ofChristian morality from the truth of Christianity, is a very dangerous inversion; and wemayreflect, thatagood deal of the attention of totalitarian states has been devoted, with a steadiness of purpose notalways found in democracies, to providing their national life with a founda­ tion of morality--the wrong kind perhaps, butagooddeal moreofit. Itisnotenthusiasm, but dogma, that differentiates a Christian from a pagan society (I have tried to restrict my am bition ofa Christian society to a social minimum: to picture, not a society of saints, but of ordinary men, of men whose Christi­ anityiscommunal before being individual)."

From: TheIdeao/aChristianSociety (I-UB)

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Christ &Culture: An Illustrative Life

Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)

After graduating with highest hon­ ors from the University of Leyden and then earning his doctorate in theology there, Abraham Kuyper eventually be­ came a pastor in the Dutch Reformed Church in Amsterdam andeditor-in-chief of De Standaard, a daily newspaper published by the Anti-Revolutionary Party of the Netherlands.

A young reformer who had grown increasingly critical of the departure of the Reformed Church and the nation from their theological moorings, Kuyper was encouraged to enter politics, which he did in 1874, when he was elected a mem­ ber of Pai:liarTIent.~· The church at this time was already sliding toward liberal­ ism, having tolerated Arminianism and Deism for some time already. In some circles theologians openl y denied Christ's bodily resurrection and Kuyper himself had accepted liberalism during his student years. It was Kuyper's own congrega­ tion that led him to conversion in those early years of ministry before he entered politics. He writes of the experience, "I had not yet found the Word of recon­ ciliation. In their simple language they brought me this in the absolute form in which alone my soul can rest. I discov­ ered that the HoI y Scripture does not onl y cause us to find justification by faith, but also discloses the foundation of all areas of human life."l In 1880 Kuyper founded the Free University of Amsterdam, built on the premise that all of human knowledge and endeavor must serve the glory of God and be informed by Scripture. God con­ sidered all of life important, not just religion, Kuyper was fond of insisting, in the great tradition of the Protestant Ref­ ormation.

At the national celebration held in honor of Kuyper's 75th birthday, it was declared, "The history of the NeLherlands, in Church, in State, in Society, in Press, in School, and in the Sciences of the last 40 years, cannot be written without the mention of his name on almost every

page, for during this period the biography of Dr. Kuyper is to a considerable extent the history of the Netherlands."2 After returning from the United States in 1898, where Princeton Uriiversity conferred on Kuyper the Doctorate of Laws after he delivered the Stone Lectures, titled, Lec­ lures on Calvinism, the elder statesman was "summoned by Queen Wilhelmina to form a cabinet."3 Finally, after serving as

Prime Minister of the Netherlands for the next four years, Kuyper "resided in The Hague as Minister of State, in the public eye the foremost figure in the land, and in some respects withouta peerin the world."4 Kuyper warned both of nationalism and revolutionary forces (such as Com­ munism) at work in Europe during this time. (We have much to learn from Kuyper especially with the rise of nationalism and neo-fascism.) He warned of "George Thibaud, known for his anti-Semitic pro­ paganda," who "at the same time revived the anti-Calvinistic spirit in France, and even in the Dreyfus case, 'Jews and Cal­ vinists' were arraigned by him as the two anti-national forces" of France. s Kuyper was a man ahead of his times and we would do well to heed his warnings even today, as Jean-Marc LePen, an outspoken neo-fascist, gains incredible support for his political agenda in the French parlia­ ment.

One note that might be of interest to Dutch pietists of South Africa would be Abraham Kuyper's remarks about apart­

heid. The "co-mingling 1 of blood," he noted in his Stone Lectures, has always contributed to great prosperity. While his scientific reasoning might be considered antiquated (not to mention, to our ears, strange), his social ethics were, once more, ahead of their times: "History shows that the nations among which Calvinism flour­ ished most widely exhibit in every way this same mingling of races." Of course, how­ ever, Kuyper was addressing an American audience!

Kuyper's biographers all point to his preference for "the common man." Ac­ cording to one biographer, Kuyper pre­ ferred to "speak of the 'little fellows' (kleine luyden) of the Reformation, who had per­ severed when many other people with great names had not."6 But at the heart of Kuyper's life was the gospel and he was engaged in doctrinal dispu tes and pleas for reformation throughout the rest of his life. While inher­ i ting the Reformation impulse to transform culture, Kuyper never lost sight of the fact that this was not an evangelistic activity. It will hopeful serve to pre-evangelize; that is, to prepare the way for the gospel, but Kuyper was able to defend both the gospel and involvement in society without con­ fusing either. When all was said and done, the elder statesman of the Dutch republic declared: "It is as if Christ said LO us, 'This is my world, every inch of it!'"

Notes

1. Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvin­ ism, introduction by Dr. Jan Hendrick de

Vries (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, reprinted 1981), vi.

2. ibid., ii 3. ibid.

4. ibid. s. ibid., p.13 6.L. Praasma, Let Christ Be King (Ontario, Canada: Paideia Press, 1985), pA8

For Further Reading Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvinism :

Near Unto God; The Holy Spirit MARCH/APRIL 1992

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