“We (Christians) not only claim our rightful place among the commonwealths of education but we have a definitely imperialistic program. No mere Monroe doctrine will suffice. We are out to destroy—albeit with spiritual weapons only and always—all our competitors. We do not recognize them equals but regard them as usurpers. Carthage must be destroyed.”
Cornelius Van Til
When we seek special political favors for the church, we communicate to the masses that Christ’s kingdom is just another demographic in the US electorate.
Michael Horton
Reformed ‘theologian’
“Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.” (Proverbs 25:26)
To the contrary Michael, when we don’t seek the Lordship of Jesus Christ in the public square, we communicate to the masses that Christ’s kingdom is just another demographic in the US electorate.
Horton is operating off the assumption that the State can be neutral in its political favors. Horton assumes the State can be so neutral that it can make sure that the Kingdoms of the various gods can all be kept equal in the public square by the State. None of the kingdoms and their gods will be favored politically. None of the kingdoms and their gods will be disfavored politically. On these premises, Horton thus proves that the State is god over the gods and god over God. The god-state is the institution which will make sure God knows His place so that, along with the other gods, He or His Kingdom is not favored. According to Horton God and His law is not to be favored above any of the other gods and their laws.
Horton’s problem is Gnosticism. If you read this article you will learn that Horton believes that the Kingdom of God is spiritual and does not have any legs in the civil social sphere. Per Horton to believe that the Kingdom of God can have instantiation in the public square of political bodies via Christian magistrates ruling consistent with God’s word is to ‘confuse the kingdoms.’ Horton thus has the Kingdom of God located in some timeless spiritual realm which is cut off from the temporal corporeal realm in which we now live. Per the school of thought Horton is advancing (R2K) we can have the Kingdom individually, and when we attend Church Sunday, but the Kingdom is NOT present and not to be present in our politics, in our families, in our education, or in our nation. This is why he insists that there is no such thing as Christian nations, Christian families, Christian politics, Christians business, or even Christendom, etc.
Horton has formed two impermeable bubbles around the Kingdom of God and this present age and never the twain shall meet. This is a Christianity which only Cerinthus could be proud.
Horton proves true the words of T. S. Elliot, “We derive our theory of education from our philosophy of life. The problem turns out to be a religious problem.” Dr. Horton has a religious problem.
