Thursday
Feb072008
"That's Entertainment" (from the Latest White Horse Inn Series) on Youtube
Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 09:39AM 
If you are enjoying the current White Horse Inn series "Christless Christianity" (Click here: The White Horse Inn: Know What You Believe & Why You Believe It) then you might enjoy this.
Reader Comments (6)
I just listened to the one on "Politial Temptations" last night. Very good two kingdoms stuff.
I did find it interesting, though, that you made the (very good) point that so many evangelicals confuse the kingdoms by mistaking providence for redemption. But then you gave the example of America: just because God has used this nation as a force for so much good in the world doesn't mean it holds "most favored nation status" in his redemptive plan.
I just began to wonder how your 2K theology would cause you to respond if someone pointed out that this country has also been the cause of great suffering in the world as well.
The reason I ask is that there seems to be a lot of "wink, wink"-ing that goes on in political discussions among two kingdoms folks. It's as if they're saying, "It's ok if we don't see eye to eye politically, as long as one of us is Republican and the other Libertarian."
So anyway, I wasn't planning on bringing this up, but your post was about the WHI, so I thought I'd throw it out there.
I have no problem whatsoever in affirming that my beloved country could indeed be a source of great suffering around the world--and already has been at times. Americans are just as sinful and greedy as everyone else. Our recent history in funding dictators and despots to do our foreign policy bidding is a shining example of what you are taking about.
While you and I will very likely disagree about whether or not this is actually the case with certain contemporary issues (i.e. the war in Iraq, third world debt, global warming etc.), I have no problem whatsoever in saying that America can and does inflict great harm upon the world.
This is often hard to define however--and history will judge this far better than we can. While I'm a free market capitalist (and think one of the best things than can happen in any culture is the creation of capital which creates jobs, improves the standard of living, etc.), I also think exporting highly corrosive American pop culture is already doing great harm to the world. How do you have one without the other?
Since I am not postmillennial, this will always be a mixed bag.
So, I grant your point and agree with it (even if we may disagree on when and where this has happened).
But what is even better than that is when two Outhouse saints can have such very different views on how the KoM should shake out yet be so unified eternally. I defy any other system than the best of confessional Reformed orthodoxy to allow such similtaneous catholicity and liberty.
For my part, I hope I am not so given to chalking up the relative pros and cons of America and instead view my earthly citizenship to be one granted by God no more or less than a believer in any other time and place. In other words, I love my time and place because it is mine given by God, not because it is inferior or superior per men's relative evaluations.
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/The_White_Horse_Inn/archives.asp?bcd=2008-1-27
As an avid listener of the WHI and reader of Modern Reformation I must say I was greatly disappointed by the lack of clarity in this program. As a friend I would make the modest proposal that you readdress this topic with additional WHI programs or written articles in Modern Reformation.
You need to dedicate an entire program on explaining the two kingdoms. You need to address natural law from a reformed perspective. You need to address sphere sovereighty from a Dutch Reformed Kuyperian perspective. How do you explain the life of Abraham Kuyper? You also need to address the thought and life of Francis Schaeffer regarding his emphasis on all of judging everything in culture - arts, music, etc but also politics - abortion, etc.
Why not do an interview with Dr. D.G. Hart on his book related to this topic? What not do an interview with Stephen Grabill on his book related to this topic?
Things are not as simple as you made them out to be. This is so much more you can and should do.