Hoedemaker did not win the day with his theocratic principles, as Reuben Alvarado demonstrates in his 1992 lecture at the BH Conference. Hoedemaker stood firmly against Abraham Kuyper’s political pluralism. Even though Kuyper has been immensely helpful in bringing a thoroughness/completeness to the application of the Lordship of Christ in all areas of life, yet he failed to argue for the thoroughness/completeness of Christ’s Lordship in the political sphere. Hoedemaker, on the other hand, understood that if “antithesis” were faithfully applied then neutrality could not exist. To use Gary North’s terminology, Kuyper held to political polytheism, while Hoedemaker was the true theocrat in the Dutch Calvinist tradition. As Alvarado concludes, the Hoedemakerites are finally addressing the inconsistencies of Kuyper.
Hey, where did you get hold of those Alvarado tapes? They aren’t included with the set.
It may interest you to know that I have in my library the following book:
Artikel XXXVI onzer Nederduitsche Geloofsbelijdenis tegenover Dr. A. Kuijper gehandhaafd (Beoordeeling van de opstellen in de “Heraut” over Kerk en Staat)
by a Dr. Ph. J. Hoedemaker.
The title, roughly translated is, Belgic Confession Art. 36 Maintained Against Dr. A. Kuyper (with regard to the articles in “The Herald” about Church and State).
If you’re good, I’ll let you drive over to Sulphur some time and look at it. =) Your blog entry makes me glad I decided to keep it instead of figuring I’ll never read it and throwing it away.
John, so pleased to hear of your move.
I think (60% sure) I got the Alvarado tapes from Randy Booth at AAPC in 2008. He was getting rid of all cassette tapes at Covenant Media and I bought it.
I very much look forward stopping by Sulphur some time.