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CHRISTIAN RECONSTRUCTIONISM: Simply put, Christian Reconstructionists (CR's) are Christians who believe that the only way to solve modern America's problems is to bring back 16th century Puritan Massachusetts. The CR's are politically active ultra-conservative scriptural literalists. They use the phrase "inerrant Law-Word of God" to describe their biblical view. They do not believe in traditional American notions of Separation of Church and State or in public education. They do not believe that "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed" as Thomas Jefferson wrote in our Declaration of Independence. They promote an Old Testament, Puritan, theocratic view of government where the
interpreters of God's will (the clergy) rule the state. They believe that "they" are literally intended by God to take political control over all aspects of society and rule here in America until the post-millennial return of Christ. They believe that all civil law must be based on a literal fundamentalist reading of Scripture, including the very harshest reading of the Old Testament legal code. Willing to work intensely at local political activity, they exercise influence far out
of proportion to their numbers. Rousas J. Rushdoony, the founder and chief theorist of the "Reconstructionist" movement, calls democracy a heresy; it's not found in the Bible. He writes "Christianity is completely and radically anti-democratic; it is committed to a spiritual aristocracy." His type of Hyper-Reformed-Calvinism emphasizes the inherited sinfulness of all humans and the divine election to salvation of only a few, who are the only people qualified to govern human society. He teaches that the Bible requires the death penalty for 14 different offenses, including blasphemers, adulterers, homosexuals, idolaters, and "incorrigible" children. He also insists that the Bible condones some forms of slavery. Rushdoony compares the spread of Christian Reconstructionism in America to the rise of
the militant Shiite Moslems in Islamic nations. Both are a reaction to the modern world
that unite religion and politics into one seamless authoritarian philosophy. CR's attitude toward other faith groups is beyond arrogance. For them diversity is a dirty word! They believe that anyone espousing theological error has no claim to religious freedom and may properly have their rights denied by law. Religious toleration in America and open religious dialogue are abhorrent to CR's because they say "it affords people an opportunity to be exposed to theological error." Rushdoony puts it this way, "In the name of toleration, the believer is asked to associate on a common level of total acceptance with the atheist, the pervert, the criminal, and the adherents of other religions as if no differences existed." |
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