Exam 2 - GOVT 200 (Ferdon)
What is the significance of the Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)?
'Lectures on Calvinism' - 6 lectures that address calvinism as a life system, it's impact on religion, politics, art and the future. (Sphere sovereignty and God's sovereignty)
What are the two main characteristics of the American constitutional order and system? How is federalism defined?
*Federalism/Limited- divided authority and defused power through a triad partite system of checks and balances within a constitutional framework for the sake of ordered liberty *Individual Self-Government
What best represents the institutional arrangement of the Biblical Christian worldview? What is meant by the phrase 'covenantal order'? What is a covenant? How are covenants superior to contracts?
*Holy Commonwealth - covenantal order and system (God is at the top and the govt reports to Him) *covenantal vs. contract - (oath/vow are covenants) covenant is anything where God is a witness or apart of it. A contract is not and can be broken (covenants can't). *covenantal order: framework of govt where God is involved
What is the distilled essence of the Biblical Christian Worldview relative to its answers to the four philosophical dilemmas?
*Origin: Biblical Supernatural Ontology - God created everything that exists. *Knowledge: Biblical Revelational Epistemology - We know only bc God knows and has disclosed truth propositionally and verbally through the Bible. *Value: Biblical Theistic Axiology - God is of supreme and ultimate value. Humans only have an eternal value bc we are created in God's image. *Control and Direction: Kingdom of God Teleology - God is the ultimate and sovereign ruler, and His rule governs and gives meaning, purpose, and direction.
Biblically speaking, what is the province or purview of civil-government? In other words, what is the extent of civil authority?
*power over actions only *Govt is under law.. God's law and their job is to enforce the law
Be able to identify the four significant and compelling consequences of the Protestant Reformation.
1. Christocentric Church -shift to more Christ centered churches which defused church power 2.Renaissance Humanism is Derailed 3. Biblical Christianity Becomes the Dominant Global Force 4. A Biblical Base is established in American Civilization
What is the significance of Aurelius Augustine (354-430AD) Bishop of Hippo, in North Africa?
Augustine "would develop the first complete Christian philosophy of history and of the state within a systematic presentation of Christian theology through his 'City of God'. This dominated European Christendom for close to 800 years."
The cultural and institutional consequences of the Reformation are significant not only for European and British history, but for American history as well. What were some of these new relational principles derived from the Scriptures which resulted in new institutional patterns dominant in the American colonies?
Civil and religious liberty, limited ecclesiastical and civil govt, and limited civil jurisdiction. (shift toward individual self government) shift between man, church, God to Man, God. The Church lost it's power.
The institutional impact of the new protestant approach to biblical interpretation in contrast with Roman Catholicism.
Directly speak/pray to God as a result of the Bible being in different language. The church was no longer in charge of it all bc it shifted to being an individual relationship.
'sovereignty of God'
God has all power. - God created, therefore he has all power.
'the kingdom of God is spiritual'
God is and is who the bible says He is! (supreme, eternal, ever-existing, and a great creator who has ultimate authority.) God's kingdom is everything, everything is spiritual.
What does this statement mean: As Christians we worship God axiologically as redeemer.
God is the most valuable being in the universe, and humans have infinite eternal value bc God made them in His image. (A biblical axiology)
'created virtue of man'
God is virtuous therefore man can be virtuous since we are made in His image
What does this statement mean: As Christians we worship God epistemologically as acknowledger and revealer.
God knows and gives us info (A biblical revelational epistemology)
What is the relationship between civil-government and law?
Govt is under law and enforce it
What does this statement mean: As Christians we worship God ontologically as Creator.
He is creator, we are created so we worship Him (A biblical supernatural ontology)
What is the significance of Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780)?
He wrote commentaries of english law
What does this statement mean: As Christians we worship God teleologically as sustainer, and coming lord and king.
Humans can live with meaning, purpose, and direction bc God is sovereign and in authority. (A kingdom of God teleology)
How does Sir William Blackstone define 'law of nature'? Why does he assert the necessity for special revelation?
Law common to all people are stupid and cannot see it unless it is revealed to us by God
When discussing the nature of law and jurisprudence, what is meant by "Pre-existing Law"?
Law that has existed since the beginning of the earth
'depravity of man'
Man is flawed bc we sin.
Biblically speaking, what is the purpose of civil-government? What is the relationship between the purpose of civil government and property? Why is civil-government necessary in a fallen world?
Purpose- protect person and property. *it's the governments job to protect it... by laws. *it's necessary bc we need order.. AKA govt.
What is the significance of the leading French Reformer John Calvin (1509-1564), and what very influential work did he pen?
Significance: He confronted the very platonic assumption that the roman catholic church was the center and reference for life. Influential Work: Institutions of the Christian Religion (1536) which directly addressed a biblical approach to ecclesiastical and civil institutional procedure, in contrast to the approaches instituted by the Roman Catholic Church.
5. What is the significance of John Wyclif (1320-1384AD)?
Wyclif was an Oxford professor who produced the first English translation of the Bible (Wylcif Bible in 1384) (translated into the common tongue so that people could read it themselves and not ask the priest)
For example, should civil-government be limited or not? If it should be limited, for what purpose?
Yes, it should be limited. Purpose: protect people and their rights. Life (national defense), liberty(right), and pursuit of property(right).
What is meant by the phrase "Laws of Nature and Nature's God," in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence?
combo of general and special revelation. Lawwe know to be true, law God told us this is true
Other very significant propositions are inherent within Federalism and the American Constitutional Order and System. Be able to identify the 'doctrine of the lower magistrate.' What identifies 'Federalism' as America's contribution to political theory?
doctrine of the lower magistrate - the interceder between the people and the higher govt
What sort of jurisprudence recognizes God as divine law-giver, the existence of absolute law, and a pre-existing law order?
individual self-government
Why did John Adams pen his Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law (1765)? What exactly is this "wicked confederacy" he describes?
it was calling out tyrrany in the british govt. *Wicked confed. was the crown having authority over the state and religion (controlled thoughts and morals) and using it to supress and enslave others
What is to be the relationship between pre-existing law and man-made law such as constitutions? Why are they instituted?
man-made is supposed to protect the pre-existing law...to protect and provide order
What is meant by 'personal covenant,' 'ecclesiastical covenant,' and 'civil social covenant'?
personal -covenant between man and God, Ecclesiastical - between God, Church, Man, Civil - Man Govt, God
'man is prophet, priest, and king under a sovereign God'
self-government
'priesthood of all believers'
we can all talk to God directly
'no institutional interposition between God and man'
we can talk directly and feely to God
