Rushdoony wrote, “The goal of Babel was a radical unity against God and a unified social order… total community without God,” and fallen man continues his quest for modern Babels as “a substitute for Eden.” The results are always dystopian.By Mark R. Rushdoony , Martin G. Selbrede , Andrea G. Schwartz

Unlike many theologians, Rushdoony devoted the last section of his two-volume “Systematic Theology” to the subject of prayer, and he was a devout practitioner of having a continual conversation with God as well as providing us with a deep analysis of Biblical prayer.By Mark R. Rushdoony , Martin G. Selbrede , Andrea G. Schwartz

Rushdoony predicted much of what we’re contending with today but also proposed a solution in Christian Reconstruction. Our times offer great opportunities for those willing to apply their faith to every area of life.By Mark R. Rushdoony , Martin G. Selbrede , Andrea G. Schwartz

It hasn’t been since the late 1970s that more Americans have been this aware of the sudden rise in prices and how it’s affecting their livelihood. But there are reasons for inflation, both practical and spiritual.By Mark R. Rushdoony , Martin G. Selbrede , Andrea G. Schwartz

In this special episode, we answer listener’s questions on various topicsBy Mark R. Rushdoony , Martin G. Selbrede , Andrea G. Schwartz

Chalcedon began in 1965 for specific reasons and with a specific purpose that still governs our mission today. Listen in as Chalcedon’s leadership discusses its origins and the importance of our mission and message for the years ahead.By Mark R. Rushdoony , Martin G. Selbrede , Andrea G. Schwartz

Man wants to build his “Canaan” but only creates continual hells. America itself worsens in its social and economic issues partly due to a retreat by evangelical churches who watch the decline from the sidelines and even participate in it. The same old wounds of class and racial hatred remain, and crime is on the rise. Is this not the time to retur…

Rushdoony wrote that social financing is a necessity, and it will be done either by the faithful tithing of God’s people or by the coercive taxation by the state. If Christians are to establish alternative means of government, education, and charity, then they’ll have to do it through the tithe. For this reason, the tithe plays a central role in th…

Chalcedon scholar and vice-president Martin Selbrede discusses his recent article in the “Arise & Build” newsletter (“A Stone Cut Without Hands”) in which he critiques Stephen Wolfe’s controversial book “The Case for Christian Nationalism.” Hosted by Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz 🎧The audio version of this podcast is also ava…

Subversive activity seeks to undermine society, and a significant factor in these schemes is the subversion of words where meaning is hijacked to make way for revolution and marginalize opponents. This is especially damaging when the subversion is happening within Christianity itself. Hosted by Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz 🎧…

Humanistic thinkers like Freud and Bertrand Russell believed that the decline of religion would follow the solving of societal ills while diminishing any sense of guilt. In this sense, they wanted to build a society free from religion, which would only mean that it would reconstructed by the religion of man. To achieve this would require rule by a …

The modern world witnesses a troubling drift, as many today, detached from history and divine purpose, see humans as merely “disposable.” This perspective is a far cry from the “dominion man” envisioned by the Scriptures—man made in God’s image to steward and lead creation with purpose. Tragically, this detachment from our intended role breeds soci…

The doctrine of selective depravity, favored by humanism, stipulates that certain people are inherently evil, creating conflict by targeting specific groups instead of addressing universal sin. This perspective distorts the biblical concept of salvation, replacing Christ’s role with a self-identified “righteous” segment of society. The doctrine fue…

By Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz

Conspiracy theory has played a role in the margins of American society for more than two centuries, but it is now mainstream with the help of the internet and social media and myriads of self-appointed experts. But does the Bible discuss conspiracies? And if so, what should Christians do about it? R. J. Rushdoony had an extensive collection of book…

In the modern era, every decade brings a new public struggle over some aspect of the Bill of Rights. Still, the average citizen is not only unfamiliar with the contents of the Bill of Rights, they are equally unfamiliar with its origin, purpose, and the history that preceded it. Added to this is how we are to view these rights Biblically. Join us o…

Socialism is basically and essentially humanism applied to economics. Socialism denies economic laws; it plans to remake the world in terms of man’s welfare as seen by the planners. It is a government of men, not of laws, by men, not by law, and society is placed under man, not under God. A generation reared in humanism is bent on sacrificing law t…

The faith of modern man is Pelagianism, and Pelagianism believes in the natural goodness of man; it is not man who is evil but his environment. The state also is naturally good and is therefore to be trusted with all the powers necessary in order to cope with an evil environment. This is the subject of Episode 31 of the Chalcedon Podcast. Hosted by…

Syncretism is the “reconciliation or union of conflicting beliefs,” with a secondary definition being an “egregious compromise in religion or philosophy.” Biblically stated, man can have no other gods before Him; there can be no syncretism. Biblical revelation cannot be mixed with anything else. Yet, we live in an era of syncretism within the churc…

“The rights of man” is a political doctrine, and this is basic to its error. The assumption is that man’s freedom depends on and must come from the state. Now, certainly, the state can be a major enemy to man’s freedom, but it cannot be seen as the source of liberty. A “duty” is an obligation we owe to God or man, or to both. A “right” is a claim w…

For well over 500 years now, Western civilization has been in a state of civil war, with two aspects thereof in a growing conflict with one another. These two contending forces are humanism and Christianity. Humanism began its rise to power in the medieval era, and its strength was such that it captured the church, much of the academic world, and t…

Deuteronomy is the “go to” book for theocracy because it’s the most clear about the importance of the law and its application in the promised land where Israel would no longer be guided by the pillars of cloud and fire nor miraculously provided for by manna and water out of a rock. Wilderness season is ending, so the emphasis of the law will shift …

The temptation to skip over books like Numbers is a great one. After all, isn’t it just the numbering of Israel? Is there anything of significance found in its pages? R. J. Rushdoony penned an enlightening commentary on Numbers, and Chalcedon’s leadership sits down to discuss the importance of Rushdoony’s insights. This is the subject of Episode 26…

The Book of Leviticus reveals more than a way to holiness. It shows us the path to dominion—even to a realized new Garden of Eden. The laws of God are essential to modern Christian community. This is the subject of Episode 25 of the Chalcedon Podcast.By Martin Selbrede and Andrea Schwartz

The Book of Exodus is more than a telling of Israel’s early history. It’s a motif that appears throughout the Bible and culminates in the great exodus of Christ Himself. This is the subject of Episode 24 of the Chalcedon Podcast.By Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz

R. J. Rushdoony was a true creationist which is why the book of Genesis was central to all that he taught. He would go on to write a commentary on the book of Genesis while bringing out a unique approach to the first book of the Bible. This is the subject of Episode 23 of the Chalcedon PodcastBy Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz

Episode #22 - Certain religious and theological ideas are inescapable even when it involves humanism in all its forms—especially statism. Today, there is a “doctrine of the Holy Spirit,” but it is a false doctrine, and understanding it begins with understanding the Biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit.…

Are there things to which God is indifferent? Are there areas of life that are neutral, and we as man can create our own moral standards? Anyone familiar with Rushdoony’s work is familiar with the phrase “the myth of neutrality,” but are we familiar with an ancient problem in the church known as adiaphorism? The meaning of the term is “things indif…

We are living in a time of great overreach by the civil government while protests are erupting all over the world in resistance, but what freedom are people looking for? Is it Christian liberty? What is Christian liberty? Can you have liberty without law?By Mark R. Rushdoony, Martin G. Selbrede, Andrea Schwartz

“Men’s hearts failing them for fear.” (Luke 21:26) The corrosive forces of humanism are creating great fear throughout the world as the bottom falls out for man’s morality and social order. Humanity struggles to contend with an unending supply of crises because their worldview is bankrupt. Rushdoony wrote, “The only thing that can counteract and ov…

The bad words of political systems are fascism, socialism, and theocracy, but does the average truly understand the definitions of each term? Take fascism, for example. Groups like Antifa—defined as anti-fascist—act more fascist than those they accuse, so what exactly is fascism? The same goes for socialism and theocracy. They are terms we throw ar…

“Both liberties and powers are alike limited, under God, and hence under law. Liberty is limited and power is limited because the temporal order is under God.” (The One & The Many, p. 20) For fallen man, the political battle is always one of power vs liberty. Some men seek for liberty while the remaining seek for power. For example, anarchists and …

“Christian Reconstruction” is a school of thought that is diametrically opposed to the autonomous reason of man which itself has long infected Christianity. Today’s Christian assumes that fallen man is an impartial judge over knowledge and reality—that he is “neutral”—and that fallen man can be “reasoned” into faith. R. J. Rushdoony continued the b…

In Romans 12:2, the apostle Paul writes, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The dynamic of New Covenant living is the radical pursuit of proving the will of God for every area of life, but does that mean the Old Test…

Rushdoony often noted that the way to build Christian civilization—or save it—is to restore the spiritual capital of faith and character. This is a central part of the work of Christian Reconstruction because it’s established upon God’s Kingdom, His law, and the covenant He established through Jesus Christ. As we labor to restore that spiritual cap…

Rushdoony often noted that Christian Reconstruction was not a movement but rather the definition of Christian action. For the past few decades, we saw it explicitly applied to education by way of homeschooling and Christian schools. What’s next for Christian Reconstruction, and how should approach answering that question?…

Rushdoony wrote a chapter on “Extraterritoriality” in his volume Christianity and the State, in which he emphasized the importance of understanding the church as an embassy—and we as ambassadors of Christ—in the earth. The modern church needs to better understand this concept so as to truly challenge the culture as a “nation within a nation.”…

Outside of the Bible itself, no other literature or writer is referred to more in Rushdoony’s writings than his mentor, Dr. Cornelius Van Til. It’s difficult to estimate the importance of Van Til on Rushdoony, but as their personal history shows, Rushdoony was more than a student of Van Til. He was a defender of the Dutchman, a colleague, and one o…

Godly dominion and Christian Reconstruction are not a “work of the flesh,” where men presume to be able to usher in the Kingdom of God through their own works, political action, or any other humanistic means. It is the Holy Spirit who is at work in our own lives, homes, churches, and more in order to enable us to apply our faith and obey God’s comm…

Listen as Jeff Durbin of Apologia Radio interviews Chalcedon President Mark Rushdoony on the topic: "What Do We Do In America Now?" Interview begins at timestamp 10:23. Mark R. Rushdoony Mark R. Rushdoony graduated from Los Angeles Baptist College (now The Master’s College) with a B.A. in history in 1975 and was ordained to the ministry in 1995. He…

In his book “Revolt Against Maturity,” Rushdoony reveals the paradise motive in humanistic man in which he always reverts back to the power of the state to usher in his utopia. Despite continued failures, fallen man never loses hope of creating a paradise divorced from God and His law.By Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz

This episode was recorded just after the 2020 U.S. election with a final winner still undecided, yet the climate is still as divisive as ever, and even Christians are caught up in the strife. The Bible has much to say about this because the Bible speaks to communion and community, and Rushdoony addressed the topic frequently. In this episode, Chalc…

It’s often said that those attracted to Christian Reconstruction are serious readers, and for that reason, much of the growth of CR is the result of publishing books, newsletters, and journals. In this episode, Chalcedon’s leadership discuss the joy and importance of reading as well as the unique reading and study habits of R. J. Rushdoony. They al…

In 1965, during a time of rioting, revolution, and a break down of law and order, Rushdoony began the Chalcedon Foundation in order to represent a countermeasure to the prevailing ideas of that time as well as equip disillusioned Christians with a victorious gospel. His writings during this time were especially prescient, and what we are experienci…

Does the Bible address the issue of abuse? Whether domestic, social, or ecclesiastical, there is physical, emotional, and even spiritual abuse at every level of society. In this episode, Chalcedon scholar, Martin Selbrede, reveals the Biblical approach to dealing with abuse. For several years, Martin has researched the subject extensively and is cu…

People are crying out for justice, but they’re willing to be unjust in order to secure their justice. Mankind has a distorted view of justice, or righteousness, because they do not submit themselves to the righteousness of God as found in His law-word. What do the Scriptures provide us in order that we may better understand and act during these dif…

More citizens are experiencing a pronounced overreach by their local governments which is giving them a taste of authoritarianism they’re not familiar with. What they don’t realize is that this was always the case. Their liberties were always under threat by the bloated bureaucracy of statism. But for Christians, they must take civil authoritariani…

A global pandemic is isolating people, tanking the economy, and expanding the powers of the state. Is this God’s judgment? Is this an enforced sabbath? How should Christians view this crisis, and what should we be doing to prepare for the future? Hosted by Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz. The audio version of this podcast is al…

Welcome to the first episode of the new Chalcedon Podcast hosted by Chalcedon leaders Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz. Years ago—before podcasting was—Chalcedon published a regular discussion-based audio series entitled “The Easy Chair.” We’re excited to bring back a new version of that format in the digital age. Learn more abo…