Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 145:579 (Jul 1988)
Article: An Evaluation of Theonomic Neopostmillennialism
Author: Thomas D. Ice

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BSac 145:579 (Jul 88) p. 281

An Evaluation of Theonomic Neopostmillennialism

Thomas D. Ice

Pastor
Oak Hill Bible Church, Austin, Texas

Today Christians are witnessing “the most rapid cultural realignment in history.”1 One Christian writer describes the last 25 years as “The Great Rebellion,” which has resulted in a whole new culture replacing the more traditional Christian-influenced American culture.2 Is the light flickering and about to go out? Is this a part of the further development of the apostasy that many premillennialists say is taught in the Bible? Or is this “post-Christian” culture3 one of the periodic visitations of a judgment/salvation4 which is furthering the coming of a postmillennial kingdom? Leaders of the

BSac 145:579 (Jul 88) p. 282

Christian Reconstruction Movement (hereafter referred to as CRM) clearly state how Christians should respond to these times. But what is the CRM? How did it begin? Who are its leaders and what are its goals? How should believers view this movement? This article seeks to answer these questions in an introductory and survey manner, as a means of stimulating further evaluation in light of God’s Word.

History and Background

“Twenty years ago, the Christian Reconstruction movement did not exist.”5 However, today the movement has grown rapidly and is exerting great influence within Christianity. The patriarch of the movement is R. J. Rushdoony, son of Armenian emigrants to New York City. “Rush,” as he is often known to his friends, is the latest in “an unbroken succession of fathers and sons or nephews who were pastors from the early fourth century until the present.”6 He holds BA and MA degrees from the University of California and received his theological training at the Pacific School of Religion. His PhD degree from Valley Christian University in Clovis, California is in educational philosophy. Rushdoony worked with Chinese youth in San Francisco and was a missionary to the Paiute and Shoshone Indians for about nine years. He then served as pastor of several Presbyterian churches.7 He founded the Chalcedon Foundation in 1965 to promote “Christian Reconstruction.”8 Rushdoony’s first book,

BSac 145:579 (Jul 88) p. 283

By What Standard (1959), was the fountainhead of a steady stream of publica...

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