If you’ve ever discussed “school choice,” wondered why some Christians , or puzzled over a “Taxation Is Theft” sign, you’ve encountered the legacy of Rousas John Rushdoony — one of the most influential but least-known fundamentalists of the 20th century. Rushdoony founded and shaped the Christian Reconstructionism movement for decades, articulating its principles and goals in innumerable sermons, essays, and a 900 page magnum opus he titled The Institutes of Biblical Law. In this episode, Kristin kicks off our series on Reconstructionism and its influence on American culture with a look at Rushdoony’s early history, the ideas he baked into Reconstructionism, and the breadth of its influence on other movements like education and tax policy.
Sources and Reference Material
Building God's Kingdom: Inside the World of Christian Reconstruction, by Julie Ingersoll
Christian Reconstruction: R. J. Rushdoony and American Religious Conservatism, by Michael Joseph McVicar
Survival and Resistance in Evangelical America: Christian Reconstruction in the Pacific Northwest, by Crawford Gribben
Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism, by Molly Worthen
Protestants and American Conservatism: A Short History, by Gillis J. Harp
The Evangelicals: The Struggle to Shape America, by Frances Fitzgerald
Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement, by Kathryn Joyce
“The Libertarian Theocrats: The Long, Strange History of R.J. Rushdoony and Christian Reconstructionism,” by Michael J. McVicar in The Public Eye, Fall 2017.
“Angry White Man: The bigoted past of Ron Paul,” by James Kirchick in The New Republic, 2008.
“There’s Something About Gary,” by Declan McCullagh in Wired Magazine, 1999.
“As a plague sweeps the land, zealots see a gift from heaven,” by Leah Sottile in High Country News, 2020.
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