It seems no matter how far one searches for more ‘fundamental’ fundamentalism, one can never find the end of its far-right extremity.

That is quite apparent in considering American Reconstructionism. This is a religion more about a shared belief than a brick-and-mortar establishment, yet by all accounts it has been steadily gaining converts since its birth in the early 1970’s.

Credit for founding usually goes to Cornelius Van Til, http://www.vantil.info/ , a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. The influence of conservative Presbyterianism is evident in his thinking. Adherents believe they are the true interpreters of John Calvin’s (Presbyterian founder) http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/REFORM/CALVIN.HTM theological dogmas, especially in areas such as predestination and postmillenialism, but most importantly, in the idea of presuppositionalism. Understanding this idea is the key to understanding what these people believe.

Presuppositionism (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/webpages54/ap/presup.html ) is the belief that everything a person does is inherently religious, therefore all answers are to be found in the bible, especially moral laws. Every area dominated by sin must be 'reconstructed' in terms of the Bible. Specifically, these answers were given to man from God in the form of the laws of the Old Testament.

One of the first “laws” encountered in the O.T. is this from Genesis 1:26:

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'"

With the contribution of Rousas John Rushdooney, called the father of the movement, American Reconstructionalism then melded together elements of other related movements, such as Dominion Theology (based on the above verse) and Theonomy ("God’s revealed standing laws are a reflection of His immutable moral character and, as such, are absolute.”)

The result? A movement very much alive and well in the U.S. which believes it must subdue, them dominate every nation in the world and establish its brand of Christian fervor and ideology. It has been content to date to further its objective through peaceful means, such as advocating home-schooling of all children, but once power (defined as the hearts and minds of our children) is obtained the noted writers* make no bones about their express purpose: To reinstall the Mosaic law code!

Thus, they advocate death for homosexuality, adultery and a host of other “moral offenses”. Their only stipulation for not deferring to the Mosaic code would be in instances where technology made the law obsolete, or if Jesus overruled it. But Jesus quickly becomes marginalized by this group with his own words, “Do not think I have come to destroy the law…I have come to fulfill.”

Stoning returns. Slaves and polygamy would be winked at. An eye for an eye and several hundred other barbaric law codes would be re-instituted. The postmillennial prophetic outlook would then be realized at long last, allowing Jesus to return according to their beliefs.

But is this merely some fringe group, some shadowy writers spinning a web of wished- for fantasy? Ask yourself how close some public figures have come to expressing those same sentiments. Where is the difference in many of Jerry Falwell’s and Pat Robertson’s pronouncement? In some of our political leader’s speeches? In untold pulpits every Sunday?

http://www.serve.com/thibodep/cr/words.htm


*noted writers, all on Google:

Greg L. Bahnsen

Gary Demar

Andrew Sandlin

Kenneth Gentry

Gary North

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- Which is worse--ignorance or apathy? For my part, I don't know and I don't care. -

D. James Kennedy.

Here is a noted evangelist with Presbyterian ties who makes public pronouncements attuned to Reconstructionism.

http://www.au.org/site/News2?page=Ne...=5936&abbr=cs_

Quote:

"This is our land. This is our world. This is our heritage, and with God's help, we shall reclaim this nation for Jesus Christ. And no power on earth can stop us."

"How much more forcefully can I say it? The time has come, and it is long overdue, when Christians and conservatives and all men and women who believe in the birthright of freedom must rise up and reclaim America for Jesus Christ."

__________________
- Which is worse--ignorance or apathy? For my part, I don't know and I don't care. -