This wide-ranging and provocative Q&A session brings together R.J. Rushdoony and Marshall Foster to address pressing questions about Christian responsibility in a broken world covering issues of global poverty, missions, liberation theology, political involvement, education, law and grace, civil religion, and cultural transformation. With candor and conviction, they challenge sentimental charity, passive faith, and shallow theology, arguing instead for a biblical vision of dominion rooted in God’s law, covenant faithfulness, and the lordship of Christ over every sphere of life. The discussion confronts hard realities from persecution of missionaries and manipulation of public institutions to the limits of obedience to civil authority calling Christians to informed action, moral courage, and faithful witness in both church and society.

R.J. Rushdoony and Otto Scott discuss modern society’s fear and denial of death, describing it as a cultural “pornography” and taboo. They contrast this with the Christian perspective, where death is accepted as part of life and a transition to eternal life, emphasizing the profound dignity and peace possible for believers even in dying.

They explore contemporary issues such as suicide, abortion, and euthanasia, linking them to a societal love of death and a rejection of maturity, responsibility, and God’s order. They also critique cultural trends like the obsession with perpetual youth, media distortions, and moral incoherence, arguing that without a spiritual center and acknowledgment of life and death, society collapses morally, spiritually, and socially.

He emphasizes that morality and life are inseparable: without faith and a commitment to God, ethical principles erode, leaving society vulnerable. Only a vigorous, pro-life Christian faith, grounded in action and obedience to God, can restore vitality and counter the pervasive cultural drift toward death, immorality, and decay.

Finally, they stress that modern society has lost independence, self-reliance, and a moral grounding in God. Scott and Rushdoony warn that relying on politics, economics, or rationalistic theories without ethical and spiritual foundation has led to diminished freedom, societal decline, and economic vulnerability. They conclude that reassessing assumptions and restoring moral, cultural, and practical independence is essential for future survival.

They critique the modern economy’s dependence on debt, foreign aid, and overleveraged international systems, noting the hidden costs of inflation, declining domestic production, and reliance on other nations for resources. Both discuss Japan’s protectionist policies, the U.S. trade deficit, and the vulnerability created by foreign dependency, emphasizing that economic mismanagement and political interference distort reality.

R.J. Rushdoony and Otto Scott examine the pitfalls of free trade, protectionism, and modern economic policies. Rushdoony notes that free trade presupposes a rational and moral world, ignoring cultural, political, and ethical realities, and argues that no economic system can succeed if the people are corrupt or morally deficient. Scott emphasizes that historical context matters: nations like the U.S. grew through protected industries, hard work, and cultural cohesion, while modern assumptions of universal rationality and economic fairness are misguided.

Dr. Rushdoony and Otto Scott analyze modernism as a cultural and intellectual force rooted in the Transcendentalists, particularly Emerson and Frothingham, which rejects God and biblical authority in favor of the spirit of the age. Modernism elevates human impulses, experience, and cultural trends above objective moral standards, affecting education, art, literature, and politics. Scott emphasizes that liberalism, as the practical expression of modernism, erodes societal norms and weakens resistance to evil, while Rushdoony warns that liberal clergy spread this ideology within churches. Together, they conclude modernism functions as an anti-Christian force, dismantling Christian civilization and replacing divine order with human-centered, relativistic values.

Gary Mose recounts his two trips behind the Iron Curtain, particularly to Romania, to support persecuted Christians and observe the reality of life under Communist rule. He describes Romania as devastated—materially, spiritually, and socially—with extreme poverty, shortages of basic goods, oppressive surveillance, and a stark divide between the ruling elite and ordinary citizens. Despite these hardships, he witnessed strong Christian communities providing mutual aid and inspiring loyalty even among some non-Christians.

Mose contrasts his observations with misleading Western reports and visits by prominent figures, such as Billy Graham, who portrayed a false impression of religious freedom. He explains that Soviet and Eastern Bloc propaganda, including phrases like “spiritual needs” or “coexistence,” actually serve communist ideology, advancing Leninism and humanistic morality rather than true faith.

Rushdoony and Scott emphasize that communism is fundamentally anti-Christian and Satanic, and any cooperation or flattery from Western churchmen supports that system. Mose warns that the West must recognize the deception and ideological nature of Leninism, which uses propaganda to maintain control while masquerading as openness or tolerance, and contrasts this with true Christian dominion, which submits all authority to Christ."

Laurie Eck discusses the Christian Conciliation Service, a ministry designed to resolve disputes among Christians according to biblical principles rather than secular courts. Inspired by his own marital and professional struggles, Eck emphasizes reconciliation, restoration of relationships, and applying God’s law to conflicts. The service trains local church members—often elders or spiritually mature individuals—to mediate disputes, including marital, business, and property conflicts, fostering accountability, peacemaking, and corporate responsibility within the congregation. Eck highlights the challenge of churches being consumer-oriented and avoiding conflict, stressing that real reconciliation requires submission, servanthood, and adherence to biblical standards. The ministry has spread nationwide, adapting to local contexts while aiming to restore the authority and witness of the church."

In Easy Chair 150 (July 14, 1987), R.J. Rushdoony and Otto Scott interview Gary and Carlinda Mose about two years in Sweden, portraying a society that looks peaceful and prosperous yet functions as a “new totalitarianism” built not on terror but on education, conformity, and cradle‑to‑grave dependency. The Moses describe a nation where the state effectively replaces God, families are weakened by high taxes (they cite roughly 55% income tax plus a 25% sales tax) and two‑income necessity, and dissent—though celebrated in theory—is punished in practice through social shaming and even official intimidation (Gary recounts being threatened with arrest and recorded by police for quietly holding alternative placards at a public “peace” demonstration). They warn that the system increasingly treats children as belonging to the state: spanking is illegal, kids are encouraged to report parents, and welfare authorities can remove children with little meaningful appeal, while the established church is politicized and moral standards are inverted (abortion widely accepted, private Bible studies labeled “subversive”). Yet they also testify to faithful Swedish believers who pray earnestly and meet in informal “house” settings because they know only God can heal what state planning cannot—making Sweden, in their view, a sobering preview of where the wider West goes when comfort replaces conviction and “non‑discrimination” is used to silence the freedom to call right and wrong.

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