Between The Potholes A Serendipity
By Al Cronkrite The Covenant News ~ October 22, 2007
On Thursday my wife and I drove from our home in Florida to a location Northeast of Raleigh, N. C. for a Chalcedon Conference. We returned on Sunday. The meeting convened on Friday evening and continued on Saturday morning, (the afternoon was free) and Saturday night. It featured Reverend Mark Rushdoony, Chalcedon Vice-President, Martin Selbrede, and Dr. Joseph Morecraft.
Driving to Raleigh our roadster bounced and shook over the intermittent ruts and repairs that mark Interstate 95. Three or four decades ago the United States had the best highway system in the world. The priorities of our government have changed. Revenue formerly used to build infrastructure is now used to fight foreign wars and to bring about world government.
The event was hosted by Chris Ortiz, Communications Director at Chalcedon, a peripatetic young dynamo.
Several things about this conference were noteworthy. First, wall to wall speakers were not compressed into the schedule, there was time to relax and converse with other attendees. Second, the speakers were not prone to nice sounding, meaningless, religious verbosity. Third, the demeanor of the leadership was humble and they were accessible.
Reverend Mark Rushdoony set the pace with an hour long lecture on Biblical Law. Using his father’s teaching in the Introduction to The Institutes Of Biblical Law, Mark presented a lesson that was as clear and as precious as a diamond. I eagerly await the availability of the recording.
Dr. Joe Morecraft was next with a booming sermon on the Great Commission. Dr. Joe is a quintessential preacher. Robust in voice and stature he filled the pulpit with an understandable teaching on the Reformed Faith recommending numerous reading assignments in the process. In another session he preached about Oliver Cromwell, one of his personal Christian heroes.
Martin Selbrede, a businessman with the demeanor of a college professor, provided several detailed lectures that demanded and got the attention of the audience.
There were families with babies loudly expressing their demands. But the audience was rapt, hanging on every word.
Refreshingly missing were references to spiritual gifts, wealth, healing, the second coming, Zionism, or the end times.
Refreshingly included was an outline of the actions expected of God’s Chosen people. Clearly enunciated was the mandate to bring all of creation under the dominion of the Creator. We were not left with the idea that God was going to bless us and that His blessings were without obligation. We were challenged to obey His commandments and work to secure obedience in the entire creation.
Along with those within half a days driving distance were people from Illinois, an Irishman from Ireland, a German from Germany, and a couple from California. All were equipped with the sword of the Spirit and the breastplate of righteousness which is the Law of God. It was a small army but one becoming properly equipped to fight and win a battle.
In this group these was uniform consensus concerning the evil nature of world government and the treasonous complicity of our government. Unlike our ubiquitous seeker friendly Christian churches, Chris Ortiz is refreshingly savvy about contemporary sin and willing to confront it with Godly righteousness.
There were no dramatic testimonies or maudlin confessions of sin. Reconstructionists believe Christ has paid the price for our sins and once they are confessed, repented from and restitution has been made, they need not and should not be rehashed. In “The Cure of Souls” (Buy it here.) Reverend R. J. Rushdoony wrote “The God of grace sees neither virtue nor merit in an endless mournful and misery over one’s sins. Such and attitude indicates and unawareness of forgiveness and grace. It knows Golgotha, but not the empty tomb and the joy of resurrection. The endless caterwauling of some people about their sins is not only repulsive but also sounds suspiciously like boasting.”
The meeting was held in a Baptist Church pastored by William H. Haley, a friend of Chris Ortiz. Patty and I enjoyed dinner with Pastor Bill, his wife, Fran, and their son, Christopher. A winsome couple, they were aspiring to a career in acting when he was called to the ministry. He attended some of the sessions and was constantly busy making his church suitable.
Reverend Mark Rushdoony gave the final presentation on the subject of Dualism and Obedience. Dualism is a Greek concept that man is made up of two parts, body and soul. This concept has permeated United States society and is rampant in the Christian church. Dualism generally considers the soul more righteous than the body and opens the door to an ethereal spirituality (Pietism) that disregards God’s Laws concerning behavior. Reverend Mark contends, “God made persons, individuals; he did not put ethereal spirits into bodies. These breathing creatures were whole; they were righteous and declared good.”
It was a refreshingly complete conference, imbued with the Holy Spirit and endowed with a clear plan for battling the dark forces of evil that permeate our world.
As our little roadster bounced and shuddered over the highways to Florida we thought how our deteriorated highway system mirrors our deteriorated culture. Now, however, we went with hope that the little army at Youngsville, NC might be Graced with the strength of Gideon’s 300 Israelites for whom God defeated and routed an enemy that numbered 120,000. Obedience brings God’s blessing and God’s blessing brings His invincible army, the ONLY path to victory.