Friday, November 6, 2015

The Latest Notable Piece Criticizing David Barton

Is found at Salon here. A taste:
David Barton is a self-styled historical revisionist who has made it his life’s work to instill in doctrinaire conservative Evangelicals and fundamentalists that America was founded as an explicitly Christian nation — that, in fact, it was designed to be a theocracy. (The formal term for his belief system is Christian reconstructionist.) He has written books, given speeches, traveled around the world giving advice on history and government, and he is close to many prominent conservative politicians, preachers, pundits and thought leaders. He runs an organization called Wallbuilders which is “dedicated to presenting America’s forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on the moral, religious, and constitutional foundation on which America was built.” He is one of the most influential “thinkers” in the conservative movement.
The boldface is mine. 

If what is written in boldface is true, then God forbid. 

3 comments:

Tom Van Dyke said...

David Barton is a self-styled historical revisionist who has made it his life’s work to instill in doctrinaire conservative Evangelicals and fundamentalists that America was founded as an explicitly Christian nation — that, in fact, it was designed to be a theocracy. (The formal term for his belief system is Christian reconstructionist.)

We shouldn't be spreading this left-wing lie here. Barton has accuracy problems, but he's no theocrat or "Reconstructionist." He merely claims that America owes its origins to Christianity, not that it should be run as a theocracy.

http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=23909

jimmiraybob said...

Barton openly and strongly advocates not just for a historic "Christian Nation/heritage" narrative but also that we are currently a Christian Nation and that God's law trumps all of our man-made laws and that Christians (I assume those that would agree with his Christian-based ideology) should work toward Christian hegemony in government, is at a minimum a theonomist* pushing a diffuse Reconstructionist agenda. He is a theo-political propagandists and activist.

*as in advocating "God’s law” in the sphere of civil government. Of course, some people make little to no distinction between theonomy, dominionism and Christian reconstruction.

Tom Van Dyke said...

Anonymous jimmiraybob said...
Barton openly and strongly advocates not just for a historic "Christian Nation/heritage" narrative but also that we are currently a Christian Nation and that God's law trumps all of our man-made laws and that Christians (I assume those that would agree with his Christian-based ideology) should work toward Christian hegemony in government, is at a minimum a theonomist* pushing a diffuse Reconstructionist agenda. He is a theo-political propagandists and activist.

*as in advocating "God’s law” in the sphere of civil government. Of course, some people make little to no distinction between theonomy, dominionism and Christian reconstruction.


Direct quotes, please.

In the non-legal/political sense, God's law certainly does trump man's. If you don't follow the argument, you are sorely miseducated; Martin Luther King covers it all in his "Letter From Birmingham Jail."

I fear the left these days have no idea of our philosophical-religious heritage.

Of course, some people make little to no distinction between theonomy, dominionism and Christian reconstruction.


Yes, the left. It's all grist for their mill. Theocracy! Theocracy! The Christians are coming!