Mere Christendom

by Douglas Wilson

Evangelical elites tell us that Christian nationalism and theocracy are grave dangers to our Christian witness and the "neutral public square." But the real danger is secularism itself. In *Mere Christendom*, Douglas Wilson takes aim at the fundamental assumption of secularism: the idea that government can be morally and religiously neutral, extending tolerance to everyone and persecuting no one. Every nation has its religion, and the only question is whether we have a good nation that rewards the righteousness or a wicked one that punishes it. This book is not a call to put pastors in the White House. Instead, it is a scriptural case for taking your private faith and bringing it into the public square.

Genres: Theology, Politics, Cultural, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian Living

280 pages, Hardcover

Published May 30, 2023

About the author

I write in order to make the little voices in my head go away. Thus far it hasn't worked.

Reviews

[Jeremy]

Box available here.

CrossPolitic interview here. Babylon Bee Podcast interview here.

Baptist review here, with Doug's response here (don't miss the joke about the font). Followup post, plus a followup response.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an important book as it is a capstone in what Wilson has been building for years. The book is mostly a compilation of things he's already written, or spoken. So there's not a lot of new material in the book, though there is certainly some.

For those new to Wilson, the book will be very valuable. For those like myself, who have been reading his blog and books for years, there isn't as much in this volume as you likely hoped for.

[Aden Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

As is the case with many of Wilson’s books, this volume (purely from a literary standpoint) is a joy to read. Witty, argumentative, convincing, and convicting Mere Christendom is worth your time if interested in the Christian Nationalism conversation.

Concerns about the gospel becoming a lost motive with this movement were at least quieted on Wilson’s part. The substitutionary life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and the proclamation thereof, is undoubtedly the driving force of the book (see specifically Ch. 17).

However, there are a few disappointing elements of Mere Christendom. Firstly, the volume is a compilation of Wilson’s other writings. For such a hot topic which needs clear definition, I hoped Wilson would have taken time to clear the murky waters with fresh words. Consequently, a few paragraphs struggle to build on each other in this reader’s mind. Secondly, the author bases the premise of this book on an (at least presently) uncommon interpretation of Matthew 28:19. Though the book claims one does not need to adopt Post-Millennial eschatology to labor for Mere Christendom, Post-Millennial arguments appear to be his main motivation and assurance for this project’s success. Lastly, this book would have benefitted from more historical examples as well as sources who argue for the same principles. I would like to know, have Christians in the past thought this way about government?


Side note: Carl F. H. Henry’s book The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism is a helpful companion for those who desire to labor for a totalizing apostolic understanding of the gospel without a Post-Mill eschatology.

[Tyler Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is excellent and very compelling. Personally, I don’t understand how Christians can read this and be so against it. They’ve been conditioned by the culture.

Sometimes Doug hinders himself by making points that go over your head. Everyone says this of Doug though. Regardless, Wilson is an amazing writer and spells his main points out so legibly that you can’t not know what he’s saying.

I only wish it was longer. I felt there were plenty of points where he could’ve expanded on this work. I guess that’s Stephen Wolfe’s job in some way…

“Secularism is simply not capable of sustaining limited govern-ment. It cannot be done, and this is a problem. Because men are sinners, they require governance. Because men are sinners, they cannot be trusted with governance. Limited government is therefore the first and foundational problem to be solved in any exercise of practical theology. That said, it is a problem that cannot be solved apart from the widespread dissemination of the gospel among the people.” (Page unknown from my photo)

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't entirely get my head around these Big Topics, and I tend to get a bit anxious about them, but then Doug always brings things back around to the gospel, and my heart returns to a calmer rhythm. His cheerful expectation of a black swan revival gives me hope. And I'm always reminded that my duty lies in my duty, not in sorting out the Big Topics, or perhaps that my duty IS the Big Topic in my small world, though it only looks like a couple of copper pennies to the big world.

[Ben Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you find yourself wondering, as I did, where the goal-posts are for that sect of Christians out in Idaho who have raised eyebrows over the past few months---I commend this book to you. Amidst all the hub-bub of "christian nationalism" and accusatory fingers pointed this way and that across both sides of these discussions, Wilson brings straightforward clarity to his position.

In a nutshell, Wilson walks through the testimony of world history and Biblical statutes and reveals the deeply Christian underpinnings to the majority of "western" society as we know it today. He then calls for a greater alignment to the statues of God's Word within society and governance, specifically for Christians---who after all claim to hold Jesus as Lord of their life. He concludes with a glorious reminder of why Christians can live in confidence and joy amidst a world of brokenness and corruption, namely, the gospel of Jesus Christ as power unto salvation.

I found this book clarifying when it comes to understanding this area of Christian thought, and convicting as the Bible was applied into areas of my life I have allowed to grow cold and passive.

[Travis Robnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with Wilson’s overall thesis that we should abandon secularism and confess Christ. Essentially, if there is no god above the state, the state becomes god, so every government is a theocracy. It’s not whether we serve a god, but which god we serve. I also think his project benefited from being broader and less “nationalist” than other Christian Nationalism projects. He also distanced himself from MAGA Republicanism and Reconstruction theonomy.

I was disappointed in the book for a few reasons. It was a collection of edited blog posts, so it lacked coherent unity. It did not engage extensively with other sources or include in-depth Scriptural analysis. At times, Wilson argued for a specific type of theocracy, a theocratic libertarianism. Since this is not essential for “mere Christendom,” I thought these arguments dulled his main thesis.

[Joshua Schwisow · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of food for thought here and Wilson makes many excellent points and details the bankruptcy of secularism. I am thankful that throughout Wilson keeps the gospel front and center as the solution to our cultural maladies.

There is a lot of straightforward biblical clarity in contrast with the two kingdom proponents that really struggle to reconcile their views with Scripture.

Sometimes I think Wilson may become overly creative in his writing which at points gets in the way of his message. At other times that creative way of saying things drives a point home with clarity and force.

The book is also rather scattered in its structure since its origins was as a series of blog articles.

Additionally, the implementation of Wilson’s view of Christendom really hinge on a particular eschatology, which some readers will not agree with.

[Caleb M. Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal. Only a few minor quibbles here and there.

[Kyle Grindberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

[Logan Thune · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, but it may not have fully lived up to the hype. Empires of Dirt is still my preferred book for Doug’s political theology, though there were still some really good nuggets scattered here (e.g., chapter 17).

[Timothy Benefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be best summarized in the command to preach the Gospel to every nation. Wilson's basic point is that the Gospel should influence all areas of life, including government. Beyond that, most of the book is concerned with the political theory of how this should play out. A great read if you like political theory, but a dry read if you don't. For a treatment of this topic that is not post-millennialist, check out God's War: Why Christians Should Rule the World!: The Case For Christian Involvement In Every Sphere of Civil and Social Life.

[Aaron Charles · Rating 1 out of 5]

Doug Wilson includes the truth of the gospel in these pages. Unfortunately, he dilutes it with the rantings and ravings of grievances run amok. He makes his opinions known forcefully, yet he never fully considers how one might argue against him. Those arguments are only ever presented as straw men for his singleminded attack.

When he calls 1958 America “a truly open and free society” the reader will understand that he - as with so many domineering opinion holders of his ilk - has no real interest in thoughtful discussion or debate.

There is nothing “mere” about his tactics. As a devoted Christian myself, I think there is a better way to follow the teachings of Christ and disciple the nations. Meekness still has a place - as it always will.

[Caleb Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely worth the read. Main complaint is the choppy style due to splicing articles together as a “book”. Often repeated things or didn’t wrap up ideas fully. That being said, there is much to be learned in here, most notably what the heck a “poofter queen” is and why they’re trying to teach Matthew 5. Now we just need someone to write a Mere Christendom 2.0 so we don’t repeat the errors of the first.

[Joshua Bremerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not nearly as radical as Wilson-commentators want it to be, to be quite honest. I am not fully convinced of the "not whether-but which" logic in all cases to which he applies it, but overall, I found this to be a helpful intro to Christianity and politics. If the majority of a nation became Christian, many of the principles in this book would actually be helpful. The ordering is the problem. Trying to win the government before the people would only enable the Great Blasphemer (i.e. the state), a point which Wilson agrees to in actuality.

[Kaleb Blizzard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find this book concerning. Although I fundamentally agree with the thrust of Dr. Wilson's argument (principally, that all political organization should fundamentally be based on Christian theological considerations), I don't think Dr. Wilson's Mere Christendom will be particularly convincing to those who aren't already halfway bought into his political theology. For that reason, I would argue that most people --- with perhaps a few outlying exceptions --- should not read this book.

Mere Christendom can be separated into 3 basic parts in my view (this isn't exactly how Dr. Wilson outlines it, but readers who are familiar with the text will likely agree with my perspective). The first part --- and the one that sits at the core of the book's theological implications --- is Dr. Wilson's argument that there is no "neutral" ground in political organization. In other words, political organization is fundamentally Christian, non-Christian religious (pagan as he calls it), or secular in its various instantiations. Even further, Dr. Wilson contends that political organization should be explicitly Christian, even though it could potentially take any of these various forms.

The second part of this book has to do with how Dr. Wilson believes a Christian polity should be constitued if it were to be biblically defensible. This is where he dives into his idea of "theocratic libertarianism" (a name originally attributed to his ideology by other people). Most of the sections dedicated to this topic are reserved to discussions of regulatory and tax issues, although he does make mention of a few social issues (most notably abortion and gay marriage). His vision is essentially one of a society with a great deal of economic liberty, or "free men create free markets" as he puts it, but also one in which a lot of the conventional social liberties in modern liberalism are restricted under the charge that they violate biblical precepts.

Finally, Dr. Wilson's last chapter is dedicated to how he wants this all to happen. There's not much to explain here, but I think it essentially can be summed up in Jesus's command for his followers to "disciple the nations". He believes preaching to the constituencies of various countries will inevitably cause them to implement this form of government, as the cultural and religious tide coming out of the resurgence of Christianity will essentially be too strong for those who argue for the status quo to defend against.

My problem with Dr. Wilson Mere Christendom isn't that I disagree with him, even though I do disagree with him on a great deal. My problem instead lies with the way he uses biblical quotations to defend his political theology. His exegesis --- with a few exceptions mostly found in the latter third of the book --- is often poorly explained and seemingly done on an ad hoc basis. I'm not denying that Dr. Wilson hasn't done proper exegesis on the scriptures he presents (only he would know if he had given them proper consideration), only that he doesn't often explain why he thinks the scriptures he cites mean the things he thinks they mean. I'm completely supportive of using scriptural citations in political theology, but it needs to be done in a way that isn't simply going to convince those who are already convinced.

Additionally, I found Dr. Wilson's lack of consideration for counterarguments disappointing. Although a theoretically perfect argument doesn't need rebuttals for counterarguments, Dr. Wilson's argument is not perfect or perfectly explained. I think a few sections on important counterarguments for secular people or so-called "political pluralist" Christians could do a lot to put the book's argument into serious contention.

At the end of the day, this book will give readers a brief, mildly engaging intellectual encounter with the ideas behind the general Christian theonomist movement. Is it persuasive? I would doubt many who have read it would say so. But it makes for a light introduction to some relevant ideas in contemporary political theology, and if that's what you want, then go for it.

[Zack Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic gathering together of Doug’s articles on this topic and turning those into a cohesive book. A must read for those seeking to see God’s kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read. SDG!

[William Schrecengost · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of his big posts selected and compiled by his grandson Knox and then edited together by Doug. All a lot of what he’s already talked about elsewhere. Generally agreed with it.

Regarding Christian Nationalism, Doug sees it as the “Medium” option of the available government sizes. You can choose Small (Tribalism) or Large (Globalism) if you’d prefer, but Medium is best. In one of his videos he claims to get this from Yoram Hazony, while I haven’t yet read Hazony’s book specifically on Nationalism, I do know that Hazony doesn’t define Nationalism as a government size option in his book Conservatism. Hazony takes what seems to be the majority view that “Nationalism” is the political theory of a specific culture of people ruling over themselves and seeking their own good. That’s all fine and dandy until we see how it’s worked out. Nationalists seek “nation first” and it’s a necessarily self-centered and selfish political theory. Because of this self-centeredness, nationalism tends to view others with disdain and seeks to only use others to their advantage. “Oh, but that’s just nationalism. Christian Nationalism will avoid those failings because it will be tempered by the gospel.” Oh will it? Stephen Wolfe wrote his “case” defending these same distinctives of nationalism.
Doug’s wholehearted acceptance of the term “Christian Nationalism” coupled with his apparent lack of research into the theory has been massively disappointing. Especially when, in this book, he gets to discussing the need for pastors to be good generalists and do their research on things like economics so that they can give good advice to their congregants. Doug has “studied economics for the past 40years” so he “knows his stuff”.

[Drake · Rating 3 out of 5]

*deep breath* Ok, here we go.

Two caveats: First, this is a Goodreads review, not a journal article or blog post, so I'll be addressing broad elements instead of getting into specifics. Second, I listened to this book on audio, so I am going off the assumption that the criticisms I have aren't directly addressed in the footnotes. If they are, feel free to leave a comment letting me know and I will correct any statement on my end that isn't accurate.

Pros:

Wilson is at his best when exposing the false neutrality of our secular culture as nothing more than enforced paganism. He rightly argues that no government is truly "neutral" on issues of worldview and morality; and the current decadence of our culture stems from a legislated worldview that calls evil "good" and good "evil." In light of ongoing gaslighting efforts by many (including, sadly, some evangelical leaders), Wilson's blunt assessment of the state of the nation is as refreshing as it is devastating.

But what of his actual positive vision for a Christian nation? To be honest, I found it the most appealing form of "Christian Nationalism" that I've come across so far. Contrary to some forms of CN I've read, Wilson's form of CN calls for a distinctly downsized government, one that isn't nearly as bloated or has its fingers in as many pies as our current system. He firmly believes that a biblical form of government would be a republic run by Christians whose only required doctrinal commitment would be to the Apostles Creed and who would severely restrict the role of government to keep within the bounds of what God has authorized government to do. This means that there would be widespread religious liberty at both the denominational and non-Christian levels; no blasphemy laws (at least, nothing akin to what was legislated in the OT); no state church; private property would be honored; and no unnecessarily burdensome regulations, taxation, or government projects. I was surprised at how much of Wilson's views on these individual topics I found myself agreeing with him on.

Two other pros are worth mentioning. First, Wilson's use of imagery is masterful and memorable (if a bit excessive at times; see below). Second, his choice to end the book with a straightforward gospel presentation was wonderful.

Cons:

The main issue when it comes to Wilson's book is that it fails to offer any tightly-argued Scriptural basis for its vision of a new Christendom. He does offer biblical support for many of the topics mentioned above–some of which are more convincing than others–but he doesn't take the time to lay out a biblical/theological framework for the nature and role of government itself. There is virtually no exegetical argument for determining what belongs in the category of "things that are Caesar's" (Matt 22:21) or which "good" and "evil" fall directly under the government's purview (Rom 13:1-7). Wilson himself is mostly clear on what kinds of things he thinks should or shouldn't be the government's concern. But without a clear biblical basis, his conclusions feel somewhat arbitrary.

Which leads to my next concern: Wilson's entire vision seems to be based on (1) his postmil confidence (which he doesn't take the time to make a strong case for) that the seats of power in the nation will inevitably be occupied by Christians someday, and (2) that those same Christian leaders will adopt exactly all the same conclusions that Wilson does about the limitations of government. I'm not postmil, so I don't share his confidence in (1). As for (2), while I largely share Wilson's views on limited government, I also don't think those views are necessarily obvious from Scripture. They need to be argued for, and that being the case, I have no confidence that even well-meaning Christians who share a common adherence to the Apostles Creed will inevitably reach the same conclusions. So there doesn't seem to be any formal structure or principle in place to prevent said Christians from deciding to abuse their power to snuff out all false teaching and persecute genuine believers in the process–which, as we know, was an actual reality under some previous forms of Christendom. To be fair, Wilson acknowledges the problem, and he himself argues against this kind of government coercion in religious/doctrinal matters. But I don't see anything in his system that would prevent that kind of overreach from happening.

Finally, I do want to make a brief comment about Wilson's rhetoric. I actually don't typically find his level of snark problematic. I do think it's appropriate to take well-aimed jabs at harmful ideas as well as those promoting them (see: OT prophets, the apostle Paul, and Jesus). That said, his sarcasm and satirical remarks in this book feel a bit over-the-top and even crass at times. There doesn't seem to be any genuine attempt to persuade those who disagree with him. Which would explain where I landed with this book: the parts I liked were the parts I was already sympathetic with him on, and the parts I disagreed with were the same topics I expected to disagree with him on when I began the book. So while he gave me new concepts and ideas to ponder, he didn't radically change my opinion on anything in particular.

Conclusion:

So in the end, I think Wilson's critique of secular culture is spot-on and his vision for a Christian state is admirable. But without a compelling biblical case for it, Wilson's picture of a Christian society feels more like an unrealistic utopia than an achievable state of affairs prior to Christ's return.

[Kellie Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few of my thoughts while reading this absolute magnificent work of literature...
An excellent use of the cross of Saint George if I may say so...
"What the heck occureth" might be my new favorite phrase.
If I grow up to be half the intellectual, snarkastic, wordsmith Doug Wilson is then I can die happy.
Annnndddd my favorite quote:
"One of the reasons why Christians are so discouraged by the turn events have taken is that they have not been steeped in the right kind of stories. Smaug is great, but Bard has one arrow left."

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mainly older blog posts, strung together. Negatively this means those who read his blog regularly have heard all this before; but positively, reding it all in one book helps capture the vison and many of the connecting arguments. I would have loved a systematic treatment, but this was hugely entertaining and even helpful.

I agree with a good 95% of what he says, and find much convincing. It is also workable. I thought he was a bit confusing on blasphemy laws, and didn't establish a solid case, but that certainly doesn't damage the overall vision for a renewed Christendom.

Liked it a lot.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this book. It’s a collection of things I’ve heard previously from Doug in many other places, but I appreciate his witty, logical, and biblical approach to his argumentation.

Chapter 18 was a spectacle of Christian non-fiction. I would return to read that again and again.

Overall, great book on the reasons for and the basic strategies behind a Christian’s laboring toward a return to Christendom. Or, as Doug puts its, many Christendoms, thereby a mere Christendom.

[Jesus Salgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I write a review for a Doug Wilson book, I find myself saying, "Doug does it again." With that being said, he really did it again. If you are an active reader of Doug Wilson, as I am, you will notice that what is written in this book is nothing new; he has expressed similar ideas in many other places. So, why the book? To my best guess, why not? We are living in a time where debates about the new Christian nation are constant, so why not present your ideas where everyone can see them and understand what you envision in this hypothetical Christian nation (hoping it becomes more than hypothetical)? All that said, this book is good because it's not difficult to understand, nor is it challenging to pursue. Doug is a simplistic and reasonable man in how he comprehends how we ought to live and strive for the next Christendom, and this book reflects that.

[BL · Rating 1 out of 5]

Excellent resource for those wanting even more reasons to reject, and in this case, mock Christianity.

One of my favorite passages: "The observer would go on to point out that such open behavior [referring to parade floats in San Francisco] would not fly in the totalitarian hellhole that we call North Korea and Q.E.D., but they fail to note that such frank displays of deranged yearnings would not have flown in 1958 America, which was a truly open and free society."

Ah yes, the good old truly open and free days of segregation and Black disenfranchisement. Garbage.

[Luke Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only four stars because most of what was written is nothing new from his blogs. So if you haven't read those, then read this. If you have indeed read those, I'm not sure this will be worth the time.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started off slow and not easy to follow where he's going. It came together as usual towards the end. It's very benign and the hatred of it, Wilson, and the "Moscow Mood" is purely derangement. So if you don't want to read it you might ask, How do we get a Christendom 2.0? His critics will tell you he says by force, by a theocracy, a Christian prince, or some sort of protestant led holocaust. (after finishing it I'm no longer going to take anyone's word or article pertaining to what Doug "says" as anything other than a grain of salt.) For a book on "Christian nationalism" so to speak, this one as I said is benign and biblical. Back to my question, how do we get Christendom 2.0? Well Doug paints a wild picture and suggests that through loving your neighbor, preaching the word, the law, Christ crucified, Christ resurrected we will see a renewal/revival. But we must "go" as Christ commanded and do so outside of church service on a Sunday morning, and actually be Christians in all aspects of life, not just once a week. Read it for yourself, it's worth it. I see why it's "controversial" to those who think Christ is Lord over all but with caveats as to what, where, and when and think "all of Christ, for all of life, but only on Sunday and during my devotional time".

[Jack W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of short essays on the nature of Christian governance from the perspective of a paleo-libertarian pastor. Channels a lot of Leithart and Rushdoony. I found his emphasis on the necessity of orthodox Christianity for the soul of the nation very helpful and illuminating.

--
Longer Review:

Douglas Wilson is a prolific author and popularizer of ideas. Himself holding only a M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Idaho, his emergence and late popularity within evangelicalism come long after most platformed men of his vintage have come and gone, either with retirement, death, scandal, or exhaustion. Wilson is unique among other reasons for his unassuming voice and relative obscurity: he is a decent but not excellent speaker, and his congregation until just recently never had a thousand members. He has rarely been present at the heavy hitting conferences, and he’s not close friends with most of the rest of the Reformed Evangelical circuit. Even so, since early 2020 his work has experienced an explosion, as his church members have been arrested for singing Psalms in defiance of COVID policies (retweeted by President Trump), his media influence has mushroomed through Canon+ and appearances on Tucker Carlson and other major news networks, and his name has been honored by his grandson’s prominent and singular resistance to a pro-Palestinian mob at Columbia in New York City.

One of Wilson’s most recent books in particular, Mere Christendom, has had a particularly wide footprint. If a certain number of people pre-ordered the book within a zipcode, Canon Press, the publishing house, would pay for large billboard saying “Christ is Lord,” promoting a sleek Mere Christendom landing page, christislord.com, with the free ebook emailed to your address. I observed with some schadenfreude one such billboard at Christmas towering over the downtown Richmond LGBTQ+ community center on I-95 South. It was the first of over a dozen such Christian-themed billboards I passed on my trip to south Georgia, but it was one of the most striking, juxtaposing Christ’s reign in heaven and earth against a progressive downtown whereas the others begged rural and trucking demographics to reflect upon John 3:16 and their eternal destiny.

In that double-distinction between southern, Christian billboards and between the message above and the aforementioned lifestyle beneath the one lies the interesting nature of Wilson’s approach to apologetics in his idea of Christian society. Whereas Wilson’s polemics have long appealed to a certain type of Reformed Baptist and southern Presbyterian, this book appears to be written for a less theologically informed audience, though not a less educated one; college educated readers in cities and suburbs more than his deep red constituency. While peppered with inside jokes, on the whole it is fairly decontextualized of evangelical jargon, though it maintains a familiarity with prominent writers and thinkers of the last several centuries. A second reason for thinking this was his inclusion of a chapter on the “Jesus mob,” addressed to “languishing” souls under weak or indecisive pastors, in which he explained and defended (to some extent) the existence of mobs pushing for the right(ish) things in the wrong ways. The pastors who have been under the most heat from Wilson’s corner for being milquetoast have largely been suburban and urban church planters, not rural pastorates. Add to this that over three quarters of those arrested for protesting at the capitol on January 6 were from urban and suburban left-leaning environments, and it seems clear that he is addressing the well-dressed mob in question, and telling them to submit, not just admire, Jesus, and to change their tactics (the final chapters of the book are a how-to manual).

While Wilson’s Mere Christendom is ostensibly a response to critics on Christian Nationalism (and it was widely advertised a sort of clean-up job on Christian Nationalism), and it has no doubt been such a discussed and reviewed book for that reason, though notably the term “Christian Nationalism” only appears in one of the book’s 19 chapters, while “christendom” occurs 57 times in the body text, including in almost every chapter. This lopsided use of nationalism and christendom would suggest that the United States is really secondary to the goal of the book, but what comes to the fore is that while Wilson uses “nationalism” polemically, he does not actually adhere to it as doctrine for life nearly so much as he does a pale-ale theonomy by way of constitutional federalism. In fact, many if not most of his limiting principles on Christian governance have a distinctly paleo-libertarian streak. Free speech, anti-surveillance, and free markets are sacrosanct in Wilson’s Mere Christendom, while immigration, foreign policy, transgenderism, and education barely receive a passing word. His apparent dislike for coercion is quite surprising. Perhaps it is because he mentions so few of the cutting edge debates of our day (or more charitably, because he sees these problems as outgrowths of more fundamental problems) that he seems far more agreeable to the average reader than might be suggested by either his striking billboards or his enemy’s condemnations.

Completing his geriatric ascendency to respected elder pastor, Wilson in Mere Christendom strikes the Christian reader as eminently practical, refreshingly normal, even. Postmillennialism and paedocommunion hardly appear, and while Rushdoony’s name is mentioned, he is cited primarily for his presuppositionalism, not his eccentricities. Theonomy is defined in a way Gary North barely would have recognized. Jesus is repeatedly given as the only ultimate solution during political crises, and personal worship of him is what is repeatedly required of the reader. For the nonChristian but conservative reader, Wilson repeatedly offers to them worship of Jesus and repentance for sin as the only solution. For the nonChristian and progressive reader, Wilson repeatedly offers to them worship of Jesus and repentance for sin as the only solution. For the wayward Evangelical, the same solution. For the nation, no different. If that’s Mere Christendom, we may be far nearer the kingdom than either we or Wilson realize.

[Thaddeus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good and enjoyable read. Especially as I've growth to appreciate Wilson's writing style. (However, his style is an acquired taste) I find that sometimes I have to reread things to get what he's getting at because he's got such wit and a wide breadth of references that he pulls from in making his metaphors.

That being said, though I enjoyed the book, I don't think this would be the book I'd recommend to make a compelling case for Christian Nationalism, theonomy or a mere Christendom. If you're already convinced of any of those things, then this will be an enjoyable read that helps sharpen your thinking. However, I get the sense that reading it as a skeptic would be less compelling and there are better works that make the case more forcefully. He does engage with some objections along the way, but perhaps not as thoroughly as someone who is skeptical of the project might hope for. Instead, this book basically lays out Wilson's vision of what a mere Christendom might look like and why that may be a good and altogether not totally unreasonable thing.

This is not to say that the book is not worth the read. His vision of a mere Christendom is worth consideration. Wilson has a way with words and turning a phrase and his wit and unique insights are helpful food for thought. Though I don't always land exactly where he does, he's always been a good thinking companion to challenge me and this work is no exception. I just think it's not meant to be an apologetic, per se.

Overall, I think it's a good read for the right person.

[Bryan Hieser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this entertaining and edifying read. This is actually a collection of writings previously published on Blog and Mablog, edited and organized (very well, I might add) by one of Pastor Wilson’s grandsons.

What I appreciate most is Pastor Wilson’s direct use and application of Scripture, rather than appeals to natural principles, resulting in a simpler book than Dr. Stephen Wolfe’s treatise. Pastor Wilson’s treatment of blasphemy laws and his articulation of the Gospel, and its relationship with the Law, are also very helpful. The tone of the book is that of realism - optimistic in its hope that the Holy Spirit will use the faithful proclamation of the Gospel to save many sinners, yet also recognizing the effects of the “enlightenment” are deep roots that cannot be excavated overnight. There is work to do, but the Kingdom, like the mustard seed, will grow to overshadow all rival kingdoms.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD. His Law is perfect, reviving the soul, making wise the simple, rejoicing the heart, enlightening the eyes, enduring forever, and righteous altogether. In keeping His commandments there is great reward.