Applied Calvinism
Five Point Calvinism represents an important development of the implications of God's sovereignty and is in this respect in the mainstream of theological development. However, contemporary Five Point Calvinism has reduced the faith too often to these abstractions and lost all the power and vitality of Calvinism on the social scene; it does not speak to the problems of the day. (Rushdoony, Systematic Theology Vol. II, p.669)

If you want to know what separates Christian Reconstruction from every other reformed group, it's applied Calvinism. For example, when you examine the numerous writers of a reconstructionist persuasion you see very little on reformed dogmatics. The exception would be Dr. Greg Bahnsen, who left us with untold hours of lectures on the reformed faith, including a chapter-by-chapter discourse on Calvin's Institutes. Yet, on the whole, most reconstructionists breathe their Calvinism through the conduit of application. They're more interested in constructing the type of civilization Calvin envisioned, than pursuing a concrete definition as to how God can be sovereign, yet man responsible.

But, this is the essence of Calvinism, is it not? Is not the heart of the reformed faith the building of the Christian commonwealth? Isn't that the thesis that fueled the passionate drive of the early Puritans? Or, were they simply content to perpetually debate infra-lapsarianism? I think not. But, don't take my word for it. Richard Tarnas, professor of philosophy and psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, wrote a concise summary of Calvin's worldview from an outsider's perspective:

With Calvin, a Christian's worldly vocation was to be pursued with spiritual and moral fervor in order to realize the Kingdom of God on earth. The world was to be regarded not as the inevitable expression of God's will, to be passively accepted in pious submission, but rather as the arena in which man's urgent religious duty was to fulfill God's will through questioning, and changing every aspect of life, every social and cultural institution, in order to help bring about the Christian commonwealth. (Richard Tarnas, The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding The Ideas That Have Shaped Our World View, p.245)

Tarnas gets it, even if WTS and RTS don't. In fact, some instructors within these institutions are sporting an unhealthy alliance with certain aspects of contemporary cultural decadence. If not that, they stumble over the stumbling block of theological inquiry. This is no slight to the study of theology, but study for study sake is no calling. Theology is not an end in itself, it's a means to an end. It's the primary means to Christian social action:

It is a serious mistake to see theology as an academic exercise. The word theology means God's word; it begins with the presupposition that Scripture is the word of God, and the duty of the theologian is to understand it and to apply it to every area of life and thought.

Theology belongs in the pulpit, the school, the work-place, the family, and everywhere. Society as a whole is weakened when theology is neglected. Without a systematic application of theology, too often people approach the Bible with a smorgasbord mentality, picking and choosing that which pleases them.... For me theology means the total mandate of God through His word. What I have written only scratches the surface; it is an introduction to the subject, and it is written to move men to faith and action. --(R.J. Rushdoony, Systematic Theology, Vol. I, p.xv, xvi)

This is my great concern for young seminarians, and why I ain't one! Within the halls of higher learning discussions bend toward the abstract. It's only after the graduates hit the mission field, or the pastorate, that they realize Vos' biblio-theological method was interesting, but more of a backdrop. When they were in school, it was all they thought about. That's fine, so long as the future ministers are aware that numerous transitions lie ahead. Better they prepare for Christian action now then get run over by a deadbeat congregation still sitting in a hundred year-old church building atop a community now teeming with humanism and a compromised Christianity.

Herein lieth the purpose for Christian Reconstruction: applied Calvinism. It's the recognition that since God is wholly other, and superintends all things through creation and providence, then we are dependent upon His infallible revelation as creatures a part and distinct from His eternal being. And, knowing that the primary intent of His written revelation is to teach us "what we are to believe about Him, and what it is He requires us to do" (WCF Larger Catechism, Q.6), then we must move beyond abstract discussions of His anomalies and move ourselves to Christian action. We have spent much time on the first aspect of the catechism in determining what we believe about Him. Now let us discuss what it is He requires us to do.

I am thankful, therefore, for the work of reconstructionist authors and leaders that have helped set me on the path of productivity. I have certainly not arrived, but thank God, I've left!

http://www.chalcedon.edu/blog/2006_03_01_archive.php#114381761955369305
posted by Chris Ortiz at 9:54 AM