This quote has been making the rounds as something attributed to Machen:
For Christians to influence the world with the truth of God’s Word requires the recovery of the great Reformation doctrine of vocation. Christians are called to God’s service not only in church professions but also in every secular calling. The task of restoring truth to the culture depends largely on our laypeople. To bring back truth, on a practical level, the church must encourage Christians to be not merely consumers of culture but makers of culture. The church needs to cultivate Christian artists, musicians, novelists, filmmakers, journalists, attorneys, teachers, scientists, business executives, and the like, teaching its laypeople the sense in which every secular vocation-including, above all, the callings of husband, wife, and parent–is a sphere of Christian ministry, a way of serving God and neighbor that is grounded in God’s truth. Christian laypeople must be encouraged to be leaders in their fields, rather than eager-to-please followers, working from the assumptions of their biblical worldview, not the vapid clichés of pop culture.
From what I can tell, it may have originated at a Facebook page for Table Talk. Most recently, Rabbi Bret posted it and attributes it to Christianity and Liberalism. It definitely does not appear in that book. I don’t think anything from this quotation came from Machen. He never to my knowledge wrote in print about film makers. And the phrase “pop culture” was not common until the 1950s, long after Machen’s death.
I originally thought this might be part of what Machen wrote in his essay, “Christianity and Culture” (1912). But here is what Machen says there about culture:
Instead of destroying the arts and sciences or being indifferent to them, let us cultivate them with all the enthusiasm of the veriest humanist, but at the same time consecrate them to the service of our God. Instead of stifling the pleasures afforded by the acquisition of knowledge or by the appreciation of what is beautiful, let us accept these pleasures as the gifts of a heavenly Father. Instead of obliterating the distinction between the Kingdom and the world, or on the other hand withdrawing from the world into a sort of modernized intellectual monasticism, let us go forth joyfully, enthusiastically to make the world subject to God.
If the W-Wers want to count this as evidence of Machen’s neo-Calvinism, they should check out how he ends the essay. There he strikes a much more confessional or churchly note:
The things which are seen are temporal; the things which are not seen are eternal. What will become of philanthropy if God be lost? Beneath the surface of life lies a world of spirit. Philosophers have attempted to explore it. Christianity has revealed its wonders to the simple soul. There lie the springs of the Church’s power. But that spiritual realm cannot be entered without controversy. And now the Church is shrinking from the conflict. Driven from the spiritual realm by the current of modern thought, she is consoling herself with things about which there is no dispute. If she favors better housing for the poor, she need fear no contradiction. She will need all her courage. She will have enemies enough, God knows. But they will not fight her with argument. The twentieth century, in theory, is agreed on social betterment. But sin, and death, and salvation, and life, and God – about these things there is debate.
Either way, someone out there is making up quotes from Machen. Does a Christian W-W include telling the truth?
67 Comments
I have never “called” it anything Doug. And you didn’t answer my questions.
Doug, I think that saying “submit the government to the Gospel” is an empty platitude. And I’m not the one who advocates it, so I feel no compulsion to do anything other than express my own estimation of its misguided intents. But I repeat, you haven’t answered my questions and until you do you haven’t provided any warrant as to why I should simply take your word for it.
Just for the record, many of us neo-Cals don’t regard ourselves as theonomists in the Bahnson/Rushdooney/North sense. Frankly, I find this to be a serious error of the 2K critique–to assume that they are the same. I think the spirit of neo-Calvinism is present in theonomists, but not necessarily vice versa. The pluralism of most neo-Cals (think Jim Skillen here) seems contrary to most theonomists perspectives, or so it seems to me.
Terry, how about a distinction without a difference? But if the neo spirit resides in theonomy (and I agree that it does), I do wonder how it feels to share pillows with Doug Sowers. Careful, though, he might want your head for an appearance of being gay.
Adam, we (the West) are embroiled in a culture war, as we speak. If Christians, may not appeal to Scripture for our Nations moral guidance, then we are going to suffer the consequences. imho.
Ironically, Jesus instructed his Church to disciple or baptize every Nation in the Triune name of God, and then to teach (Every Nation) all of God’s commandments. That isn’t something that has dawned on anyone on this blog. That’s why I felt the need to jump in. It’s basic Bible 101.
1 Chron. 7:14
“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land”.
I believe that verse is just as true for God’s people today, as when it was when first given to Israel. But before we can help anyone, we need to know that God’s written Word is authorative in both kingdoms, to say that it’s not, is folly. In other words, God’s written Law does not contradict Natural Law.
@Terry M. Grey: Just what is a neo cal?
Terry, never mind. Yes, I would be sympathetic to Neo Cal thought.
Doug, talk about culture wars to someone who believes that there is one. And if you want baptize cultural endeavor you go right ahead. Be warned though, generally all you are going to wind up with is a lot of cheap, imitative propaganda, besides the fact that you’ll have to decide whose propaganda to use, Evangelical, Charismatic, Baptist, Roman Catholic to name a few. That is one of the fatal flaws of theonomic certainty, your either right or terribly wrong.
As to the great commission, I hardly think that it was implying that everyone would become disciples and be baptized. And both of those chronologically after regeneration and conversion. To imply that all nations in their entirety would become Christian is not “Bible 101″ but “Universalism 101″. No one has mentioned it because its just silly to think that. And the connection between a people and their land has to be put in the context of a singular, theocratic culture with a universal faith and a land that they possess entirely. In order for this to be true at all America could not be an cultural/religious plurality, which it is. Do you intend to preach with the fist and punish with the guillotine? And Doug, is morality a properly basic possession of creaturelyness or is there some sort of peculiar and obscure moral code found in the bible? I think that your are confusing civil/ecclesiastical code with moral code. And if true justice is only capable in a society that enforces the sum total of the Mosaic code than all cultures which existed prior to those covenantal dispensations existed in a state of moral and civil inequity and you’re not saying that, are you? Don’t you get it, Israel were God’s people in total by choosing and covenant, America is not, it never has been, contrary to all the ideas you may have or have been told. I said that your certainty is terrifying, you want to know why, because Zealots have no regard for discussion and dissent once they gain enough power and influence. Theonomists, if given the power, would end up as religious tyrants.
Adam, I never claimed that all of mankind would be saved, but we are commanded to baptize every Nation in the Triune name of God, and teach them *all* of God’s commandments. Don’t you think Jesus wants us to succeed? The Magistrate bears the sword as a minister of God. In other words, the Civil Magistrate *should* bear the sword in a “just” manner, amen? Some Magistrates have been exceedingly wicked, others have ruled with justice. How are we to judge who is ruling in a righteous way? When does the punishment fit the crime? My point is very simple, since we (Americans) are given input in this Country *we* the body of Christ should boldly, tell the truth. Sodomy should not even be legal if we want to go by God’s standards. Let’s pray, and seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways, and trust in the promises of God. His Word says that if we do, He will move mountains. 2 Chron. 7:14
Adam, read Psalm 72, it’s a beautiful poetic picture of the victorious Kingdom of God, and what God has purposed for the world, which is to serve Him. Notice all kings are to give deference to Christ the King. And God’s enemies are to lick the dust: (which simply means to lose clout) so this prophecy can’t be talking about the eternal state. When we pray for Christ’s kingdom to advance God will surely do it! We don’t advance His kingdom with the physical sword; we use the Sword of the Sprit, the Gospel, which will accomplish all of God’s will. So while I do believe in the general equity of God’s Law, I know those Laws won’t be implemented until God changes our Nation. Look Adam, if it’s happened before, (Christianization of Nations) why would you believe that God can’t do even greater transformations in the world, for his glory? I not only *think* He will, the Bible says he will!
Doug, dude, Christendom was a civic and moral catastrophe. And the Magistrate as the “minister of God”, when the magistrate starts dispensing Word and Sacrament I’ll buy that one. Problem is, you’re selling what most people aren’t buying. Look at what happened to Calvin in Geneva, when he insisted upon the right of the clergy to bar the table from the unrepentant and lawless, the “magistrate” removed him. And I just don’t think you really understand what nation is implying, its opening up the Gospel to those outside of ethnic Israel, “the People” are no longer culturally oriented, but are now to be bound up by the New Covenant cross culturally. We live in a state of already/not yet, we participate in the Kingdom every Lord’s Day through Word and Sacrament. That is the place, on this earth, of our otherworldly existence. We are pilgrims, not conquerors and you will never achieve your notion of a Christian nation except at the end of a bloody sword. If His Kingdom were of this world, we would have been fighting this whole time, but that isn’t the message we get from Christ to Pilate. No, we get no political system or ideology, only the Gospel, foolishness to those who are perishing but the Power of God to us who are being saved. We’ve been given no crusade other than to spread the Gospel, which precedes any discipleship and baptizing. And you and I know that salvation only comes by hearing the Word of God, only on account of the actions of the Holy Spirit. Now tell me, how is any of that martial in nature. You’ve got it wrong, terribly and horribly wrong and I am thankful that theonomists are not in a position to make their error a reality. And I also hope that Postmillenialism dies a quick death.
@Adam was the law against the gospel? May it never be! Justice is something we *should* be concerned about, if we are to love our neighbor, amen? Don’t you desire to see justice, Adam? Then why mock God’s justice?
As for us not being conquerors, read your Bible Adam! We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus! The military metaphors are replete throughout God’s Word. And what is our overall objective? The salvation of whole world! You know, the one God so loved, that he sent his only begotten Son, to save this earth! What will that mean, in percentages? I don’t know, but we do know that the knowledge of God will cover the earth, like the waters cover the seas. And that means to permeate!
Let me give you just a few verses. Revelation 2:26
The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority fro my Father.
Notice Adam, Jesus will give the same authority to those in the Church, that he now possesses. We see Jesus has had this authority since the cross. Psalm 2:8
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage and all the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel”
You see Adam, according to the Bible, God gives his *faithful* people the very same authority, to establish the kingdom of God here on earth. Our faith is to overcome the world; what’s that mean to you? No, it won’t be perfect until the consummation, but *we* are to establish it until the final day, through the strength of the Holy Spirit. And our goal is to see the fulfillment of the Great Commission. What will that look like? I don’t know, but we are called “more than conquerors” in Scripture. Our task looks impossible, but God wants us to be a people of faith, not men who look with their natural eyes, and say, “no way”! Could it have looked any more promising for Israel, on the other side of the Jordan? We need to be men of faith, who say, “If God is for us, who can stand against us”.
Finally Adam, while attempts at being faithful to the Great Commission may not look very good to you, you are simply not in a position to call any such attempt an abject disaster. We are ambassadors for Christ, so we need to be sober, humble, and men of faith, who stand of the promises of God. And trust that as we are faithful, God will move through us, in strength.
Rest in his completed work, and God bless you,
Doug
Adam you say: And the Magistrate as the “minister of God”, when the magistrate starts dispensing Word and Sacrament I’ll buy that one.
But God says in Romans 13 verse 4 says the exact opposite: “For he (magistrate) is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer”. That word sevant is the same word for minister Adam. Now it should stand to reason, that not all Magistrates are God honoring, amen? So the question becomes, by what standard should the Magistrate punish evildoers??????
Doug, your just confused. You just keep repeating yourself,or misunderstanding me (purposefully I think) and collapsing things that differ. You should know quite well that I am making a distinction between a “civil servant” and a “ministerial one”, And if Paul was speaking in context then the most immediate example of Magistracy was the Roman Empire, right? Were the Romans applying the proper understanding of the Mosaic code or were they using one that came from Natural Law? Yet that would have been the context of the Apostles command. We are operating under different hermenuetical presuppositions, I will never see your points because I have a fundamentally different understanding in regards to the continuity of the Mosaic Economy. We differ on the import and purpose of the old testament theocracy.
And Doug, you can’t on the one hand insist that your notion of theonomic implementation will fulfill the Great Commission and then say you have no idea what that fulfillment would look like, it’s just too contradictory. And I still think that you misunderstand the Great Commission. You seem to think that we are being obliged to disciple everyone, but that doesn’t jive with our understanding of election. Christ came to save those given to Him by the Father, that is the context of discipleship and baptism. Do you really think that we are called to disciple and baptize the unregenerate? I’d hope not. Your insistence on using the Great Commission as the impetus for theonomic implementation just falls flat; you just can’t drive to London from New York. And I am in a position to call Christendom an abject failure, because it was. And if it was an attempt at fulfilling the Great Commission then I find that to be marginalizing the Gospel; the enforcement of ideological compliance by the sword is terrorism, not evangelism. The Gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing but it is the power of God to those who are being saved, but I never read that it was the fear of Magistrate to those who didn’t believe.
You need to come back to earth Doug, you’ve been on Mars much too long, it’s time to let the urge to war on the infidel go. But I don’t expect that you will.
Oh Adam, Adam; what I’d give to have 120 minutes with you, to disabuse your mistaken beliefs. Not that I could convince you of all my perspectives. (Since not even mine, are all right) But I *think* I could come close
Doug, you couldn’t disabuse me of a darn thing, though your condescending tone would get you a swift kick in the rear. I detest smugness and zealous certainty, which you seem to possess in full measure, why, I don’t know. The limititations of finitude are so severe that we are most blind to our own errors. You seem to acknowledge that but then turn around and display an astounding skill of disabusing anyone of the notion that you actually honor that belief.
Adam, I apologize for coiming off smug. In my heart of hearts, I’m not smug, and praying for more sanctification each and everyday. So please forgive me bro.
Don’t sweat it Doug, of course your forgiven.