The escape from this idolatry is not a retreat into political apathy. Rather, it is the retrieval of a more robust and biblical political theology, one centered on the concepts of public justice and societal pluriformity.
First, Koyzis reminds us that the state’s purpose is not redemptive. It is a limited, God-ordained institution with a specific, noble task: to do public justice. This is not about enforcing a particular religious dogma, but about upholding a legal order that allows the various spheres of society to flourish according to their created purpose. The state is a referee, not a savior, called to protect the weak, punish the wicked, and ensure a peaceful framework for common life.
Second, that common life is inherently pluriform. This concept, drawn from the Dutch neo-Calvinist tradition of Abraham Kuyper, is the essential antidote to the totalizing impulse of ideology. Society is not a single entity to be managed by the state, nor is it merely a chaotic mass of individuals. It is a complex ecosystem of distinct, God-ordained spheres, including the family, the church, the academy, the market, and the arts. Each sphere possesses its own integrity and God-given authority. Parental authority is not granted by the state; it is inherent to the family. The church’s spiritual authority is not subject to political approval.
Last year I was privileged finally to meet Bradley at a conference we were both attending and speaking at. I am pleased that he continues to find my writings helpful and wish him the best in his work at the Acton Institute and Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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