Papers by Thomas Myers
The significance of this work lies in its analysis of political and religious thinking in 17... more The significance of this work lies in its analysis of political and religious thinking in 17th Century England through the lens of classical forms of government. An unbridled armed uprising in the 1640s had caused widespread devastation and bloodshed. The unrest gave rise to a proliferation of political and religious factions. The classical forms of government, monarchy, aristocracy, democracy, and mixed government are used to describe four political-religious factions evident in England between 1653-1660. The secular political structure parallels the ecclesiastical polity within each group. The four factions are Monarchal Anglicans, Aristocratic Presbyterians, Anarchist Quakers, and Commonwealth Independents. The theological and political ideology of each faction supported either resistance to or support for the government.
This study compares the views of each faction regarding the nature of Man, the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, The Kingdom of God and human authority, liberty of conscience and tithes, and justice and blood guilt. The early Quakers had been political and theological anarchists acknowledging no authority but that of the ‘inner light’ of Christ. Quaker theology was refined in an environment of intense religious competition with the other factions involving often heated theological debates. Doctrinal theology directly affected the political views of each group. As governments were successively overthrown and replaced, alliances between the factions shifted. At the interregnum, 1659-1660, the Quakers rejected an offer to join the Commonwealth government. That choice was made but George Fox who, after asserting his authority, guided the movement along the path of political neutrality and pacifism.
CTX Journal, 2021
This paper attempts to bridge doctrinal and theoretical terms. The use of terms such as 'hybrid,'... more This paper attempts to bridge doctrinal and theoretical terms. The use of terms such as 'hybrid,' asymmetric' and 'grey zone,' are often redundant and cause confusion. Furthermore, terms such as irregular and unconventional war are sometimes conflated. These terms have doctrinal or conceptual utility at the appropriate level, but we need to clarify where each belongs. Irregular war and the associated doctrinal activities are placed in a conceptual framework alongside revolution theory. Both the doctrinal and theoretical concepts are shown to fit in the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war.
Homeland Security Affairs, 2011
Successful terrorist groups can evolve to
gain national power. This article consists of
three c... more Successful terrorist groups can evolve to
gain national power. This article consists of
three case studies: the overthrow of the
Russian Czar, the overthrow of the Shah of
Iran and Hezbollah’s rise to power in
Lebanon. The three are compared in order
to identify common stages in terrorist
evolution. These stages are identified as
Ideological Development, Small Group
Terror, Mass Civil Unrest and Revolution,
Revolutionary Victory and Consolidation of
Power, Tyranny, and export and expansion. Both the
Russian and Iranian Revolutions followed
the six stages to Tyranny while Hezbollah
has not (yet) completed the fifth stage to
power.
War Theory by Thomas Myers
Clausewitz wrote, "No one starts a war-or rather, no one in his senses ought to do so without fir... more Clausewitz wrote, "No one starts a war-or rather, no one in his senses ought to do so without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by that war and how he intends to achieve it." Simply put, be sure you know why, how, and what you are getting into. Even when our desired end state (why) is understood, and the means (how) to achieve it is clearly irregular war, we are somewhat less clear "what" irregular war is. This essay attempts to bring some clarity to the what of irregular war through the lens of the levels of war and revolution theory.
The history and myths of ancient Greece are intertwined. Both have lessons to teach us because bo... more The history and myths of ancient Greece are intertwined. Both have lessons to teach us because both address the consequences of fallible human nature. One might be inclined to view myths as useful only for understanding things like character. Honor, for example, is studied through comparisons of Achilles with Hector. History, in contrast, may be considered more useful in the study of strategy and tactics, the science of war. One might be inclined to dismiss the myths of the Trojan war as irrelevant to not only the art but also the science of war. This paper will, nevertheless, draw lessons from those myths.
Reflection on Honor and Shame in light of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Book of Books Study by Thomas Myers
The fourth and final lesson in a study of the origins and inerrancy of the Christian scriptures.
These are my notes for the third of four lessons on the Historicity and Inerrency of the christia... more These are my notes for the third of four lessons on the Historicity and Inerrency of the christian scriptures
The focus of this lesson will be on the Old Testament, with an emphasis, although not exclusively... more The focus of this lesson will be on the Old Testament, with an emphasis, although not exclusively, on the first five books of the Bible. These five books Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are known both as the books of Moses and as the Pentateuch. This last is derived from Geek penta meaning "five," you may think of the five-sided shape the pentagon, and teukhos meaning "part" (in Late Greek "book," via notion of "case for scrolls").1 The purpose of this lesson is to give you an understanding of some of the literary structures found in the Bible. And in doing so, refute the documentary hypothesis which argues that Moses could not have been the author of the first five books of the bible but that there were a number of source documents that were later edited to fit together in the form we know today. Those who hold this position often also hold the belief that the books of Moses were not completed until as late as 400 B.C. That would be 1,000 years after the time of Moses. The literary devices we will concern ourselves with are Triquads, Parallel Symmetry, and Reverse Symmetry also known as Chiasms. We will also discuss the two textual lines, the Septuagint and the Masoretic, from which our current Old Testament bible translations, as well as the Canon, are derived.
In this lesson we will examine the physical process of producing literature in the ancient world ... more In this lesson we will examine the physical process of producing literature in the ancient world and how the scriptures were preserved and transmitted from generation to generation to arrive in our hands. Additionally we will explore the techniques of textual criticism.
This is the introduction to a four-part study on Biblical inerrancy for adult Sunday school. The ... more This is the introduction to a four-part study on Biblical inerrancy for adult Sunday school. The course summarizes the historicity and inerrancy of the Bible.
These documents are my notes which accompany the slide show with which I present the lessons.
Revolutions and Constitutions by Thomas Myers
DRAFT- This chapter explores four republican nation states: The Swiss Confederation, the Dutch Re... more DRAFT- This chapter explores four republican nation states: The Swiss Confederation, the Dutch Republic, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the British Commonwealth (the first three are complete, still working on the British Commonwealth).-DRAFT
DRAFT-This chapter examines the concept of good government as exemplified by the term ‘republican... more DRAFT-This chapter examines the concept of good government as exemplified by the term ‘republican.’ One might be inclined to think there was a great void between the end of the Roman Republic and the reemergence of republican political theory in the Renaissance. But there is an unbroken narrative, if not practice, extolling republican virtue. The Republic of Venice was the primary transmitter of republican thought between the fall of the Western Empire and the Protestant Reformation.
Part a covers Thebes, Athens, Sparta, and Rome to discuss Monarchy, Democracy, Aristocracy, and mixed governments. and Venice as the bearer of the republican torch-Part b will cover Florence and Geneva.-DRAFT
DRAFT- This chapter begins with the struggle between the Left and Right in Weimar Germany. It the... more DRAFT- This chapter begins with the struggle between the Left and Right in Weimar Germany. It then looks at the history of radicals on the Left and Right in America, emphasizing the terrorism of the 1970s and 1980s and then documenting the reemergence of radicalism in the 21st century.-DRAFT
DRAFT-This chapter addresses a critique leveled at my original paper (Terrorist to Tyrant); what ... more DRAFT-This chapter addresses a critique leveled at my original paper (Terrorist to Tyrant); what about the American Revolution? Were the Founding Fathers terrorists? Is one man’s freedom fighter another man’s terrorist? Beginning with a survey of the English Civil War and its influence on the American Revolution, the above questions are addressed through a comparison of the French and American Revolutions.-DRAFT
DRAFT>>>Chapter Two applies the Revolutionary Terror Value Chain to the clash with Islamic Terror... more DRAFT>>>Chapter Two applies the Revolutionary Terror Value Chain to the clash with Islamic Terrorism. The RTVC puts seemingly unrelated occurrences in the Muslim world into the greater context of what Samuel Huntington called the “Islamic Resurgence.” This chapter presents an updated version of the Revolutionary Terrorism Value Chain from my original paper (Terrorist to Tyrant). To better understand how revolutionaries use terrorism to achieve their goals, I developed the Revolutionary Terrorism Value Chain (RTVC) in 2010, published in the article Terrorist to Tyrant. The original RTVC consists of six stages; Ideological Development, Small Group Terror, Mass Civil Unrest, Revolutionary Victory, Tyranny, and Expansion. The updated and expanded version includes Civil War, Coup d’état, and Transition to democracy… The new version is presented through the lens of the Arab Spring and specifically through the cases of Egypt and Syria.
This paper explores political views primarily in the United States but applicable to the West in ... more This paper explores political views primarily in the United States but applicable to the West in general. I use two broad groups I title Riders of the Apocalypse and Prophets of the Millennium. The apocalyptic group views history as patterns of the rise and fall of people groups. This view can be considered pessimistic; history will always be a cyclical pattern of conflict and bloodshed. The riders of the apocalypse are the conservative view. The millennium group views the human condition as evolving from primitive to enlightened. This view is optimistic and utopian; one day, humanity will progress into a state of perpetual peace and live in harmony.
DRAFT-This is a working copy that is intended as the tenth chapter of my book; Revolutions and Co... more DRAFT-This is a working copy that is intended as the tenth chapter of my book; Revolutions and Constitutions. This chapter explores questions pertaining to governmental legitimacy, submission to authority, and the right to revolt.-DRAFT
DRAFT - This is the prologue to my book REVOLUTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONS, (should I ever complete it... more DRAFT - This is the prologue to my book REVOLUTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONS, (should I ever complete it.)This paper utilizes aspects of Jack Goldstone's revolution theory and my own model of revolutionary terror to analyze the transformation of Rome’s government from republic to autocracy. - Draft
Theological Papers by Thomas Myers
This is a two part paper.
1. The connection between Jewish Passover and Christian Easter is made... more This is a two part paper.
1. The connection between Jewish Passover and Christian Easter is made explicitly in the New Testament. But a relationship between Chanukah and Christmas is not. Other than occurring at roughly the same time of year, I think there is an excellent case to show that Chanukah points to the birth of Christ.
2. The Trinity is a difficult concept to understand. God is three in one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although I understood that God is three in one, I realized that I subconsciously divided the Lord when I prayed. If I prayed to the Father, I wasn't thinking of the Son, and if I prayed to Jesus, I wasn't thinking of the Father. Upon contemplation, I thought that since scripture tells us God made man in His image, then understanding the makeup of Man can help us know the makeup of God.
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Papers by Thomas Myers
This study compares the views of each faction regarding the nature of Man, the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, The Kingdom of God and human authority, liberty of conscience and tithes, and justice and blood guilt. The early Quakers had been political and theological anarchists acknowledging no authority but that of the ‘inner light’ of Christ. Quaker theology was refined in an environment of intense religious competition with the other factions involving often heated theological debates. Doctrinal theology directly affected the political views of each group. As governments were successively overthrown and replaced, alliances between the factions shifted. At the interregnum, 1659-1660, the Quakers rejected an offer to join the Commonwealth government. That choice was made but George Fox who, after asserting his authority, guided the movement along the path of political neutrality and pacifism.
gain national power. This article consists of
three case studies: the overthrow of the
Russian Czar, the overthrow of the Shah of
Iran and Hezbollah’s rise to power in
Lebanon. The three are compared in order
to identify common stages in terrorist
evolution. These stages are identified as
Ideological Development, Small Group
Terror, Mass Civil Unrest and Revolution,
Revolutionary Victory and Consolidation of
Power, Tyranny, and export and expansion. Both the
Russian and Iranian Revolutions followed
the six stages to Tyranny while Hezbollah
has not (yet) completed the fifth stage to
power.
War Theory by Thomas Myers
The Book of Books Study by Thomas Myers
These documents are my notes which accompany the slide show with which I present the lessons.
Revolutions and Constitutions by Thomas Myers
Part a covers Thebes, Athens, Sparta, and Rome to discuss Monarchy, Democracy, Aristocracy, and mixed governments. and Venice as the bearer of the republican torch-Part b will cover Florence and Geneva.-DRAFT
Theological Papers by Thomas Myers
1. The connection between Jewish Passover and Christian Easter is made explicitly in the New Testament. But a relationship between Chanukah and Christmas is not. Other than occurring at roughly the same time of year, I think there is an excellent case to show that Chanukah points to the birth of Christ.
2. The Trinity is a difficult concept to understand. God is three in one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although I understood that God is three in one, I realized that I subconsciously divided the Lord when I prayed. If I prayed to the Father, I wasn't thinking of the Son, and if I prayed to Jesus, I wasn't thinking of the Father. Upon contemplation, I thought that since scripture tells us God made man in His image, then understanding the makeup of Man can help us know the makeup of God.
This study compares the views of each faction regarding the nature of Man, the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, The Kingdom of God and human authority, liberty of conscience and tithes, and justice and blood guilt. The early Quakers had been political and theological anarchists acknowledging no authority but that of the ‘inner light’ of Christ. Quaker theology was refined in an environment of intense religious competition with the other factions involving often heated theological debates. Doctrinal theology directly affected the political views of each group. As governments were successively overthrown and replaced, alliances between the factions shifted. At the interregnum, 1659-1660, the Quakers rejected an offer to join the Commonwealth government. That choice was made but George Fox who, after asserting his authority, guided the movement along the path of political neutrality and pacifism.
gain national power. This article consists of
three case studies: the overthrow of the
Russian Czar, the overthrow of the Shah of
Iran and Hezbollah’s rise to power in
Lebanon. The three are compared in order
to identify common stages in terrorist
evolution. These stages are identified as
Ideological Development, Small Group
Terror, Mass Civil Unrest and Revolution,
Revolutionary Victory and Consolidation of
Power, Tyranny, and export and expansion. Both the
Russian and Iranian Revolutions followed
the six stages to Tyranny while Hezbollah
has not (yet) completed the fifth stage to
power.
These documents are my notes which accompany the slide show with which I present the lessons.
Part a covers Thebes, Athens, Sparta, and Rome to discuss Monarchy, Democracy, Aristocracy, and mixed governments. and Venice as the bearer of the republican torch-Part b will cover Florence and Geneva.-DRAFT
1. The connection between Jewish Passover and Christian Easter is made explicitly in the New Testament. But a relationship between Chanukah and Christmas is not. Other than occurring at roughly the same time of year, I think there is an excellent case to show that Chanukah points to the birth of Christ.
2. The Trinity is a difficult concept to understand. God is three in one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although I understood that God is three in one, I realized that I subconsciously divided the Lord when I prayed. If I prayed to the Father, I wasn't thinking of the Son, and if I prayed to Jesus, I wasn't thinking of the Father. Upon contemplation, I thought that since scripture tells us God made man in His image, then understanding the makeup of Man can help us know the makeup of God.