Church - State Separation Articles

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JohnV

Puritan Board Post-Graduate
I have received a request concerning Reformed articles on Church/State separation, as regards the activities of Christians in the political sphere.

Does anyone have anything handy? Either a website or stored articles would be helpful, as well as references to published works.

What woud be especially helpful as well would be any ecclesiastical decisions on this subject.
 
John,

I hold to a view of civil government known as National Confessionalism, which is the historic Covenanter position that nations must confess Jesus Christ as Lord, just as individuals must. Implicit in that view is another position that was historically taught by Scottish Presbyterians, known as the Establishment Principle. This teaches that the civil magistrate has a duty to establish the true church, as described in Westminster Confession of Faith XXIII.III, and work with the church in their separate but overlapping spheres of authority to advance the cause of Christ's kingship. I started a separate thread recently on the Establishment Principle which contains a link to a good article on this position if you wish to review it (not sure how to link to another thread).

Historically speaking, the major views on this issue are: 1) Popish 2) Erastian 3) Presbyterian (described, I think, above) and 4) Voluntaryism or Pluralism. I know you asked for articles, but I can recommend some books on this subject which may be useful to you nevertheless:

Discussions on Church Principles by William Cunningham

Messiah the Prince by William Symington

These two 19th century books have been republished and are worth the read.

A modern book of some interest is God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government edited by Gary Scott Smith. It covers 1) theonomy 2) principled pluralism 3) Christian America and 4) National Confessionalism views within the Reformed camp.

Another book worth reading is Explicitly Christian Politics edited by William O. Einwechter, which puts forth the vision of the National Reform Association, a group that has its origins in the Covenanter church but also is today strongly theonomic.

The NRA has some good articles of interest on their website which you may want to check out: http://www.natreformassn.org/

Hope this helps!
 
Originally posted by JohnV
I have received a request concerning Reformed articles on Church/State separation, as regards the activities of Christians in the political sphere.

Does anyone have anything handy? Either a website or stored articles would be helpful, as well as references to published works.

What woud be especially helpful as well would be any ecclesiastical decisions on this subject.

Hey John
For the "covenanter" position, this site has some historical writings you can look at. I think Bahnsen's "No Other Standard" is worth a reading on this issue. If for no other reason than his position being understood better. This is available at www.freebooks.com.

I think an interesting study would be the shift in the Church's position, especially among the Reformed and "covenantal" on this position as the culture has shifted.

From there Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2.

openairboy

EDITED TO EMPHASIZE LINK

[Edited on 25-10-2004 by Me Died Blue]
 
Thanks guys.

If I remember correctly, the WCF's statement on the relationship of church and state has been changed in the American version from the original.

Though my present interest includes modern views expressed in Theonomic circles, it is certainly not limited to that. What I am hoping to find is a Continental Reformed paper on it. So it would likely be based upon the Belgic Confession rather than the Westminster Confession. Does anyone know of any document like that?
 
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