Editing Theonomy (section)

{{Short description|Christian form of government in which society is ruled by divine law}}
{{About|biblical law within Christian reconstructionism|the Christian theo-political movement|Christian reconstructionism|the meta-ethical theory|divine command theory}}
{{Third-party|date=August 2013}}
{{Basic Forms of government}}

'''Theonomy''' (from [[Greek language|Greek]] ''theos'' "God" and ''nomos'' "law") is a hypothetical [[Christianity|Christian]] form of government in which [[divine law]] governs societies.<ref name="Jones2013">{{cite book|last=Jones|first=David W.|title=An Introduction to Biblical Ethics|date=1 November 2013|publisher=B&H Publishing Group|language=en|isbn=9781433680779|page=209}}</ref> Theonomists hold that societies should observe divine law, particularly the [[Old Testament]]’s judicial laws.<ref>{{cite book|title=New Religious Movements and Religious Liberty in America|last=English|first=Adam C.|chapter=Christian Reconstruction after Y2K|year=2003|publisher=Baylor University Press|location=Waco, TX|pages=113–114|quote=Theonomy &ndash; A system of government characterized by being governed by divine law.}}</ref> The movement’s chief architects were [[Gary North (economist)|Gary North]], [[Greg Bahnsen]], and [[R. J. Rushdoony|R.J. Rushdoony]].<ref name="Neuhaus1990" /> 

Theonomy presumes biblical Israel’s [[Mosaic covenant|Old Covenant]] judicial laws have not been [[Law and Gospel#Reformed view|abrogated]], and therefore all civil governments must enforce them (including the specific penalties). Theonomy holds that all civil governments must refrain from coercion if Scripture has not prescribed their intervention (the "regulative principle of the state").<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bahnsen|first=Greg|date=April 1994|title=What Is "Theonomy"? PE180 New Horizons|url=https://www.cmfnow.com/articles/pe180.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112050230/https://www.cmfnow.com/articles/pe180.htm |archive-date=2020-11-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Bahnsen|first=Greg L.|url=http://www.garynorth.com/freebooks/docs/a_pdfs/gbno.pdf|title=No other standard : theonomy and its critics|date=1991|publisher=Institute for Christian Economics|isbn=0-930464-56-7|location=Tyler, Tex.|pages=19–29|oclc=23690584}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Schwertley|first=Brian|title=A Critique of a Critique of Theonomy: An Analysis of Matthew Winzer's Misrepresentations of Theonomy and the Confession of Faith|url=http://www.reformedonline.com/uploads/1/5/0/3/15030584/winzer_a_critique_of_a_critique_of_theonomy.pdf|page=2|access-date=2021-04-09|archive-date=2022-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215062247/http://www.reformedonline.com/uploads/1/5/0/3/15030584/winzer_a_critique_of_a_critique_of_theonomy.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

Theonomy is distinct from the "theonomous ethics" proposed by [[Paul Tillich]].<ref name="Neuhaus1990">{{cite journal|title = Why Wait for the Kingdom? The Theonomist Temptation|date = May 1990|url = http://www.firstthings.com/article/1990/05/002-why-wait-for-the-kingdom-the-theonomist-temptation|last = Neuhaus|first = Richard John|journal = First Things|access-date = 8 August 2013|archive-date = 10 January 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170110120708/https://www.firstthings.com/article/1990/05/002-why-wait-for-the-kingdom-the-theonomist-temptation|url-status = dead}}</ref>