The Rise and Triumph of Reformed Revisionism

Kingdom Polemics

In this episode of Kingdom Polemics, Pastor Aldo Leon critically examines an article, "Lessons from the Lutheran Tradition for 2024" (https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2024/01/lessons-from-the-lutheran-tradition-for-2024) by Carl Trueman, a prominent Reformed theologian and historian, who argues that Christians should not be preoccupied with the temporal and civil affairs of this age, but rather focus on the eternal truths of the gospel and the confessional documents of Protestantism. Pastor Aldo challenges this view by showing how the Westminster Standards, the Belgic Confession, and the Lutheran tradition all affirm the importance of the civil magistrate and the Christian influence on the public sphere. He also exposes the inconsistencies and contradictions in Trueman's article, and calls for a more comprehensive and optimistic Kingdom theology that is faithful to the Scriptures and the Reformed heritage.

Some of the highlights and discussion points of this episode are:

• How Trueman misrepresents the Westminster divines, who were deeply involved in preaching to and advising the Parliament, and who advocated for the covenantal and theocratic rule of God over the nations.
• How Trueman ignores the historical and theological context of the Solemn League and Covenant, which was the backdrop of the Westminster Assembly and its documents.
• How Trueman appeals to the Lutheran tradition, especially the theology of the cross, as a model of suffering and passive Christianity, while overlooking the political and social activism of Luther and his followers, who resisted and condemned the civil authorities for their blasphemy, idolatry, and persecution of the true church.
• How Trueman fails to account for the biblical and confessional examples of godly princes and magistrates, who were called to uphold the law of God, protect the sacred ministry, and promote the Kingdom of Christ in their realms.
• How Trueman's view of the civil realm as irrelevant and indifferent to the Christian faith leads to a loss of orthodoxy, a neglect of God's honor, and a surrender of the cultural mandate.

Sources used in this Episode:

• MARTIN LUTHER, "On the Jews and Their Lies" (1543)
• Parts 11-13 (https://www.ccjr.us/dialogika-resources/primary-texts-from-the-history-of-the-relationship/luther-1543)
• Early Lutheranism and Old Testament Civil Law: Not the Two Kingdoms Theology you Thought it Was (https://theonomyresources.blogspot.com/2013/05/early-lutheranism-and-old-civil.html)
• Luther, 1523: On Secular Authority: how far does the Obedience owed to it extend? (https://www.yorku.ca/comninel/courses/3020pdf/Luther.pdf)

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