Pastoral Restoration of Biblical Civil Wisdom

transcript

Specially prepared for PPN Pastor’s breakfast In support of Cumberland County Chapter of

ACTION of PA April 4, 2013 Carlisle, PA

By Dr. Jim Arcieri

Common question asked of C.S. Lewis by students and

colleagues:

“Can’t you lead a good life without believing in

Christianity?”

“Can’t you lead a good life

without believing

in Christianity?”

INDIVIDUALS As Trees

DEFINING REALITY

TRUNK: Attitudes

FRUIT: Actions

ROOTS: Assumptions

DEFINING REALITY: CULTURES AS TRIANGLES World View CategoriesLE

GALITY

(Fruit)MORALITY

(Trunk)

THEOLOGY(Roots)

INTERNAL &

INDIVIDUAL

EXTERNAL

& CIVIL

PERMIT

LEGALITY

MORALITY

THEOLOGYREAL? TRUE?

Who & Why

Right & Wrong

How, Where, When

Do?PERMITINTERNAL &

INDIVIDUAL

EXTERNAL

& CIVIL

QUESTIONS that form a WORLDVIEW

TA X E S

DEFINING REALITY:Three major world views and

their cultural expressions• PRE-MODERN ERA: Ancient times to ~1800

• MODERN ERA: ~1700 – 1950

• POST – MODERN ERA: 1950 - Present

DEFINING REALITYPRE-MODERN ERA: Ancient times to ~1800LE

GALITY

* & /MORALITY – A.

THEOLOGY - 1. 2. 3.RELIGION / REVELATION

PERMIT

REAL? TRUE?

DEFINING REALITY: Pastoral Role in Shaping Civil Culture

• 1620 John Robinson: Mayflower Compact• 1636 Roger Williams: founding Rhode Island• 1639 Thomas Hooker: founding Connecticut, writing its first

constitution (Fundamental Orders)

• 1641 Nathaniel Ward: wrote Massachusetts Body of Liberties• 1681 William Penn: wrote Frame of Government of PA• 1717 John Wise: Law of Nature and Government: sections

appear word for word in DOI• 1744 Elisha Williams: Essential Liberties of Protestants – rights of

equality, liberty, property –widely read & used• 1755 Samuel Davies: master of civil law – Patrick Henry• 1768 John Witherspoon: Princeton President; DOI signer

What is Good?

What is Done?What is Real?

Ultimate Reference

Point(Ontology) Metaphysics

Beliefs(Epistemology)

Physics

Values(Axiology)

EthicsBehavior

What historical factors created American liberty?

CONSTITUTION

D. O. I.

THE GREAT AWAKENING

NEW LIGHT COLLEGES

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Worldview Categories, Questions, and Building BlocksWhat is True?

COLONIAL

SERMONS

(Teleology) Civics

Theology roots

Morality trunk

OUGHT PERMIT

Legalityfruit

ESSENTINAL CATEGORIES OF A

WORLD VIEWInternal ->External

Personal -> CivilTA X E S

Colonial Clergy Biblical Worldview

Dominion Mandate

Civics: Business,

Law, Justice,

International relations

Sciences: Natural: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Geography,

Social: Education, Economics, Government, Behavioral: Anthropology, Psychology, Sociology

Humanities:History, Arts,

Music, Literature, Philosophy

Ecclesiastics:Devotional – Prayer, Bible reading, emotions,

faith, love Ecclesiastical – Church, evangelism, missions,

theology, fellowshipMoral: Ethics, relationships

Monarchy

ISLAM CHRISTIANITY

HUMANISM ANIMISM

Immanence – GRACE-Involvement HighLow/Low

Theology - Anthropology & Political - Historical MatrixHigh

External InternalPoverty Prosperity

Self-Government

Constitutional RepublicDictatorship

Tyranny Anarchy

Sinner - Law

Steward - Liberty

ChristiansProvidential

Moralists

Deists Special

Revelation

General

Revelation1787 - 1897CT: FIXED

Pre-modern

Mystics

LEX --------REXREX

------LEX

DEFINING REALITY MODERN ERA: ~1700 - 1950

LEGALITY~ ; \

MORALITY – D. E. F.

THEOLOGY - 4. 5. 6.

Morality A.B.C.

Legality * & /

Theology 1.2.3.

SCIENCEIS

PERMIT

What is Real?

Ultimate Reference

Point(Ontology)

Metaphysics

What is Good?

Values(Axiology)

Ethics

What is Done?

Behavior

What created the DEPARTURE FROM AMERICAN LIBERTY?

Expanding Bureaucratic control

PROGRESS

Origin Of Species; Das Kapital;

E = MC2

The Great Acceptance

STATE SCHOOLS

& COLLEGES

PROGRESSIVE “REVOLUTION”

Worldview Questions, Categories, and Building Blocks

Beliefs(Epistemology)

Physics

What is True?

HUMANIST

MANIFESTOS

(Teleology) Civics

Legality-PERMIT

Theology

Morality

OUGHTTAXES

Monarchy

ISLAM CHRISTIANITY

HUMANISM ANIMISM

Immanence – GRACE-Involvement HighWeak/Low

Self-Government

Tyranny Anarchy

Sinner - Law

Steward - Liberty

ChristiansProvidential

Moralists

Deists Special

Revelation

General

Revelation

Scientific

Revelation

1787 - 1897CT: FIXED

Pre-modern1897 - 1967CT: LIVING

ModernMystics

REX------LEX

LEX --------REX

O P P O S I T I O N :

S c i e n ti fi c U t o p i a

“Evangelical Dualism”

GODSPIRITUAL: FAITHDevotional – prayer, Bible study, Emotions, Psychology, love Ecclesiastical – church, evangelism, missions, theology, fellowship

prophecy: Jesus’ pre-tribulational, pre-millennial returnMoral: ethics, relationships

SECULAR: FACTSBiologyChemistryGeographyEducation GovernmentEconomicsAnthropologyPsychology

SociologyHistoryLiteraturePhilosophyBusinessLawMediaArtsAuthority &Justice

SUNDAYS

WEEKDAYS

NATURE

D E F I N I N G R E A L I T Y :

DEFINING REALITY POST – MODERN ERA: 1950 - PresentL

EGALITY$ @ #

MORALITY – G. H. I.

THEOLOGY - 7. 8. 9.

Theology 1.2.3.

Morality A.B.C.

Legality * &

INDIVIDUAL CREATION

Theology 4.5.6.

Morality D.E.F.

PERMIT

Monarchy

ISLAM CHRISTIANITY

HUMANISM ANIMISM

Self-Government

Tyranny Anarchy

Sinner - Law

Steward - Liberty

Christians

Scientific

Revelation

Individual

Revelation

1787 - 1897CT: FIXED

Modern1967 - 2013CT: USELESSPost - Modern

MysticsNAEMM AFA

CCLEGALITY

LEX --------REX

O P P O S I T I O N

( S c i e n ti fi c

U t o p i a ) REX------LEX

P E R S E C U T I O N :

R u l i n g C l a s s E l i t e

“Would you be my neighbor?” What is the center of this cycle?

Nice school

Nice Neighborhood

Nice Income

SYNCRETISM

Nice college

G.A.D.

How To Change The Culture?

LEGALITY

MORALITY

THEOLOGY

• Repent of our idolatry:–Distraction of G.A.D.

• Recognize our mistaken view of Gods’ world: Dualism

PERMIT

Define REALITY biblically

Cultural Commission– Restoring Creation

• Knowledge business– Common Grace

• Truth preaching– Build up society

• Discipleship in Civil Jurisdiction

The Two Commissions

Great Commission– Redeeming Souls

• Belief Business– Saving Grace

• Gospel Preaching– Build up church

• Discipleship in first three jurisdictions

How To Change The Culture?• Repent of our idolatry:

– Distraction of G.A.D.• Recognize our mistaken view of Gods’ world:

– Dualism

• Re-establish the Biblical view of the Nature And Purpose Of Government

– To whom does this world belong? – Does God speak to all areas of life, or just a few?– Are we to speak to all areas of life, or just a few?

Seven Pillars of Biblical Civil Wisdom“A Frequent Recurrence to First Principles”

• TRUTH: Revelation vs. Imagination • DOMINION: Stewardship vs. Ownership; [Esc]

• JURISDICTION: Spheres of-God vs. Caesar• REPRESENTATION: Const. Republic vs. Rex>Lex• HISTORY: Ideas, Individuals vs. Inexorable Laws

• EDUCATION: Useful Knowledge vs. Functional• INTEGRITY: Mature character vs. Careerism

How To Change The Culture?• Repent of our idolatry:

– Distraction of G.A.D.• Recognize our mistaken view of Gods’ world:

– Dualism• Re-establish the Biblical view of the Nature And Purpose Of Government (Founders): To whom does this world belong? Does God speak to all

areas of life, or just a few? Are we to speak to all areas of life, or just a few?

• Re-emphasize the crucial role of the pulpit in shaping the civil sphere of life

Monarchy

ISLAM CHRISTIANITY

HUMANISM ANIMISM

Self-Government

Tyranny Anarchy

Sinner - Law

Steward - Liberty

Christians

Scientific

Revelation

Individual

Revelation

1787 - 1897CT: FIXED

Modern1967 - 2013CT: USELESSPost - Modern

Mystics

P E R S E C U T I O N :

R u l i n g C l a s s

E l i t e

O P P O S I T I O N :

S c i e n ti fi c U t o p i a

AFANAE

SEASON

AGE SEASONS OF LIFEMain Activity and Sphere of Influence

PROTECTION60 – 80 years old

STUDY BUSINESS

HOSPIT-ALITY

CIVIC LEADERSHIPLocal, State, Federal Government

PROVISION40 – 60 years old

STUDY BUSINESS HOSPITALITY

Church (Elder, Deacon)Church Government

CIVIC DUTIES

PRODUCTION20 – 40 years old

STUDY BUSINESS AND BABIES HouseholdFamily Government

HOSPITALITY CIVICDUTIES

PREPARATION0 – 20 years old

STUDY IndividualSelf-Government

BUSINESS AND BABIES

HOSPITALITY CIVICDUTIES

BIBLCAL WISDOM

Proverbs 24:3-7

Common question asked of C.S. Lewis by students and colleagues:

“Can’t you lead a good life without believing in Christianity?”

“Can’t you lead a good life

without believing

in Christianity?”

Pastoral Restoration of Biblical Civil WisdomSpecially prepared for PPN Pastor’s breakfast

In support of Cumberland County Chapter of ACTION of PA

April 4, 2013 Carlisle, PABy Dr. Jim Arcieri

doctorjamesarcieri@gmail.com

Thank you for attending!

Pastoral Restoration of Biblical Civil Wisdom

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