The Reduction of Christianity: A Biblical Response to Dave Hunt

by Gary DeMar, Peter J. Leithart

Published November 19th 2012 by Christian Liberty Press (first published 1988)

Genres: Christianity, Theology

403 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Gary is a graduate of Western Michigan University (1973) and earned his M.Div. at Reformed Theological Seminary in 1979. In 2007, he earned his Ph.D. in Christian Intellectual History from Whitefield Theological Seminary. Author of countless essays, news articles, and more than 27 book titles, he also hosts The Gary DeMar Show, and History Unwrapped—both broadcasted and podcasted. Gary has lived in the Atlanta area since 1979 with his wife, Carol. They have two married sons and are enjoying being grandparents to their grandson. Gary and Carol are members of Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA).

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the plus side of good.

[Etienne OMNES · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reduction of Christianity est un livre écrit par Gary DeMar et Peter Leithart pour répondre à des critiques adressées aux reconstructionnistes (ou dominionistes comme on dit aussi en français) par Dave Hunt, un théologien dispensationnaliste.

Le livre poursuite deux objectifs: 1. Donner des définitions précises des notions reconstructionnistes et 2. Défendre rapidement le postmillénarisme. L'ordre des chapitres est un peu mystérieux pour moi, mais les deux objectifs sont bien atteints. Il est même si bien atteint que la critique initiale est en fait obsolète aujourd'hui.

Le livre est plutôt de niveau populaire: il n'est pas trop technique, et il est écrit avec plus de grâce que de coutume pour les reconstructionnistes. Il a l'immense mérite de poser les définitions des concepts qu'ils utilisent et pour cette raison je le recommande comme introduction au reconstructionnisme. Ce n'est peut-être la plus grande oeuvre de cette école, ni la plus dense, mais il est vraiment bien pour démystifier le reconstructionnisme, et surtout obtenir enfin leurs définitions.
De même, ce livre est idéal pour comprendre les différences entre le reconstructionnisme et l'approche dispensationnaliste qui existe encore aujourd'hui dans l'église évangélique.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dismantling Dave Hunt is akin to a Transgender man playing woman sports. Simply an unfair advantage. Hunt admittedly has the uphill battle of trying to sell an earthworm a pair of knitted mittens. His understanding of dispensational Premillennialism really prevents the whole of scripture and has led to the pessimistic version of Christianity that so many people think is normal now. Both DeMar and Leithart systematically pummeled Hunt, which again is like pushing someone out of their wheelchair, and if it wasn't so needed, you would almost feel sorry for him. Hunt's theology reduced Christianity to a crutch. Scratch that - a broken and splintered crutch that is about to give way any second. I know far too many people who echo Hunt's ideas about cultural engagement (none), eschatology (it's all gonna burn), the triumph of the Gospel (where triumph = failure), and the role of government in the lives of the people (tyrannical). Anything Hunt wrote should have immediately been round filed into the waste receptacle.

[Jesus Salgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Gary Paulson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduced me to reformed theology 20 plus years ago

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my early exposures to the fact that the Reformed Faith is Catholic.

[Pronomian Zoomer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1988, The Reduction of Christianity by Gary DeMar and Peter Leithart “is a response particularly to two books written by cult watcher Dave Hunt” (p. 1). The next sentence in the book then lists Hal Lindsey, Jimmy Swaggart, and David Wilkerson as people whose accusations against Christian Reconstruction would be addressed. The names of these four people have basically been forgotten by most Christians alive today. However, much of the material in this book is still relevant as things that every Christian should read and at least consider.

The first half of The Reduction of Christianity is primarily devoted to promoting postmillennialism and debunking at the time common myths about dominion theology. While there are many important theological arguments contained in this section, it is the second half of the book that, in my opinion, is the more culturally relevant part. This is because its main focus is on optimism, a trait many churches are sorely lacking in. DeMar and Leithart point out that the main reason humanists are taking over Western culture is that mainstream Christianity “refuses even to try [stopping them], believing that it cannot be done” (p. 122). The Reduction of Christianity thus encourages its readers to abandon defeatism and instead work to “turn people to the Bible as the blueprint by which we can build a Christian civilization” (p. 332). It also features an amazing list of recommended books for those who wish to delve more into Christian Reconstruction (pp. 364-77).

The Reduction of Christianity is a great work that is essential reading for any Christian who wants to improve the culture around him/her. I highly recommend this well thought out, phenomenal book.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is best viewed as two books in one. The first part of the book is a response to Dave Hunt who alleged that Christian Reconstructionists are a kind of New Age movement within the church. It is rather an absurd charge, and DeMar and Leithart demolish the idea. This portion of the book is hardly worth the bother to read any more.

The second half of the book, however, is quite good. The discussion of the Kingdom of God is great stuff and makes the book (the second half anyway) worth reading.

Reading these books on Christian Reconstruction from the 1980's gets a bit redundant as the writers are constantly writing against their dispensational critics. Dispensationalism is, at least from my vantage point a dying theology. So reading about it gets tedious.

There are some good ideas in the book, but it was geared so heavily for defending itself against what is now an obsolete theological critique that it is hard to endorse reading it.

[Adam Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book years ago. It was more impactful to me then than now. I went through it again for Leithart's parts on the kingdom. DeMar is DeMar and always has. It was more interesting to read an early book by Leithart. His chapters on the Kingdom are the best in the book. The rest of the book is dated and quaint, dealing with Communism, the New Age movement and Dispensationalism. Perhaps it is that I have changed enough that it doesn't hold my attention as it once did, but there are only three or four chapters that are relevant anymore. And the whole idea that Dave Hunt is popular enough or worthy of response is quite charitable - like saying John Robbins or R. Scott Clark are big movers-and-shakers. Evangelicalism has shifted away from Dispensationalism. There are new errors, but new good also.

[Zach de Walsingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half of the book was fairly dated. The second half, especially Leitharts chapters on the Kingdom, were pretty decent.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful book

[Binoy Chacko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant defense of postmillennialism..against retreatist rapture ready posistion

[Jason Garwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long but excitingly thorough.