[Vision2020] Fwd: arcticle on "Confederate Christianity"

[Douglas]

Visionaries,

Below is a letter from my good friend, Steve Wilkins. FYI.

Cordially,

Douglas Wilson


>Dear Friends,
>
>I was sent a copy of an article that recently appeared in your paper 
>titled "Confederate Christianity in Moscow?" Since I was mentioned in the 
>article, I thought it might be permissible to respond.
>
>I need first simply to deny outright the implications and accusations of 
>the article. Neither Doug Wilson nor I (nor George Grant) are interested 
>in reviving "Confederate Christianity" (whatever that might be) or 
>reviving the Confederacy or creating, condoning, or encouraging any other 
>kind of nationalized faith. We are all quite happy with Biblical 
>Christianity which embraces all peoples, tongues, tribes, and nations, and 
>we have all devoted our lives to defending and promoting this faith. 
>Unlike modern liberalism which condemns and excludes those who differ from 
>their accepted "orthodoxy," Biblical Christianity breaks down barriers and 
>is the sworn enemy of all self-righteousness. We will even call racists to 
>repent and welcome the penitent into our fellowship with open arms!
>
>Second, all of us have been active (and quite public) nearly all of our 
>adult lives, in our opposition to racism (racial pride, racial 
>superiority, and any other religion based upon pride in created 
>distinctions). Further, our opposition has not been merely intellectual or 
>academic but open and public (I wonder if any of the folk so upset up 
>there have ever received death threats from racists as we have). So, the 
>implication that we are racists is so far off the mark as to be delusional.
>
>Third, none of us has ever implied or stated that the Old South was 
>sinless, perfect, or innocent. We believe it to have been as corrupted by 
>original sin as the North or the West or any other section of the country. 
>None of us has ever implied or stated that the institution of slavery as 
>it existed in this country (whether North or South) was sinless or right. 
>Indeed, we have been careful to point out specifically where it was wrong 
>and have declared that it was (and is still) indefensible.
>
>We do confess that we are deeply grieved over the self-righteousness and 
>arrogance that seems to have pervaded our country in this century. And we 
>are especially distressed over the intolerance, naivete, and gullibility 
>demonstrated by those who profess to be the champions of tolerance and reason.
>
>So, all three of us have been brought to agree with the Apostle Paul that 
>all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and, in 
>spite of protestations to the contrary, even Northerners and Westerners, 
>educators and politicians, newspaper reporters and editors, stand with the 
>rest of us in desperate need of the grace of God.
>
>Sincerely,
>Steve Wilkins