Role of the State

[brightlights]

Hey could anyone recommend some good works on a reformed view of the state? I need to revisit Lectures on Calvinism from Kuyper. Anything else?

 

[faroukfarouk]

Hey could anyone recommend some good works on a reformed view of the state? I need to revisit Lectures on Calvinism from Kuyper. Anything else?

Hi; I'm not too sure; but my observation would be that Reformed people from a European tradition and Reformed people from an American background are likely to take a different view sometimes on the matter of the separation of church and state.

If one takes the view: "It doesn't matter what a person's background is; I want to know a thoroughgoingly 'Reformed' view of the state"; it's good to remember that everyone has background and assumptions.

A book I found interesting was The Reformers and their Stepchildren, by Leonard Verduin. As I recall, it traces just how hostile a lot of people in the Reformed camp have been down the centuries to anyone who has thought that it's unBiblical to coerce someone religiously.

 

[BobRyan]

A book I found interesting was The Reformers and their Stepchildren, by Leonard Verduin. As I recall, it traces just how hostile a lot of people in the Reformed camp have been down the centuries to anyone who has thought that it's unBiblical to coerce someone religiously.

The dark ages excelled at religious coercion on the subject of practices of worship.

But in the light of day - that can be seen to fail on a great many levels.

Conflicts in the dark ages discussed here -
http://www.whiteestate.org/books/gc/gc3.html

 

[hedrick]

A search in Amazon for "reformed theology politics" shows lots of interesting things. So does a Google search.

 

[JM]

Not sure if this will apply, maybe in a backdoor kind of way...

Calvin and Commerce only $5 bucks.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Hey could anyone recommend some good works on a reformed view of the state? I need to revisit Lectures on Calvinism from Kuyper. Anything else?

Lex, Rex, or The Law and the Prince; a Dispute for the Just Prerogative of King and People by Rev. Samuel Rutherford Scottish Presbyterian Minister in the year 1644.

Dr. Wayne Grudem while not Reformed is a Calvinist and wrote a book a few years ago entitled "Politics According to the Bible".

The American Vision site and their store offers many resources. Another source to consider is Dr. Greg Bahnsen's materials (audio/writings) on Theonomy.

For a nice selection of free books from the Christian "reconstructionist" theonomic camp, check out this LINK

Related to this are resources on Christianity as a "worldview" and "Lordship Theology".