Today we discuss the topic of the so-called Sacred-Secular Distinction. Our guest wrote an article with subheading: "The goal of modern secularism is to get the church out of every aspect of society except its own sanctuary. Many Christians agree." Our guest describes the word "secular," and how its usage has changed over time. Years ago, one goal of Christians (esp. Roman Catholic) was to get everything outside the church into contact with the church. Now, it appears the goal is to get the church out of every aspect of society except its own sanctuary. The earlier practice of wanting civil rulers to simply submit to hierarchical sacramentarianism, was neither evangelical either. So we see a motion from a medieval Roman paradigm, to the modern social order. Neither is evangelical Reformation Christianity. There is a further dynamic - that is, many (not all), Christians agree with the arrangement of a Christian-Secularist distinction. In an effort to keep the sacred order of the family and church safe from the public order, these well-meaning Christians feel that Christianity shouldn't concern itself with matters like education, entertainment, music, technology, politics, wider culture. The concern is that in doing so, would compromise the sacred, churchly order, and would amount to idolatry. They seem to think that God Himself demands this. Our guest wrote an article about this whole topic. He asserts that the Bible knows nothing of a sacred-secular distinction, but rather only of a sacred-profane distinction. He asserts that "this means all that is not dedicated to the Lord and subjugated to his authority is a profanation of his good creation and common grace and biblical will." So the goal then is to see everything to be God-honoring and Christian. He cites Psalm 96:11-12 which says: "Let the heavens rejoice, let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy." Our guests' point is that the obvious cure for our widespread social disease is the erasure of the line between sacred and secular and instead, the creation of a line between sacred and profane. He says the sacred is under Christ's authority, and the profane is rebellion against His authority. There is no third status. The article is here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-144456530

During our discussion we ask of any suggested books for further reading - included were John Eidsmoe "Christianity and the Constitution:" published by Baker. M.E. Bradford (pamphlet) "Religion and the Framers." Herb Schlossberg "Idols for Destruction." Abraham Kuyper "Lectures on Calvinism." P. Andrew Sandlin "Christian Culture, and Introduction." Participants: Dan Elmendorf, Dr. P. Andrew Sandlin