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Rushdoony

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by J.D., May 31, 2011.

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  1. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    I began recently, after so long a time, to actually read word-for-word the Institutes by J Calvin. However, before I could get half way through the introduction, somebody gave me a copy of R.J. Rushdoony's "Institutes of Biblical Law", and I haven't been able to put it down except for nightly exhaustion.

    Have any of you read this great work? I cannot oversell it - it is a must read for every Christian, regardless of denomination etc.

    But sadly, in searching for more information about Rushdoony on the internet, I found several unfriendly reviews of his work.

    Much like one of our Baptist Fathers, and the ultimate Bible commentator extraordinaire, John Gill, Rushdoony has been maligned by his critics for the few and in some cases unjustified controversies (btw all great men must be accused of controversy).

    If you let RJ's controversial teachings dissuade you, you'll miss a real blessing. His Institutes, if nothing else, probably represent the greatest single commentary on the Ten Commandment, with over 600 pages dedicated to that one task alone.

    Check it out.
     
    #1 J.D., May 31, 2011
  2. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    ...heheh, that alone perks my interest in him (but of course the fact that J.D. so strongly approves of him means much to me also)

    Thanks, I'll check him out.
     
    #2 kyredneck, May 31, 2011
  3. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    BTW if you can find John Frame's review of RJR's Institutes, it is "fair and balanced", as they say.
     
    #3 J.D., May 31, 2011
  4. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    ...Wow, he wrote quite a bit:

    By What Standard? (1959)
    Van Til (1960)
    Intellectual Schizophrenia (1961)
    The Messianic Character of American Education (1963)
    This Independent Republic: Studies in the Nature and Meaning of American History (1964)
    The Nature of the American System (1965)
    Freud (1965, on Sigmund Freud)
    The Mythology of Science (1967)
    Foundations of Social Order: A Study in the Creeds and Councils of the Early Church (1968)
    The Biblical Philosophy of History (1969)
    Myth of Over-Population (1969)
    Politics of Guilt and Pity (1970)
    Thy Kingdom Come: Studies in Daniel and Revelation (1970)
    Law and Liberty (1971)
    The One and the Many: Studies in the Philosophy of Order and Ultimacy (1971)
    Institutes of Biblical Law (1973)
    Bread Upon the Waters (1974)
    The Politics of Pornography (1974)
    The Word of Flux (1975)
    Revolt Against Maturity: A Biblical Psychology of Man (1977)
    Tithing and Dominion (1979)
    The Philosophy of the Christian Curriculum (1981)
    Salvation and Godly Rule (1983)
    The Roots of Reconstruction (1991, collection of Chalcedon Report articles)
    Systematic Theology (1994)
    Romans and Galatians (1997)
    Gospel of John (2000)
    Hebrews, James, and Jude (2001)
    Chariots of Prophetic Fire: Studies in Elijah & Elisha (2003)
     
    #4 kyredneck, May 31, 2011
  5. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    I've read that The Messianic Character of American Education was the manifesto for the Christian/Home School movement.
     
    #5 J.D., May 31, 2011
  6. JesusFan

    JesusFan Well-Known Member

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    i could well be wrong, but didn't he promote a kind of establishing the Kingdom by keeping the law on the earth? That Church suppossed to live under Commandments, in full force still on Christians, almost like going under a Christian Isreal govt type?
     
    #6 JesusFan, Jun 1, 2011
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  7. Ruiz

    Ruiz New Member

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    I have read some of Rushdoony and listened to his account on American History and once received his magazine for about a year.

    There are aspects about Rushdoony I do not like and the cited review by Frame is a balanced approach to the argument. I would be more inline with Frame than Rushdoony.
     
    #7 Ruiz, Jun 1, 2011
  8. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    Note....that book that JD is suggesting is over 1800 pages.....LOL
     
    #8 Earth Wind and Fire, Jun 1, 2011
  9. JesusFan

    JesusFan Well-Known Member

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    stick with reading calvin, more biblical and easier to understand and follow!
     
    #9 JesusFan, Jun 1, 2011
  10. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    How do you know that Calvin is more biblical and easier to understand than Rushdoony?
     
    #10 J.D., Jun 1, 2011
  11. JesusFan

    JesusFan Well-Known Member

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    have to admit that I have read the institutes, just portions of Rushdoony...

    basis that on my opinion that calvin adhered more to "correct interpretation"

    Also, Rushdoony bought into the idea of bring OT LAW into US govt... Blending Law with US Law, and wanted to "reconstruct" society be legal means into a "New isreal"

    Should have learned that one can NEVER legislate changing behaviour by Law keeping alone ...

    Isreal ONLY nation ever given Law as its governing system , as God directly was to rule over them..

    Also, we must have a change of heart, new birth, ir order to have changed of behavior actually 'stick"
     
    #11 JesusFan, Jun 1, 2011
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  12. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    See my responses are <<inclosed>>.
     
    #12 J.D., Jun 2, 2011
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  13. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    Yes, Frame makes a good argument, but I'm undecided about some of them. My point is that RJR should be better known and studied, to at least have a better understanding of 20th century Christianity as it relates to the politics of the "Christian Right", home schooling, Christian schools, etc.
     
    #13 J.D., Jun 2, 2011
  14. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    Brother, do you truly expect an average Joe in the street to study this.....that is why we have an educated clergy to decontaminate it. Guys who write 1800 page books have a limited readership. And you still haven't studied Institutes!
     
    #14 Earth Wind and Fire, Jun 2, 2011
  15. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    Rushdoony is much easier to understand the Calvin for the average reader. He speaks in modern idioms to modern issues in a modern context. That's partly why I can't leave the book alone. It has the relavency to our times everyone these days seems to care so much about. It takes ancient laws and applies them to the 20th century world. It justifies God's Law in a day in which God's Law is vilified by His own people.

    By the way, the book I have has about 850 pages, not 1800. And Rushdoony could read it in two days. But it'll probably take me months.

    And it doesn't take long to find objectionable ideas in there - but you find the gems if you push aside the rocks.
     
    #15 J.D., Jun 2, 2011
  16. JesusFan

    JesusFan Well-Known Member

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    Have to remember though that God NEVER intended his laws given to Isreal to be the "law of the land" in any nation except that of isreal...

    They were under his direct rule, were 'His peoples" so legislated accordingly...

    Since the Cross, and being under a new and better Covenant...

    God would not restablish his laws in same fashion as in OT times, that US have them as "final authority" as they were ONLY meant for people under His covenant relationship, and ONLY nation with that was Isreal...

    Today, we need to have justice esablished by men of like faith acting out the Bible, in power of Holy Spirit, and That will 'transform" our socierty...
     
    #16 JesusFan, Jun 2, 2011
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