The author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds Christians that they’re surrounded by an excellent “cloud of witnesses.” (NRSVA) That “cloud” has continued to develop in dimension since then. On this month-to-month column we will probably be serious about among the folks and occasions, over the previous 2000 years, which have helped make up this “cloud.” Folks and occasions which have helped construct the group of the Christian church because it exists at the moment.
In January 2025, the US Senate confirmed Fox Information host and army veteran Pete Hegseth to be Donald Trump’s US Secretary of Protection, after a tie-breaking vote needed to be forged by vice-president JD Vance. Hegseth’s appointment was controversial for a number of causes, one among them being that he had been accused of private misconduct. All these allegations he has denied, however they made his affirmation a heated course of.
Nevertheless, theology was additionally within the mixture of accusations levelled in opposition to the one who will now oversee the US federal authorities’s largest company. Critics accused him of endorsing the theocratic doctrine of ‘sphere sovereignty’ in a collection of podcasts – a worldview related to the associated perception referred to as ‘Christian Reconstructionism.’
The identical critics additionally drew consideration to alleged tattoos carried by Hegseth, which they claimed embrace symbols which are embraced by US Christian nationalists. These, we’re instructed, embrace the phrases “Deus Vult” (God wills it) tattooed on his biceps. This phrase is traditionally related to the First Campaign (1096) and whereas it has been deployed by a variety of teams over the centuries, it’s now additionally utilized by Christian Nationalists and Christian far-Proper teams. There isn’t a suggestion that Mr Hegseth is affiliated with the far-Proper and his defenders have accused critics of “anti-Christian bigotry”.
Whereas critics and defenders of Hegseth will disagree over the prevalence and which means of his tattoos and the importance of his feedback on the podcasts, the entire episode raises fascinating questions on among the beliefs that may be discovered inside areas of the trendy US evangelical church. Readers must make up their very own minds on Hegseth, however the query for a lot of will probably be: what’s the historical past, nature and significance of those beliefs which are at the moment underneath the microscope?
A quick historical past of ‘Christian Reconstructionism’
‘Christian Reconstructionism’ in its current type emerged within the late-Fifties as developed by the Presbyterian minister Rousas John (RJ) Rushdoony. It led to the institution of the Chalcedon Basis in 1965 to advertise these concepts. As with all ideological and theological actions it had its backstory, however a lot of its recognisable fashionable form could be traced to his affect, and people round him.
The motion usually envisages the entire transformation of each facet of society and tradition to convey it underneath the authority of biblical regulation. It must be famous that there are totally different currents of opinion throughout the motion, however this may, for a lot of, imply the implementation of Outdated Testomony authorized buildings and punishments in twenty-first century nations.
This goal is usually described utilizing the time period ‘theonomy,’ which means ‘God-law’, which argues that scriptural judicial regulation and punishment constitutes the regulation of God that’s universally binding; fashionable civil regulation ought to comply with the civil and judicial regulation of historical Israel; Christians ought to goal to implement these Outdated Testomony legal guidelines throughout society as the idea for a reworked authorized construction.
That is typically accompanied by a ‘post-millennial’ outlook. This envisages that huge revivals will happen earlier than the second coming of Christ and that these will lead to a world inhabitants that’s largely Christian, and which is ruled by authorized frameworks derived from scripture. Since there is no such thing as a New Testomony authorized construction, this implies the implementation of Outdated Testomony judicial regulation in all its elements.
Whereas the present manifestation of those concepts could be traced to the Fifties, they’ve an American context which could be traced to the Puritan founders of the New England colonies, within the seventeenth century. A lot of them felt they have been referred to as to ascertain theocratic self-governing communities in North America – a ‘New Israel’ within the ‘New World.’ Within the absence of New Testomony judicial regulation codes, they tended to look to Outdated Testomony authorized buildings within the constructing of this ‘New Israel.’ These theocratic experiments have been ended by the British crown in 1691, when the colonies have been introduced totally underneath royal management. However the reminiscence lingered and Christian Reconstructionism, because the Fifties, echoes this earlier ideology. Notably as Christian cultural affect has diminished within the US.
What’s fascinating is that whereas this outlook resonates with one thing deep inside North American Christian historical past, most different fellowships inside US evangelicalism have moved away from key elements of Reconstructionist theology. Whereas ‘post-millennialism’ continued as a distinguished outlook till the early nineteenth century, it has gone into steep decline because the 1840s. At this time, most US evangelical church buildings undertake a ‘pre-millennial’ place (believing Christ will return after which set up a thousand-year reign on the earth) and are ‘pre-tribulation dispensational’ (believing within the elimination of the church by means of the ‘rapture,’ earlier than a time of upheaval previous the return of Christ).
‘Sphere sovereignty’ and ‘dominionism’
Reconstructionist thought entails ‘sphere sovereignty,’ by which God ordains authority to the household, the church, and the civil authorities.
Since financial exercise and schooling are thought-about to be throughout the household’s ‘dominion,’ any involvement of presidency in these areas is taken into account tyrannical over-reach. Therefore the promotion of completely autonomous Christian faculties and homeschooling.
The ‘dominion’ of the church entails discipleship, as a way to excellent the applying of biblical regulation to all of life, by way of a system of church courts.
The ‘dominion’ of civil authorities lies within the safety of personal property and the punishment of evildoers (as outlined by biblical regulation). Trendy taxation, to fund different elements of presidency, is thought to be theft.
Facets of this agenda – which incorporates the obvious paradox of advocating each restricted authorities and ‘theonomy’ – chime with the agendas of each the trendy US evangelical proper and in addition libertarianism.
Comparable views may also be discovered throughout the so-called ‘Seven Mountains Motion’ (SMM) which emerged within the mid-Seventies. Although charismatic and pre-millennialist (in distinction with Reconstructionist beliefs) the proposal that there are seven ‘mountains’ that Christians should management as a way to set up a world Christian theocracy and put together the world for Jesus’ return – authorities, schooling, media, arts and leisure, faith, household, and enterprise – have similarities to Reconstructionist thought.
The place the rubber hits the highway
The important thing query is: what affect does Christian Reconstructionism even have in 2025? On one hand, subscribers represent a small minority throughout the mainstream evangelical motion within the US. Some have withdrawn into like-minded communities (notably situated within the Pacific north-west). Such communities resist the affect of secular fashionable life; and goal to climate the breakdown of society that they consider to be the approaching destiny of the USA. This defensive outlook has led to areas into which Reconstructionists have emigrated, being termed the ‘American Redoubt.’ This consists of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the japanese elements of Washington state and Oregon. Nevertheless, it must be famous that this doesn’t imply that such believers represent a majority in such areas.
Of their outlook, they’ve a lot in frequent with different ‘survivalist’ teams within the US (and elsewhere) who plan to outlive a coming apocalypse and emerge because the dominant pressure within the society that emerges from the wreckage. Nevertheless, not like these secular ‘survivalist’ teams which grew up in the course of the nuclear risk of the Chilly Warfare (1945–1991), the Christian Reconstructionist expectation is to not forcefully dominate what’s left of a devastated society however, as a substitute, to organically mannequin and develop the type of group which is able to finally (by God’s windfall) unfold throughout the US (and the globe). There’s, due to this fact, a notable stress between withdrawal from society and far-reaching hopes for what they regard to be nationwide renewal.
Within the meantime, the extra bold Reconstructionists mannequin their social outlook of their communities. For instance, research have indicated that the group in Moscow, Idaho, overtly talks of constructing it a ‘Christian city.’ Nevertheless, what meaning in follow would, undoubtedly, not acquire unqualified acceptance even amongst conservative Christians. Kingdom-building – when seen as a civic, moderately than a private transformation – is way from simple.
Alongside that is one thing much more advanced. By means of energetic publishing, selling a homeschooling curriculum, and establishing academic establishments, Reconstructionists have constructed alliances with members of the numerically a lot bigger evangelical Proper whose eschatology could be very totally different to theirs. Nevertheless, whereas beliefs could battle over the end-times timetable and the probability of society willingly (with out coercion) coming underneath ‘theonomy’ (‘God-law’), a lot settlement exists – on the degree of coverage and law-making – over issues resembling abortion, schooling, gender points, and sexual behaviour, as a result of all individuals share a conventional conservative view of those areas.
‘Christian Nationalism’ and concepts of ‘American Exceptionalism’ may also be frequent elements within the combine, together with a dedication to convey fashionable society into line. This all makes for fairly a posh cocktail and has actual political affect throughout the present US. Some discover its promise invigorating and transformative; others worry that proximity to energy creates intoxicating intolerance amongst those that imbibe it; sterner critics think about it a poisonous combination that has strayed removed from the New Testomony mannequin.
Which raises the matter of compulsion. Can the dominion of God be imposed on a recalcitrant society? Can a contemporary secular nation be introduced underneath an Outdated-Testomony-style theocracy? Members of the Reconstructionist motion are inclined to keep away from that time period. Within the Seventies and 80s, Rushdoony voiced issues that the (extra quite a few) spiritual Proper focuses an excessive amount of on political energy, moderately than on religious regeneration. It is because, for a lot of US evangelicals, imposition by way of state energy varieties a part of a resistance to antichristian forces, moderately than the beginning of a rosy millennial future on earth (willingly entered into by individuals) and previous Christ’s return.
Nevertheless, regardless of Reconstructionist arguments on the contrary, ‘theonomy’ in idea can sound like it could be ‘theocracy’ in follow. Can Christians in political energy do ‘theocracy’ (or ‘theonomy’) with grace? Theocracies have a tendency to finish up extra like Iran than the ‘New Jerusalem.’ It is because some folks (possibly lots of people) select to not stay throughout the ethical and moral boundaries that Christians espouse. What occurs then, particularly if Outdated Testomony judicial codes have been enforced? Would homosexual folks actually be executed? Would coerced marriage happen as redress for rape? And would slavery be defended, as some excessive Reconstructionists allegedly have advised? Would a inflexible patriarchal authority be imposed? What occurs to the concept of Christ because the fulfilment of the Outdated Testomony regulation? What occurs to grace? These are huge questions.
Critics of Reconstructionism argue that the New Testomony envisages a radical minority, modelling love, and being underneath no phantasm that it’s going to (or ought to) impose itself by way of judicial means, and positively not by establishing Outdated Testomony penal codes.
This goes to the center of a serious Christian concern: what’s the relationship of Christianity to the usage of secular energy? What does the dominion of God seem like on earth? What relationship does it have with the eschatological hope?
Revelation 11:15 guarantees:
“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there have been loud voices inheaven, saying,’The dominion of the world has develop into the dominion of our Lordand of his Messiah,and he’ll reign without end'” (NRSVA).
Is that this one thing that may solely occur on the return of Christ? Or can it happen by means of human company earlier than this? Can or not it’s anticipated on earth with out an accompanying cosmic transformation? These are usually not straightforward inquiries to reply.
Martyn Whittock is a historian, author and Licensed Lay Minister within the Church of England. His current books embrace: Daughters of Eve (2021), Jesus the Unauthorized Biography (2021), The Finish Occasions, Once more? (2021), The Story of the Cross (2021), Apocalyptic Politics (2022) and American Vikings: How the Norse Sailed into the Lands and Imaginations of America (2023). Exploration of the historical past and affect of the evangelical group within the USA was the topic of his co-written e book Trump and the Puritans (2020).
