Summary – Can Christian Civil Government Be Theocratic?
A discussion of whether a Reformed Christian view of civil governance is compatible with theocracy. We explain how the term “theocratic” has been used, and two key elements of a theocratic view (namely, the monopoly state and civil establishment of religion) that must be rejected in a genuinely Christian view of civil governance. We also touch on how some who support a theocratic view go wrong in their eschatology. [Episode 15 direct download]
Main Points of Discussion
| 00:00 | Introduction |
| 00:32 | Episode description |
| 01:27 | About the history of the term “theocracy“ |
| 02:22 | All of life, and so all politics, is ultimately guided by central religious commitments |
| 04:45 | The objectionable sense of “theocratic” is not entailed by the universality of central religious commitments and their ultimate guidance of all of life |
| 05:28 | Two key elements of theocracy are “a monopoly state” and “civil establishment of religion”; Monopoly explained |
| 07:41 | Just and unjust uses of coercion; The obligation of non-aggression; The illegitimacy of all states |
| 12:13 | A simple analogy |
| 15:12 | Establishmentarianism explained |
| 16:46 | The unique, symbolic, and temporary (now obsolete) old Mosaic covenant theocracy involved suspension of the common grace order; It was a temporary symbolic-intrusion of final judgment and the kingdom of God, now inaugurated in the new covenant institutional church, and yet to be consummated in the New Heavens and Earth |
| 19:59 | While the old covenant was in effect, it was not a violation of non-aggression (See Episode 2); Now, in the new covenant era, the normal operation of the common grace order has resumed; This entails prohibition of establishmentarianism and monopoly, enacting either is antichrist |
| 22:03 | Genuinely limited governance, required by God’s ultimate sovereignty, according to a consistent Christian view, entails non-monopoly and non-establishment |
| 24:17 | Recap |
| 25:10 | The under-realization of inaugurated eschatology in the new covenant by postmillennialism and so-called optimism that often accompanies a theocratic view |
Additional Resources
- More about the temporary suspension of the normal operation of common grace and the eschatological-intrusion within the old covenant theocracy : The Biblical Anarchy Podcast, Episode 14 – Does the Conquest of Canaan Conflict With Anarchism?
- More about sphere sovereignty :
Episode 09
Episode 12 - More about the underrealization of inaugurated eschatology in the new covenant as held by a postmil view (Gaffin refers to postmil’s de-eschatologizing) : Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections On Postmillennialism [pdf]
