Christianity Today XXV:21 (December 11, 19981) [about a review of Chantry’s
book], Covenant Media Foundation, 800/553-3938
Letter: “Strong Complaint”
It is
necessary to lodge a strong complaint due to a terrible lapse on the part of
one of your writers, John Van Til [“God’s Righteous Kingdom” (Books), Oct. 23].
He
attributes to the reconstructionist position (which was set forth in my book Theonomy in Christian Ethics and
subsequently critiqued by Chantry’s book, the occasion of the review) the view
that America is God’s chosen nation.
That view is a horrible misreading of Scripture, and wrong-headed. My books do not set forth such a view, nor
is it an inference from any of the views I do advance. Indeed, I have publicly repudiated and
openly criticized the idea that America is God’s chosen nation. Furthermore, not even Chantry attributes
such heresy to the reconstructionist position; the “chosen nation syndrome”
does not even play a part in his book.
Why he broaches the view at all is beyond me.
It is
difficult enough to teach what we believe to be biblical doctrine these days
without being forced to correct misleading misrepresentations as well.