Gary DeMar
Encyclopedia
Gary DeMar is an American writer, lecturer and the president of American Vision
, an American
Christian
nonprofit organization. The think-tank has a vision of "an America that recognizes the sovereignty of God
over all of life and where Christians are engaged in every facet of society
".
with his wife Carol. They have two grown sons. DeMar is a member of Midway Presbyterian Church, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America
. DeMar graduated from Western Michigan University
in 1973 and earned a M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary
in 1979. He earned his Ph.D. in Christian Intellectual History from unaccredited, online Whitefield Theological Seminary
in 2007.
, the church, and the civil government-each given its own specific and limited jurisdiction". In the Editor's Introduction, Gary North points out DeMar's description of "an intellectual war going on, a war between two rival views of God, man, law and society." North says that the "book has made the meaning of theocracy
clear".
In the chapter titled Reconstructing Civil Government, DeMar states,
American Vision promotes the idea "that the world is not ending tomorrow and that Christ’s Kingdom will be victorious on the earth". AV connects the writing's of the founders of America with the organization's vision of contemporary America, "In the New England Confederation of 1643, the Pilgrims stated: "[W]e all came to these parts of America, with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
DeMar is a proponent of partial preterism
.
American Vision
American Vision is a nonprofit organization in the United States, founded in 1978 by Steve Schiffman. A Christian ministry, it calls, according to its mission statement, for "equipping and empowering Christians to restore America’s biblical foundation." It is considered a hate group by the Southern...
, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
nonprofit organization. The think-tank has a vision of "an America that recognizes the sovereignty of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
over all of life and where Christians are engaged in every facet of society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
".
Family life and education
DeMar resides in Marietta, GeorgiaMarietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
with his wife Carol. They have two grown sons. DeMar is a member of Midway Presbyterian Church, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America is an evangelical Protestant Christian denomination, the second largest Presbyterian church body in the United States after the Presbyterian Church . The PCA professes a strong commitment to evangelism, missionary work, and Christian education...
. DeMar graduated from Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
in 1973 and earned a M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary
Reformed Theological Seminary
Reformed Theological Seminary is a non-denominational, evangelical Protestant seminary. RTS's first campus remains in Jackson, Mississippi, United States though the school has expanded to include several additional campuses.-Founding:...
in 1979. He earned his Ph.D. in Christian Intellectual History from unaccredited, online Whitefield Theological Seminary
Whitefield Theological Seminary
Whitefield Theological Seminary is an unaccredited conservative Reformed seminary located in Lakeland, Florida with no permanent faculty and degrees offered entirely through distance-learning. It derives its name from 18th century revivalist George Whitefield. The current president is Kenneth Gary...
in 2007.
Career
DeMar began working at American Vision in 1981 as a research analyst. In 1986 he became the president of the organization. DeMar is the author of 25 books. Beginning on June 3, 2006, DeMar began hosting "The Gary DeMar Show", a radio program airing live from Atlanta, every Saturday at noon ET." The Gary DeMar Show" now is available as a podcast every weekday for 10 minutes and as a video-cast on YouTube.Ruler of the Nations
In the Foreword to DeMar's book Ruler of the Nations, John W. Whitehead notes that the book "presents a clear and well-substantiated description of the three types of government established by God-the familyFamily
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
, the church, and the civil government-each given its own specific and limited jurisdiction". In the Editor's Introduction, Gary North points out DeMar's description of "an intellectual war going on, a war between two rival views of God, man, law and society." North says that the "book has made the meaning of theocracy
Theocracy
Theocracy is a form of organization in which the official policy is to be governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or simply pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religious sect or religion....
clear".
In the chapter titled Reconstructing Civil Government, DeMar states,
All government requires a reference point. If God is to be pleased by men, the BibleBibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
must become the foundation of all their governments, including civil government. This means that Biblical law must be made the foundation of all righteous judgment in every government: personal (self government), ecclesiastical, familial, and civil.
Religious and political views
DeMar states in an article on the American Vision web site, "Darwinism has secularized everything in America, including our understanding of the Constitution".American Vision promotes the idea "that the world is not ending tomorrow and that Christ’s Kingdom will be victorious on the earth". AV connects the writing's of the founders of America with the organization's vision of contemporary America, "In the New England Confederation of 1643, the Pilgrims stated: "[W]e all came to these parts of America, with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
DeMar is a proponent of partial preterism
Partial Preterism
Partial preterism is a form of Christian eschatology that places the events of most of the Book of Revelation as occurring during the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD yet still affirms an orthodox future bodily return of Christ to earth at an unknown day and hour...
.