A Radical Reformation?
How many ‘reformed’ men know anything of what has been called the “Radical” Reformation? Back in 1964 Leonard Verduin published his book entitled “The Reformers and their Stepchildren“. It is a book which echoed so much of my struggles concerning the “establishment” of the Church of England. My memory is a bit vague as to when I first read it but I think it was about 1973 – two years before I resigned my ministry in the C of E.. I was reading then, anything I could find about the search for and expression of “New Testament pattern churches”. After I left and was studying for a B.Ed. I wanted to take this subject for my thesis, but was dissuaded by my tutor and I compromised with a thesis on “The House Church Movement” – in those days with the emergence of the Charismatic movement, this was a hot potato! Since those days, I have found a great reluctance on the part of “reformed” men to give much, if any, consideration to the existence of a “radical reformation”. The chains of ‘Constantinianism‘ drag, if not bind them in ways that seriously affect the dissemination of a truly gracious gospel. The brief Foreword by H.L.Ellison ought to be enough to excite anyone who has a desire to see the church free to be in our own times and culture, and be more as it was in New Testament times. (Even Patristic studies, in my view, cloud the issue, because even before Constantine, there was the desire for a marriage between Church and State.) Today, the evangelical cause is being diverted by the same subtle hopes that the world can be “christianised”. I see this in the vast amounts of christian giving being diverted from the work of the gospel to “Christian Institute” “Christian Watch” etc. and attempting to change the morals of society by the means of laws passed by Parliament etc. (Homosexuality, Abortion, Alchohol, Drugs etc. etc.) I get literature through the post every week asking me or our church to support these causes by giving money and for prayer. (I suspect it may be more for money than for prayer.) I get only a fraction of literature in comparison promoting the spread of the gospel! Are Kings and Rulers in the hand of God or not? Do we find anything in the N.T. to suggest that Herod or Nero should be ’lobbied’ to change their objections to and persecution of believers and bring in “christian” laws? Only the briefest mention is made about it – and that concerned prayer for our rulers. (Luke 21:12 1 Tim 2:1,2 – also Jesus declared “My kingdom is not of this world.” ) What we do read (Phil 4:22) is that the gospel gained an entrance into Caesar’s household. It is the Gospel that changes men from within, not by laws from without, and these men in turn affect the society amongst whom they live, provided they are not subsumed by its wordly culture. Beasley-Murray’s postscipt too is perceptive, but the years between when it was written (1966) and the present day show little has been accepted or advanced since then. (The whole period of my ministry.) Today, the “reformed constituency” is still dominated by the “Magisterial Reformation” and fearful of anything that may question its position. How sad it is that many Baptists, of all Christians, should have been so compromised! Enough said! I did not mean to prattle on, but the subject is very close to my heart. P.S. If you can get or borrow a copy, read “The Radical Reformation” by George.H.Williams.
