The assumptions behind Christian Nationalism tend to stem from a high view of human reason. Rationalism is the epistemological position that reason is the chief source of knowledge and truth. Rationalists believe that they can perceive eternal truths through human reason. This view has a strong foundation in the Western philosophical tradition, particularly being solidified in Medieval Scholasticism that has reared its ugly head in the Church ever since. Proponents of Rationalism and the Scholastic method tend to underplay the extensive controversy in Protestant history against the Medieval Scholastics. They are positively convinced that all the Reformers were heavily influenced by the Scholastics, particularly Thomas Aquinas, often ignoring the heavy emphasis on the noetic effects of the Fall in their writings. It is unsurprising then that many proponents of Christian Nationalism tend to be Thomists. The assumption here is that the natural realm, i.e. the physical world operates purely within the realm of reason, which is distinct from the supernatural realm.
Tag: Natural Revelation
Human Experience and the Sufficiency of Scripture
I've been watching a Great Courses series on the History of Christianity by Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson, a New Testament scholar, historian and distinguished professor at Emory University. He was formerly a Benedictine monk and Priest in the Romanist religion. While he is still strongly in the Romanist faith by profession, he is certainly a theological liberal (even while he rejects the term) and thus disagrees with several of their central dogmas. He supports homosexual unions, ordination of female clergy and opposes mandated clerical celibacy. I was curious to know the justification of his liberal views, so I read his essay defending his views on homosexual unions.
Natural Revelation and the Sufficiency of Scripture – Part 2
In my previous essay, I wrote about Natural Revelation and how it relates to the Special Revelation we receive through Scripture. Recently, while surveying various Reformed forums on social media, I came across some men who were claiming that General (Natural) Revelation is just as authoritative as Scripture and decrying those who reject their Natural Revelation claims as Nominalists. The basis for their claim was the Scriptural teaching that "all things hold together in Him" (Col 1:17). Since, they claim, all things hold together in Christ, what is revealed to us in Nature is just as authoritative as what is revealed to us in Holy Scripture. Prima Facie, this principle seems reasonable and in line with what the Text claims. However, a simple examination of the context of that very Text and its place in the whole of Scriptures would show why that is not just an error but a serious one.
Natural Revelation and the Sufficiency of Scripture
Recently there's been a surge of interest in Reformed circles on topics pertaining to Natural Law and Natural Revelation. Western Cultures in the 21st Century have seen a rapid erosion of traditional values leading to the formation of several reactionary political movements, like the Alt-Right and several other ethnically conscious movements that claim that the salvation of the West lies in returning to traditional European mores and practices. Reformed tradition is not exempt from the influence of these movements - both progressive and reactionary. Since the Magisterial Reformation didn't abandon the Dominionism of the Middle Ages, this tradition has continued in some form or the other within Protestantism leading to a long history of seeking power, influence and engaging in social activism. While all of these misguided attempts have consistently failed, from Geneva to Apartheid South Africa, the fascination with the notion of taking Dominion for Christ hasn't died.
Deo Vicit Mundum 