A Two-Kingdom Social Theory
On Classical Reformed Social Ethics
A Common Grace Order
(Anti-Antithesis)
The following essays offer an alternative to the Kuyperian, or Neo-Calvinist, transformationist socio-ethical tradition. The two-kingdom social theory, advocated on this webpage has a very long tradition in the Augustinian-Reformed tradition, going back to Augustine (354-430) and John Calvin (1509-1564). In this sense, it could be argued that the two-kingdom approach advocated here is "the traditional" Calvinist or Augustinian approach to social ethics.
Augustine distinguished between two loves: the city of man and the city of God (City of God) and Calvin distinguished between the "earthly things" and the "heavenly things" (Institutes 2.2.13):
A two-kingdom social theory sees that while the "heavenly things" are ordered exclusively by God's redemptive grace, the "earthly things" are ordered by God's common grace in which both believers and unbelievers work together in this common realm in the common cultural task. Both the believer and the unbeliever make use of natural law as the common moral standard by which, because all mankind is created in the image of God and by God's common grace, they might both appeal to to govern the life of the kingdom of man (civil realm).
On Christ and Culture
The Decline of Christianity in the West? A Contrarian View by T. David Gordon -- New Essay -- Excellent
Link to Audio by Rev. Alistair Begg -- Incredible -- Be sure to listen! -- NEW
Van Til, Common Grace, and the Transformation of Culture by Robert A. Lotzer -- Where does Van Til fit on this issue?
"Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism" by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. -- PDF -- Brilliant
Christianity, Culture, and Common Grace by Ken Myers (PDF) -- Essential Reading
The Politics of the Kingdom by Edmund Clowney (PDF)
Christianity & Culture: God’s Double Sovereignty -- by Dr. Gene Edward Veith
"Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom" by Thomas Jefferson -- Wiki
Christianity and Culture," or "The Scientific Preparation of the Minister by J. Gresham Machen
Common Grace and the Mosaic Law by Misty Irons
Biblical Theology and the Culture War by David VanDrunen
Common Grace and Theological Scholarship by Dennis E. Johnson
Spiritual Antithesis: Common Grace, and Practical Theology -- by Dennis E. Johnson
The Two Kingdoms: A Reassessment of the Transformationist Calvin -- by David VanDrunen
"The Importance of the Penultimate: Reformed Social Thought and the Contemporary Critiques of the Liberal Society" by David VanDrunen
C. S. Lewis and Materialism by John G. West, Jr.
The Insufficiency of Scripture by T. David Gordon
Is the Bible Sufficient? by Gregory Koukl
On Natural Law
Natural Law in the Teaching of the Reformers by John T. McNeill -- PDF -- New
The Reformers and Natural Law -- ed. by Robert A. Lotzer
Common Notions: Reflections on Law, Morality, and Culture -- Blog by Stephen Grabill
Protestants and Natural Law -- by Carl E. Braaten
Returning to Moral First Things: The Natural-Law Tradition and Its Contemporary Application -- by J. Daryl Charles -- DOC
The Christian Ethos by Werner Elert -- PDF
Natural Law/Natural Rights Webpage -- Many Helpful Links
"Why Protestants Don't Like Natural Law" by Stephen Grabill
Rediscovering the Natural Law in Reformed Theological Ethics by Stephen Grabill -- Now Available!
Articles by David M. VanDrunen
“Abraham Kuyper and the Reformed Natural Law and the Two Kingdoms Traditions” (forthcoming, Calvin Theological Journal).
"Biblical Theology and the Culture War" in Kerux Online Journal of Biblical Theology
“The Importance of the Penultimate: Reformed Social Thought and the Contemporary Critiques of the Liberal Society, Journal of Markets and Morality 9, no.2 (Fall 2006): 219-249.
“Natural Law in Early Calvinist Resistance Theory” Journal of Law and Religion 21, no. 1 (2005-06): 143-67.
“Medieval Natural Law and the Reformation: A Comparison of Aquinas and Calvin,” American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly 80, no.1 (2006): 77-98.
“The Two Kingdoms: A Reassessment of the Transformationist Calvin,” Calvin Theological Journal 40 (2005): 248-266
“The Context of Natural Law: John Calvin’s Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms” Journal of Church and State 46 (Summer 2004): 503-525
“Natural Law, Custom, and Common Law in the Theology of Aquinas and Calvin,” University of British Columbia Law Review, vol. 33, no. 3 (2000): 699-717.
“The Role of Natural Law in the Westminster Confession and Early Reformed Orthodoxy,” in The Westminster Confession into the 21st Century, vol. 3, ed. J. Ligon Duncan (forthcoming, Mentor).
“Natural Law and the Works Principle Under Adam and Moses,” in The Law is not of Faith: Essays on Works and Grace in the Mosaic Covenant (forthcoming, P&R).
"Natural Law and Christians in the Public Square," in Modern Reformation, March/April Vol. 15 No. 2 2006 Pages 12-15.
"Common Law and the Free Scociety," Religion & Liberty, vol. 9, no. 4 (July and August, 1999).
A Biblical Case for Natural Law by David VanDrunen -- New Book Summarizing A Redemptive Historical Approach to Natural Law -- Excellent !
See Dr. J. Budziszewski Online
First Things ArticlesOn Politics
The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church -- by Gregory A. Boyd
Finding the Permanent in the Political by John G. West, Jr.
"Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism" by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. -- PDF -- Brilliant
Theonomy and Reconstructionism -- Criticism by Free Church
Theonomy and the Confession of Faith -- Criticism by Free Church
Meet the Theonomists -- Dr. Thomas P. Roche -- insights into the cult-like behavior of abberant teachings that continue to plague the Reformed world from a former insider of the movement.
Moses' Law for Modern Government -- by J. Ligon Duncan, III
The Westminster Confession of Faith: A Theonomic Document? -- by J. Ligon Dunan, III
Proclamation Over Protest by Ken Myers
Testing the Foundations of Theonomy and Reconstruction by J. Esmond Birnie -- from the Rutherford House
The Christian and Politics by Darryl M. Erkel
Critique of Theonomy: A Taxonomy by T. David Gordon -- PDF
Public Life in the Shadowlands: What C. S. Lewis Can Teach Us About Politics by John G. West, Jr.
