Anatomy of a Hybrid

"Anatomy of a Hybrid," by Leonard Verduin, (pub. 1976)  is a study of sacralism and those who have opposed this in the history of the Church. (As people know that i am a reader, on occasion i am given books to read with the intent of getting my response.) Sacralism is the concept of a union between church and state in a given society for the purpose of unity and order in which everyone is both a member of the church or religion, and a citizen or inhabitant of the state or country. Islam is a modern day example of this where political, economic, cultural and religious elements are fused together. Choice is not available or dissent tolerated. Enforcement of orthodoxy is accomplished through the coercive power of the government.
     Verduin traces the growth of sacralism and those who rejected it from NT times to the Constitutional Convention in the US. He refers to a "flat" theology which sees no practical difference between the OT, where sacralism was practiced, and the NT. In contrast he refers to a three dimensional or "progressive grace" in which only those who make a surrender of the will are part of the Body of Christ.
   Unfortunately he hinders an otherwise cogent argument with several problematic examples. In indicating that a number of the twelve apostles were Zealot sympathizers, he says that John the apostle "suggests," that the motivation of Judas to betray Jesus came from a desire to steal from the common money bag but was in actuality the disgust of Judas that Jesus was not going to overthrow the Romans. An examination of John 12:4-8 shows that John was not suggesting but stating... if one believes in the inspiration of Scripture.
     Verduin also concocts a convoluted explanation based on his theory of sacralism to explain the problem with the Corinthians' practice of The Lord's Supper rather than as a simple, textually based problem between rich and poor. He exalts the Donatists as those who opposed sacralism but does not inform the reader that this group used violence to attain their ends. These examples raise concern about his use of other citations.
     His main theme is important in that sacralists have persecuted believers, often unto death. The emergence of a composite society in which every person can hold personal views in line with their own conscience rather than have them imposed by the civil power by force, he credits largely to Roger Williams of Rhode Island. However, in light of the reality of the forty years since Verduin wrote, one wonders whether a sacral society actually produces genuine believers who must suffer for their faith in line with 2 Timothy 3:12