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Conservatism or Christ Political
Conservatism is often viewed as the political expression for the
Orthodox Christian. Many God
fearing people are convinced that Christianity and Conservatism are one
and the same. Some Christians even call themselves Christian
Libertarians, aligning themselves with the Conservative community of
Constitutional Liberty, while others equate themselves with the
Republican Party. Many well meaning,
Bible believing Christians hold to the belief that the principles of
these Political Parties are in direct accordance with the principles of
Christ, when it comes to morality, liberty, law and public policy. Yet
is this really true? What is the nature of
today’s political Conservatism? Is it rooted in Biblical Law or in
tradition? Does it hold to a fundamental Scriptural ideology or does it
rely upon a certain humanistic perception of reality in order to
formulate its position? But what is the root
of modern Conservatism? Does it come from the Scriptures or from
something else? According to political expert Paul Henry, “Political
Conservatism is a tradition of political thought having its origins in
reactions against the libertarianism and individualism of the French
Revolution of 1789…” This reaction was
based upon human reason. As Edmund Burke declared, “Government is a matter of practical wisdom stemming from the
historical experiences of a given people.” Thus, Burke’s
“wisdom” would be influenced arbitrarily by history, experience, and
the passions of men rather than God’s Word. According to this
“Enlightenment rationality” and evolutionary ideology, no people
could be really secure since law and public policy was always subject to
change. The Reverend William O. Einwechter rightly asserts that under
this Enlightenment ideal, even liberty itself would be subject to
incremental change depending upon the need which history would dictate. Burke did not suggest
that law and public policy would be applied
to various changes of societal matters but that the law and policy itself
would change depending upon experience and certain historical
revelations. This dogma places every individual at risk to either
totalitarianism or anarchy. Burke’s
conservatism ideal declared that change must
take place according to changing traditions and the “self
conscience” practices of a given people. Therefore, according to
Burke, conservatism conserves nothing, but rather makes way for any and
every kind of change, depending on the whim of the people and their
elected official. According to Russell
Kirk, Conservatism never was intended to be a fixed and immutable body
of dogmas but rather its essence is the “preservation of the ancient
moral traditions of humanity.” For Kirk, the essence of Conservatism
is to re-express ancient tradition, thus allowing for change within a
set, yet somewhat flexible, perimeter of tradition. Rather than
structuring the societal order according to the set standard of Divine
Wisdom found exclusively in God’s Law, the Conservative structures
societal order based upon a universal morality and transcendental order
of “natural law”. This natural law, while having a form of Divine
basis, actually is determined by man’s tradition and past history.
Thus modern Conservatism has no standard but the standard of historical,
evolutionary and incremental change. This is why it is destined to
failure unless the unchangeable standard of Biblical Law is reintroduced
as its fundamental policy. Again Einwechter sates it most clearly: “In
conservative circles Christ and Biblical Law are out, while Locke,
rationality and natural law are in.” While there are
fundamental differences between the Liberal socialist and the Republican
Conservative, the lines are often blurred. The modern Conservative is as
often as secular in his politics as his liberal counterpart. One need
only to look back upon recent history to see that the “Conservative
movement” has undoubtedly and progressively shifted toward the left
while the Democratic socialist movement has progressively shifted to the
far left. It has been said
repeatedly that while the Democrats seek to destroy this country by
driving her off the cliff and into the depths of socialism and
egalitarianism at 100mph, the Republicans seek to do the same, only at a
slower rate. So what’s the difference? Christian Politics is
Christ centered not man centered. It is not conservatism,
libertarianism, rationalism or Enlightenment thinking. It is Christian
based thinking rooted in Biblical Law. While conservatism places man as
king, Christian thought sets Christ as King of kings and Ruler of
Nations. Christian thought is Biblically based where the Scriptures
reign as the Supreme Standard of Law and Public Policy. Christian
politics seeks to bring all men in subjection to His rule as ministers
of good and the punishers of evil. Theologian and political analyst,
John Fielding observes that today’s conservatives have taken Thomas
Jefferson as the king in rejection of the True King of Kings. May we
claim what Benjamin Rush declared; “I
am neither a democrat nor an aristocrat. I am a Christocrat.” Soli
Deo Gloria About the author:
The Reverend Paul Michael Raymond pastors the Reformed Bible Church In
Central Virginia and is the Chief Director of the Institute for
Theonomic Reformation, an online Christ-Centered Educational Resource
Center. He can be reached at his website HisGlory.us.
Email: Pastor@hisglory.us
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