The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum The Doctrine of the Atonement

Yep, that’s my understanding as well.

I received this email from Dr. Clark today (I actually referenced that TGC article that is downright dangerous to him). He’s pretty public in his views, but I ask you not to copy & paste this anywhere else. He would not consider their position radical ….

“Yes, virtually everyone from AD 380 until the 18th century was theocratic in their assumptions. Certainly the Reformed in the 16th & 17th centuries were.

They were all wrong. It was a huge mistake.

How the Americans and others came to see the error is a fascinating and difficult question. There were some in the 17th century who began to argue for a kind of limited religious toleration, e.g., John Owen.

My opinion is that the Eighty Years War (in the NL) and the Thirty Years War (in the rest of Europe) was a turning point.

Did the Enlightenment help? Maybe. Some/many of them were fairly well read in the older theologians. They borrowed/revised the Reformed idea of the covenant of works for their doctrine of the state of nature.

Is Enlightenment rationalism essential to a pluralistic state? I hope not. I don't think so. Were there orthodox Christians who began to see the folly of a state church? I guess so but I don't know.

rsc”