No Community without Communion
Several years ago, a popular radio personality said we were in a “cold civil war.” It was “cold” in that there was no shooting. We are obviously a very divided people. Instead of “coming together” as any number of politicians has simplistically urged, we have instead grown further apart.
- Mark R. Rushdoony,
Several years ago, a popular radio personality said we were in a “cold civil war.” It was “cold” in that there was no shooting. We are obviously a very divided people. Instead of “coming together” as any number of politicians has simplistically urged, we have instead grown further apart.
Nearly sixty years ago, I heard my father say, “There can be no community without communion.” What he meant by that was the unity of a common faith brought men together on a fundamental level. Regardless of denominational affiliation, they shared a common ethical foundation and a similar worldview.
There is now no longer a common tie amongst many people in the West. Our disagreement now is over such fundamental things as gender and pronouns. Not only has community broken down, communication itself is today often impossible. Screamed demands have replaced dialog and intimidation has replaced reasoning. That commentator was right; all that is missing in this civil war are the armies and battlefields. When I was a teenager, there was a great deal of talk on the left about the need for love and toleration, but what we see today is a vicious, unconcealed hate.
This situation will not last because it cannot. Humanism did not usher in the “Age of Aquarius” where “peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars.” On the contrary, it has produced chaos, degeneracy, and anarchy.
Where is this headed? Specifically, I cannot venture a guess, but generally the failure of humanism is so apparent that the stage is being set for a new scene. What that looks like depends on the moving of the Holy Spirit. Will men turn to God or move further to their own self destruction? In the big picture, I see today’s chaos as the death-throws of humanism. How long this phase lasts I cannot say, but I believe “of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7).
Stay faithful to the Kingdom of our Lord. There are wonderful things ahead.
- Mark R. Rushdoony
Mark R. Rushdoony graduated from Los Angeles Baptist College (now The Master’s College) with a B.A. in history in 1975 and was ordained to the ministry in 1995.
He taught junior and senior high classes in history, Bible, civics and economics at a Christian school in Virginia for three years before joining the staff of Chalcedon in 1978. He was the Director of Chalcedon Christian School for 14 years while teaching full time. He also helped tutor all of his children through high school.
In 1998, he became the President of Chalcedon and Ross House Books, and, more recently another publishing arm, Storehouse Press. Chalcedon and its subsidiaries publish many titles plus CDs, mp3s, and an extensive online archive at www.chalcedon.edu.
He has written scores of articles for Chalcedon’s publications, both the Chalcedon Report and Faith for all of Life. He was a contributing author to The Great Christian Revolution (1991). He has spoken at numerous conferences and churches in the U.S. and abroad.
Mark Rushdoony lives in Vallecito, California, his home of 43 years with his wife of 45 years and his youngest son. He has three married children and nine grandchildren.