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The World is Christ's: A Critique of Two Kingdoms Theology
The 'Two Kingdoms' controversy has become a matter of increasing scholarly debate in recent decades. However, this is one debate which is not confined to the academy.
As Willem J. Ouweneel demonstrates in The World is Christ's, behind the scholarly terms lie very practical, everyday questions, such as where to shop, whether and how to vote, and how to educate our children. The Two Kingdoms controversy is at root a question of how we ought to understand and live in a world that refuses to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.
Dr. Ouweneel details a number of historical, logical, and exegetical considerations surrounding these questions, and helps readers understand that everything we do is an act of worship--the issue is whether our worship is directed toward God or away from him.
It is through us that God wants to realize his kingdom, every day a bit further, in every domain of life, because the world is Christ's.
As Willem J. Ouweneel demonstrates in The World is Christ's, behind the scholarly terms lie very practical, everyday questions, such as where to shop, whether and how to vote, and how to educate our children. The Two Kingdoms controversy is at root a question of how we ought to understand and live in a world that refuses to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.
Dr. Ouweneel details a number of historical, logical, and exegetical considerations surrounding these questions, and helps readers understand that everything we do is an act of worship--the issue is whether our worship is directed toward God or away from him.
It is through us that God wants to realize his kingdom, every day a bit further, in every domain of life, because the world is Christ's.
422 pages, Paperback
Published August 18, 2017
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April 25, 2022Comments at WORLD: This book "thoughtfully examines a variety of theological perspectives: scholastic, natural law, two-kingdoms, sojourner, and others."
John Frame's blurb: "Willem J. Ouweneel is not well known in the English speaking world, but he is very accomplished as a philosopher and theologian. Retired now, he has three doctorates and has studied and published excellent works in historical, biblical, and systematic theology. Though he is open about his Dutchness, he writes in clear, beautiful, and cogent English prose. I am especially interested in his recent book The World is Christ's: A Critique of Two Kingdoms Theology. This book is a wonderful volume, the most thorough treatment of the two-kingdoms controversy that there is. In 400 pages, he details a huge number of historical, logical, and exegetical considerations. I think his case for a one kingdom theology is quite cogent. In any case, this book will have to be the starting point for any further discussion of the matter. I will not respect future articles and books on this subject unless they show a thorough understanding of Ouweneel's argument."
John Frame's blurb: "Willem J. Ouweneel is not well known in the English speaking world, but he is very accomplished as a philosopher and theologian. Retired now, he has three doctorates and has studied and published excellent works in historical, biblical, and systematic theology. Though he is open about his Dutchness, he writes in clear, beautiful, and cogent English prose. I am especially interested in his recent book The World is Christ's: A Critique of Two Kingdoms Theology. This book is a wonderful volume, the most thorough treatment of the two-kingdoms controversy that there is. In 400 pages, he details a huge number of historical, logical, and exegetical considerations. I think his case for a one kingdom theology is quite cogent. In any case, this book will have to be the starting point for any further discussion of the matter. I will not respect future articles and books on this subject unless they show a thorough understanding of Ouweneel's argument."
May 10, 2024
This book genuinely comprehensively demonstrates the flaw in radical 2 kingdom theology, but like Joe Boot says in the foreword I found myself not able to follwo fully where he goes.
The foundational transforming principle of structure and direction paradigm that makes so much sense of the whole biblical data and that was definitely something I had not thought of
I think that preterism and theonomy are helpful as this is where I think the book is lacking, public justice seems to be a vague concept that essentially is pluralistic. Which seems a massive contradiction of what he says. He seems to not fully press all his conclusions.
There is claims that actually if pressed fall into some of the traps that lead to Radical 2k theology.
I do recommend this book to all who wonder about some of the fundamental misconceptions that plague modern evangelicalism.
The foundational transforming principle of structure and direction paradigm that makes so much sense of the whole biblical data and that was definitely something I had not thought of
I think that preterism and theonomy are helpful as this is where I think the book is lacking, public justice seems to be a vague concept that essentially is pluralistic. Which seems a massive contradiction of what he says. He seems to not fully press all his conclusions.
There is claims that actually if pressed fall into some of the traps that lead to Radical 2k theology.
I do recommend this book to all who wonder about some of the fundamental misconceptions that plague modern evangelicalism.
January 1, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, but also feel quite conflicted about it. I was hoping it would be a slam dunk argument against R2K theology (which I agree is in error), and it was definitely a very good refutation of it in many commendable ways! However, at various points I believe the author to be inconsistent.
For me, without getting into too many details which would require a longer review than I'm presently willing to write, it comes down to the fact that Ouweneel is not theonomic in his thought that then leads to some obvious inconsistencies in his applications. He was quite the enigmatic theologian in many regards for me - since at various points takes issue with Reformed Theology, certain reformed confessions, etc and sometimes seems to misunderstand some positions (e.g. theonomy) which he distances his own position from, yet argues similarly (though inconsistently).
All in all, it was a worthwhile book to read and Ouweneel gives a lot of great food for thought. He is clearly a deep thinker with a lot of biblical insight and brings a perspective that's worth considering. It's not a book to read uncritically (as none are) and will challenge you - but I tend to like that. However, due to the inconsistencies in the book I can't give it a wholehearted recommendation or 5 stars. I think it's worth a read for those already familiar with the topic and the debate surrounding it since you'll have the awareness to pick up on some of the weak points of Ouweneel's argument. But this would not be the book I'd give out to someone wrestling with the issue of R2K theology for the first time. I really wished that this would be that type of book - the definitive book against Reformed 2 Kingdoms Theology... But alas, in my humble opinion, while it's a worthwhile read for some, it is not that book.
For me, without getting into too many details which would require a longer review than I'm presently willing to write, it comes down to the fact that Ouweneel is not theonomic in his thought that then leads to some obvious inconsistencies in his applications. He was quite the enigmatic theologian in many regards for me - since at various points takes issue with Reformed Theology, certain reformed confessions, etc and sometimes seems to misunderstand some positions (e.g. theonomy) which he distances his own position from, yet argues similarly (though inconsistently).
All in all, it was a worthwhile book to read and Ouweneel gives a lot of great food for thought. He is clearly a deep thinker with a lot of biblical insight and brings a perspective that's worth considering. It's not a book to read uncritically (as none are) and will challenge you - but I tend to like that. However, due to the inconsistencies in the book I can't give it a wholehearted recommendation or 5 stars. I think it's worth a read for those already familiar with the topic and the debate surrounding it since you'll have the awareness to pick up on some of the weak points of Ouweneel's argument. But this would not be the book I'd give out to someone wrestling with the issue of R2K theology for the first time. I really wished that this would be that type of book - the definitive book against Reformed 2 Kingdoms Theology... But alas, in my humble opinion, while it's a worthwhile read for some, it is not that book.
August 20, 2023
The book is best understood as an intermural debate between two types of post-Kyperianism. Ouweneel is a Dooyeweerdian (suprarational and all) and approaches everything in terms of seeing Dooyeweerd's scholastic ground-motive at work. He takes on the Radical Two-Kingdom people in terms of their seeing the whole world outside a narrow Christian sphere as operating under Kuyper's third covenant, the Common Covenant. There are lots of good ad hoc observations about the Two Kingdom twists and turns, but when Ouweneel does any other type of analysis it is all on the basis of Dooyeweerdian speculation.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews