SPRING 2013 The Public Eye

Redefining Religious Liberty • Spiritual Warriors • Caught on RedefiningFilm: ChristianityReligious Liberty Transformed • Spiritual Warriors • Caught on Film: Christianity Transformed editor’s letter

THE PUBLIC EYE QUARTERLY

PUBLISHER The More Things Change Tarso Luís Ramos EDITOR hen Political Research Associates began publishing The Public Eye Theo Anderson in December 1992, reviving a social justice magazine that had DESIGN/LAYOUT ceased publication in 1988, the editors warned about compla- Owl in a Tree Design cency in light of the previous month’s election results. They noted COVER ART Wthat George H.W. Bush’s defeat would not lead to “the passing” of the Right, pre- Rusty Zimmerman dicting that it would instead “gather strength in local and state areas.” PRINTING In 2013, there is perhaps less need to warn about complacency after recent GOP Red Sun Press electoral defeats. We have two decades of history to consider—years that include EDITORIAL BOARD the “Republican Revolution” in the mid-1990s and the emergence of the Tea Party in Alex DiBranco the wake of the 2008 election. We have also seen, as the editors predicted, a push by Frederick Clarkson hard-right conservatives in state legislatures. As former Sen. Jim DeMint, the newly Jean Hardisty installed president of the right-wing Heritage Foundation, wrote recently: “Wash- Kapya Kaoma Tarso Luis Ramos ington may be gridlocked but there is a conservative reform revolution rising from Abby Scher the states!” Rachel Tabachnik PRA has remained true across the years to its mission of monitoring the Right’s activism and alerting social justice changemakers to right-wing strategies and The Public Eye is published by ideologies. Though we can’t predict what new forms these will take, we always aim Political Research Associates to make readers aware of how the field of battle is shifting and what the challenges Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D. ahead may be. Founder And President Emerita In this issue, we offer three pieces that describe recent, transformational de- Tarso Luís Ramos velopments within conservative Christianity. Each has important broader con- Executive Director sequences. Jay Michaelson describes a campaign by conservative Catholics and Theresa Blackman evangelical Christians, who are using claims about assaults on their religious lib- Administrative Assistant erty to attack LGBTQ rights and reproductive rights. Rachel Tabachnick tracks the Alex DiBranco Communications Director influence within evangelical Christianity of a growing but relatively little-known Kapya Kaoma movement called the New Apostolic Reformation. Finally, filmmaker James Ault Religion and Sexuality describes his engagement with the New Right in its formative years, as well as his Abby Scher recently completed film series about the expansion and evolution of Christianity Research Director (Interim) in Africa. Kassia Palys Though our mission remains the same, The Public Eye has of course changed in Development Associate many ways. This issue marks something of a milestone in our evolution. We’re intro- Charles Ocitti ducing a makeover of PE as part of our ongoing effort to make our work more acces- Finance Director sible and useful. We’ve also introduced a feature spotlighting some of the items in our Fellows Frederick Clarkson archive. Look for more new features in the issues ahead. Rachel Tabachnick This is also my first issue as PE’s Editor-in-Chief. I have a personal as well as a Interns scholarly and professional interest in the work. I grew up in the context of the New Michael Juhasz • Daphne Kolios • Right’s emergence as a political force, in a culture that embraced its worldview. I Andrew Padgett • Kumar Ramanathan • subsequently did graduate work in the history of the Christian Right and have spent Bruce Wang • Alex Zadel much of my adult life seeking to understand it. Like many of you, I have benefited Board of Directors from PRA’s efforts and am wholly devoted to its mission. Maria Elena Letona, Chair The editors of that first, revivedPublic Eye invited readers to stay in touch (“letters Katherine Acey Janet Jakobsen should be typed, double spaced,” as they said in 1992). I invite you to do the same, Hamid Khan though you can save the stamp and reach me at [email protected]. Pardis Mahdavi PE’s future has always depended on your interest and support, and I look forward Dania Rajendra to our collaboration as we move the magazine forward. 1310 Broadway, Suite 201 Theo Anderson Somerville, MA 02144-1837 Editor-in-Chief Tel: 617.666.5300 [email protected] © Political Research Associates, 2012–2013 All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 ISSUE 75

www.politicalresearch.org commentary

BY BEENA AHMAD

What the Denial of Miranda in the Boston Bombings Means for Us All

uslim communities across the United States have watched with trepidation to see what the fallout from the Boston Marathon bombings will be. Likewise, civil libertarians have anticipated that the Justice Department and the FBI would seek ways to suspend normal criminal procedures, on the basis that they need to gather intelligence about terrorist organizations. Similar discussions took Mplace in 2010, following Faisal Shahzad’s attempt to set off a bomb in Times Square. The Miranda warnings, which the Supreme Court deemed a necessary shield against the abuses of law en- forcement in its 1966 Miranda v. Arizona ruling, inform individuals of their right to remain silent and their right to an attorney when subjected to custodial interrogation. Otherwise, their statements may not be used at trial. This was designed to deter law enforcement from subjecting individuals to coercive questioning. The Supreme Court has created a public safety exception that allows law enforcement to forego the reading of Miranda rights in emergencies. The Obama administration expanded this exception to terrorism-related cases in a secret 2011 memorandum. Though Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had no known links to terrorist organizations, the Department of Justice indicated that it intended to question him “extensively” on matters likely to exceed the scope of questioning around un- detonated explosives, as the goal was “to gain critical intelligence.” Tsarnaev was then interrogated for 16 hours, while he was strapped to a hospital bed with life-threatening injuries, before being informed of his Miranda rights. What was the basis for the denial of the Miranda warnings? Boston officials had indicated that the emergency was over. And law enforcement acknowledged the absence of information linking Tsarnaev and his brother to any designated terrorist organizations. Given these facts, it is hard to imagine what kind of case, once desig- nated as an act of terrorism, would not qualify for dispensing with Miranda. And one is left to conclude that the motivation for the denial has to do with Tsarnaev’s connection to Islam. The implication is that Islam, in and of itself, can be associated with terrorist organizations. Time will tell if this departure from normal criminal procedures will apply in cases involving non-Muslims. But the expansion of prosecutorial authority seems to go in only one direction. It might seem as though little is at stake here for Tsarnaev. While he is entitled to a presumption of inno- cence, the televised, play-by-play nature of the pursuit for him, once he was identified, might make a guilty verdict a foregone conclusion. With the death penalty now on the table, the statements that Tsarnaev made in the course of his interrogation may mean the difference between life and death. The Supreme Court has not explicitly ruled on this issue, but at least two appellate courts have said that statements obtained in viola- tion of Miranda may still be considered at the sentencing phase—even if they were excluded from trial, and even if they are in the context of a capital case. Without knowing the potential consequences of his statements, of which the government was likely aware, Tsarnaev was apparently misled into believing that he had nothing to lose by cooperating. In the hands of gov- ernment agents, he relied on the expectation that law enforcement would behave lawfully. After the unprecedented lockdown of the entire Boston area, which heightened the public’s sense of terror, law enforcement agencies were well-positioned to push for an exception to Miranda. But they have not shown how the exception was warranted as a means of protecting public safety, or even as a means of gathering in- telligence about so-called terrorist organizations. In forfeiting Tsarnaev’s rights in this instance, we lose a lot more. We further legitimize the discriminatory treatment of Muslims in criminal proceedings, and we eviscer- ate Miranda, which safeguards every citizen’s rights. Let’s fervently hope that the court Tsarnaev appears before will recognize what the Obama administration has failed to see: If Tsarnaev does not have these rights, perhaps eventually no one will.

Beena Ahmad is a member of the Muslim Defense Project (MDP) of the New York City Chapter of the National Law- yers Guild (NLG-NYC). MDP was formed to combat the anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies that have created a com- 1310 Broadway, Suite 201 prehensive system of illegal surveillance, predatory prosecutions, and the targeting of entire Muslim communities. Somerville, MA 02144-1837 To learn more about the Muslim Defense Project, visit www.nlgnyc.org/mdp. Special thanks to MDP members Bina Tel: 617.666.5300 [email protected] Ahmad and Deborah Diamant for their contributions to this essay. © Political Research Associates, 2012–2013 All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 ISSUE 75

spring 2013 The Public Eye • 1 BY JAY MICHAELSON Redefining Religious Liberty A well-funded network of conservative Roman Catholics and evangelicals is using a “religious liberty” framework to attack same-sex marriage, antidiscrimination laws, access to contraception, and abortion rights—not on moral grounds, but because they supposedly violate the religious liberty of others. Where did this narrative come from? And how has the Right used it to limit the rights of women and sexual minorities, where other strategies have failed?

This essay is adapted from the PRA report “Redefining Religious Liberty.” The full version is available at www.politicalresearch.org.

n January 2013, Stanford Uni- is part of an ongoing campaign led by 2012 vice-presidential debate, for ex- versity Law School launched the conservative Roman Catholic intellectu- ample, and it was the Christian Right’s Religious Liberty Clinic with the als and bishops and supported by a broad primary argument opposing same-sex mission of offering students “the base of evangelical Christian Right orga- marriage in the North Carolina, Minne- opportunity to represent clients nizations. It is but the latest victory for sota, and Maine ballot initiatives in the Iin disputes arising from a wide range of a coalition that has succeeded in main- fall of 2012. Meanwhile, The Ethics and beliefs, practices, and customs.” Accord- streaming discrimination by rebranding Public Policy Center in Washington D.C. ing to an article in the New York Times, it as religious liberty. Not coincidentally, is developing “religious liberty” caucuses “leading conservative scholars across the overwhelming majority of this cam- in state legislatures to promote the Chris- the country welcomed the opening of paign’s work has been directed against tian Right agenda opposing LGBTQ and the clinic as a breakthrough in elite legal LGBTQ people and reproductive rights. reproductive rights. (At least nine states education.” One called it a “milestone,” It has had considerable success, win- currently have such caucuses.) another called it a “blessing,” and yet an- ning significant exemptions from anti- Perhaps most importantly, it has suc- other described it as “corner-turning.”1 discrimination laws, same-sex marriage ceeded in reframing the debate around The Clinic, made possible in large part laws, and policies regarding contracep- civil rights, inverting victim and oppres- by a $1.6 million grant from the right- tion, abortion, and education. sor. Polls show that the conservative wing Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, It became a significant topic in the religious liberty argument is effective

A “religious liberty” activist in Washington, D.C., in 2012. Image courtesy of American Life League.

2 • The Public Eye spring 2013 BY JAY MICHAELSON when the Right sows confusion among tion prayer, for example, is she exercising Bob Jones prefigures the inversion of the public—by suggesting, for example, her individual right to religious practice, the victim-oppressor dynamic that marks that ministers will be forced to marry LG- or impermissibly establishing it collec- contemporary religious liberty rhetoric. BTQ couples when states legalize same- tively? And when a government funds The real victims were black students at sex marriage. As a result, the religious parochial schools, is it properly nondis- Bob Jones—not the university. Yet in the liberty argument has helped the Right criminatory—or improperly subsidizing evangelical telling of this history, the uni- win exemptions from same-sex marriage religion? Such conflicts have never been versity was the victim of anti-religious laws and limit women’s access to contra- definitively resolved, because they are persecution. Likewise, today, the con- ception coverage. intrinsic to the American conception of servative religious liberty frame claims While this debate is the newest front in civil rights, which always requires a bal- that the real victims are not gay students the “culture wars,” it is actually old argu- ancing of competing interests. being bullied, women denied accessible ment in a new context. In previous de- Despite these deep roots, the notion healthcare, and nonreligious students cades, the Christian Right defended racial that the U.S. Constitution protects re- coerced into participating in a religious segregation, school prayer, public reli- ligious liberty is really a creation of the ceremony. The true victims are the uni- gious displays, and other religious prac- last 80 years, and the result of the work versity, the bully, the woman’s employer, tices that infringed on the liberties of oth- of marginal religious groups, not main- and the graduation speaker who is not ers by claiming that restrictions on such stream ones. Chief among these were able to recite a prayer. Yet religious-lib- public acts infringed upon their religious the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who refused erty activists claim that bullies are the liberty. Then as now, the Religious Right to salute the flag or recite the Pledge of real victims because they cannot “express turned anti-discrimination arguments Allegiance, a controversy that reached their views about homosexuality.” They on their heads: instead of blacks being fever pitch in the 1930s and 1940s. Af- claim that businesses who say “No Gays discriminated against by being banned ter an initial loss, the sect prevailed in Allowed” are being oppressed because from Christian universities, the universi- the landmark 1943 case of West Virginia they are forced to facilitate gay marriag- ties were being discriminated against by State Board of Education v. Barnette,2 es. And they claim that the real targets of not being allowed to ban them; instead in which the Supreme Court held that discrimination are not gay people—who of public prayers oppressing religious mi- absent a compelling state interest, the can be fired from their jobs simply for be- norities, Christians were being oppressed state could not compel an individual to ing gay in 24 states—but employers who by not being able to offer them. violate his or her religion. can’t fire them. Using the “religious liberty” frame- The most important case for contem- Progressives will immediately recog- work, the Christian Right now attacks porary religious liberty claims, though, nize this as a shocking inversion of how access to contraception and abortion, is Bob Jones University v. United States, religious liberty is generally understood. same-sex marriage, and anti-discrim- decided in 1983.3 According to historian Religious liberty is meant to be a shield ination laws—not on moral grounds Randall Balmer, it was the formative against state action, not a sword against (e.g., that contraception is morally event in the creation of the Christian minorities. It was traditionally used to wrong or that LGBTQ rights violate “fam- Right and the politicization of Ameri- protect minority religions, not majority ily values”), but because they suppos- can evangelicals.4 The case concerned ones, which is why most liberals sup- edly impinge on the religious freedoms the evangelical Bob Jones University, ported the Religious Freedom Restora- of others (e.g., by forcing employers to which had racist admission and dating tion Act of 1993, passed to protect Native violate their religion by providing con- policies. The IRS revoked the school’s American peyote use from federal pros- traception coverage). All major Chris- tax-exempt status, stating that a nondis- ecution. Yet today, it is used to defend tian Right organizations now deploy crimination policy was required for tax discrimination by Christians against threats to religious liberty as a primary exemption. The Supreme Court agreed women and LGBTQ people. (if not the primary) argument in a range on the grounds that since the exemption By now, conservative religious lib- of struggles. Their strategy aims to make was a privilege, it could only be obtained erty arguments are standard fodder on themselves seem less bigoted and more if the organization comported with law Fox News and among the right-wing sympathetic, as they fight to skirt and and public policy.5 Though the decision punditry. Phyllis Schlafly, for example, defy the law’s advances toward equality. neither shut down Bob Jones University writes that “the policies of the Obama nor compelled it to change its policies, administration represent the greatest DEEP ROOTS, MODERN BRANCHES this perceived infringement on religious government-directed assault on reli- 6 Since the founding of the United States, liberty fueled the contemporary Chris- gious freedom in American history.” a tension has existed between two prin- tian Right, and it was hotly debated in Rush Limbaugh, too, has alleged that the 7 ciples: on the one hand, government the press. president is assaulting religious liberty. cannot favor or establish a particular reli- Notably, Bob Jones University was But unlike other hard-right claims, “reli- gion; but on the other, it is committed to part of a last-ditch effort to maintain ra- gious liberty” has also found its way into guaranteeing the free exercise of all reli- cially discriminatory institutions. The the mainstream. For example, it became gions. This tension leads to recurring di- “religious liberty” in question, then as an issue in the 2012 U.S. elections when, lemmas. When a student offers a gradua- now, was the liberty to discriminate during the vice-presidential debate on against others. October 11, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) said:

spring 2013 The Public Eye • 3 REDEFINING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

What troubles me more is how Becket Fund for Religious Liberty this administration has han- dled all of these issues. Look The Becket Fund is at the center of a small, Roman Catholic-dominated group of at what they’re doing through activists and is the intellectual leader of the right-wing “religious liberty” campaign. “Obamacare”with respect to Founded in 1994 by attorney Kevin “Seamus” Hasson—who worked for the Reagan assaulting the religious lib- Department of Justice under Samuel Alito, and was also a key U.S. Department of Jus- erties of…Catholic charities, tice figure in the Reagan administration—the Becket Fund was originally nonpartisan. Catholic churches, Catholic But under the leadership of William Mumma, who took over from Hasson, it recently hospitals. Our church should has become more conservative and is leading the charge on the Health and Human not have to sue our federal Services (HHS) benefit fight in the courts, in academia, and in the court of public government to maintain their opinion. religious... liberties. Progressives may well endorse some of Becket’s activities. For example, it has repre- 1 Vice President Biden’s response was sented Muslims before the European Court of Human Rights. Despite its nonsectar- emphatic and accurate, but seemed less ian pretensions, though, the Becket Fund can be viewed as a virtual arm of the Roman persuasive than Ryan’s victim narrative: Catholic Church. It is named for Thomas Becket (1118-1170), the Archbishop of Canterbury murdered by associates of King Henry II for resisting secular jurisdiction With regard to the assault on over clerical matters. He is thus an archetypical Catholic martyr for religious indepen- the Catholic Church, let me dence from state control. make it absolutely clear, no re- ligious institution, Catholic or Financially, the support of the Catholic Church is clear, as are the personal religious otherwise, including Catholic affiliations of key Becket leaders. The Becket Fund’s entire leadership and funder Social Services, Georgetown base is made up of conservative Roman Catholics: current executive director William Hospital, Mercy....None has Mumma, founder Kevin Hasson, general counsel Anthony Picarello, and board mem- to be a vehicle to get contracep- bers Robert P. George and Mary Ann Glendon (the Harvard Law professor who was 2 tion in any insurance policy formerly the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See and is a leading antichoice theorist). they provide. That is a fact.8 Becket is at the forefront of the spate of adoption cases in Massachusetts and Illinois, This response was true on the surface, where Catholic Charities pulled out of adoption networks rather than place children 3 due to Biden’s precise language, since no with gay or lesbian couples. It is also mounting a public relations campaign against institution has to refer contraception or the HHS contraception benefit, and it has named the Affordable Care Act as one of directly pay for it, or “be a vehicle to get the top religious freedom issues facing the United States, filing seven suits against it. contraception” in any insurance policy they provide. At issue is whether church- affiliated businesses (not churches) must will be required to sacralize gay weddings and enabling Christian organizations to provide the same health coverage (not and employers forced to pay for abor- discriminate (e.g. student clubs in the violate their conscience) as required of all tions; Virginia university system); businesses. Nonetheless, the vice presi- dential debate represented a high-water • reframing questions of discrimina- • limiting access to reproductive mark for the visibility of the right-wing tion (e.g. in the Boy Scouts) as questions healthcare (first through a series of reli- religious liberty argument. of the religious liberty of those who wish gious exemptions for abortion and now to discriminate; by limiting insurance coverage for con- traceptives); WHY “RELIGIOUS LIBERTY” WORKS • filing lawsuits to limit LGBT rights During the last fifteen years, a surpris- on religious liberty grounds and exploit- • attempting to expand existing reli- ingly small cadre of conservative Catholic ing ambiguities in the law to conduct a gious exemptions beyond religious or- thinkers—led by The Becket Fund and nationwide litigation campaign; ganizations to include private businesses (such as Hobby Lobby, the current plain- individuals affiliated with the U.S.- Con • exploiting the structural ambiguity ference of Catholic Bishops—has suc- in civil rights law that emerges when fun- tiff in a prominent case); cessfully brought this new iteration of damental rights clash, as that between • marshaling the support of influen- “religious liberty” to the most contested religious expression and civil rights; tial academics such as Douglas Laycock, fronts in the culture war: reproductive a distinguished professor at the Univer- • scaring the public by eliding the dif- rights and LGBTQ equality. The conser- ferences in legal standards between dis- sity of Virginia Law School, who success- vative “religious liberty” movement’s crimination against LGBTQ people and fully argued a key “religious liberty” case methods include: discrimination against African Ameri- before the U.S. Supreme Court for the • conducting a PR campaign to con- cans, and suggesting that protections for Becket Fund, and longtime conservative vince Americans that religious liberty the latter will be extended to the former; Catholic campaigner Robert P. George is under attack and deploying mislead- of Princeton University. They and other • influencing legislation to obtain ex- ing exaggerations to scare voters, for in- scholars provide intellectual leadership emptions from antidiscrimination laws, stance by falsely claiming that churches (or cover) for the movement, both within

4 • The Public Eye spring 2013 the Christian Right and more broadly. Since the 1970s, conservative evangelical public life, the picture is one of a massive Why has this campaign been so suc- Christians have adopted the earlier Cath- secular state squelching any Christian re- cessful? There are several key reasons. olic narrative that there is a determined ligious expression. secularist campaign to destroy religion This points to the enormous gap in per- FACT AND FANTASY and replace it with “humanism” or “secu- ception between progressives and conser- 11 First, there is a confusing mixture of fact larism.” In extreme forms, this battle is vatives on this subject. Most progressives and fantasy in right-wing rhetoric re- literally between God and Satan. Evan- see themselves as resisting conservative garding religious liberty. For example, gelical author Tim LaHaye, for example, Christian dominance in public life, but the broadest, most common, and least demands that Christians “resist the devil most conservatives see themselves as 12 accurate claim is that members of the and… put on the whole armor of God.” resisting a secular, anti-Christian hege- clergy will be forced to solemnize same- Beverly LaHaye, not sex marriage. “Once federal and state to be outdone by her husband, wrote laws uphold gay marriage, gays will be “Religious liberty” spokespeople have entitled to sue anyone licensed by the in 1984 that secu- state that refuses to perform a marriage,” larists are “priests begun analogizing the “persecution” in of religious human- writes Brad O’Leary in The Audacity of the United States to that in Nazi Germany Deceit: Barack Obama’s War on American ism and are evange- Values.9 This is universally untrue. All lizing our children 13 same-sex marriage laws specifically -ex for Satan.” These empt clergy from being forced to sanctify extreme formula- any marriage of any kind. tions seem unlikely to appeal to more mony—a perception that taps directly One PRRI survey, which found that 52 moderate Christians, and on the contrary into narratives of Christian martyrdom, percent of respondents overall supported are likely to turn them off. Yet they have a including that of Jesus himself. same-sex marriage, asked individuals strong appeal among evangelicals. Predictably, “religious liberty” spokes- who initially opposed it if their opinion The theme of the “war on religion” people have begun analogizing the “per- would be different provided they were also intersects with the blend of fact secution” in the United States to that in certain that “the law guaranteed that and fantasy just discussed. For in- Nazi Germany. Recently, for example, the no church or congregation would be re- stance, Catholic legal theorist Thomas pastoral outreach director for Minnesota quired to perform marriages for gay and Berg frets that “if sexual-orientation for Marriage said that the way Hitler per- lesbian couples.” With that guarantee, discrimination should be treated in all secuted Jews was that he “removed their overall support for same-sex marriage respects like racial discrimination—as voices in the public square and removed jumped by six points—to 58 percent.10 many gay-rights advocates argue—then their control of their own businesses. So, Not surprisingly, playing on the pub- the precedent of withdrawing federal he stopped Jewish people from speaking 15 lic’s fear about government intrusion tax-exempt status from all racially dis- out in public and he silenced them.” into private religious practice is a key criminatory charities, upheld in Bob It is important to recognize, of course, component of the conservative religious Jones University v. United States, would that this martyr narrative is a fantasy. liberty campaign. Minnesotans United, call for withdrawal from all schools and School-prayer cases are not about indi- for example, found that a large plurality social service organizations that disfa- viduals praying; they are about groups 14 of marriage opponents believed that, if vor same-sex relationships.” Note the (including non-consenting individu- same-sex marriage were legal, religious elisions here: from “many gay-rights als) being led in prayer by another. Gay organizations would be forced to solem- advocates argue” to a position that no rights cases are not about individuals or nize same-sex marriages. As noted, this court has ever taken; from withdrawing religious communities expressing opin- is not the case. tax-exempt status to overall “withdraw- ions or engaging (or not) in private acts; The data suggest that conservative re- al”; from a racist policy to “disfavor.” they are about individuals and commu- ligious liberty advocates will succeed if The ‘coming storm,’ of course, is highly nities creating hostile environments they can blur the lines regarding what unlikely to come in this way, but such for others by expressing their views, same-sex marriage legislation would ac- subtleties tend to be lost. refusing services, or in other ways di- tually do. If progressives state clearly and rectly communicating a message of loudly that no church will ever be com- MARTYR NARRATIVE second-class status to LGBT people. pelled to perform a same-sex marriage, Third, and more broadly, “religious liber- And the current contraception battle is on the other hand, many opponents will ty” rhetoric refers to earlier moments in not about whether a church may exer- become supporters. Christian history, such as the early Chris- cise its conscience, but whether it may tian martyrs in the Roman period. Read- do so at the expense of other parties’ rights. Yet in terms of Christian myth, THE WAR ON RELIGION ing “religious liberty” books, one gets a completely inverted picture of life in the the martyr narrative eclipses these in- Second, it is important to recognize that convenient truths. the Christian Right really does believe “Bible Belt.” Rather than an oppressive that its religious liberty is under attack. religiosity exerting influence over all spring 2013 The Public Eye • 5 REDEFINING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

FRAME, NOT FACTS same-sex marriages” is an act of discrimi- solute. When they bump up against Fourth, the RL argument is really about nation, not merely a religious practice. other civil rights, they may prevail, or framing, not facts. This makes it difficult Second, “religious liberty” arguments may fall. Yet RL rhetoric is asymmetri- to refute, since it is really a matter of inter- generally invent religious observances cal and unclear. What is abridged in pretation. For example, on the question of where none had existed before. There is the New Mexico case and similar ones whether an employer must provide con- no Christian teaching forbidding people is the ability to act in a non-religious, traception coverage in health insurance from photographing something they may discriminatory way on the basis of a plans: Whose rights are at stake? In the find objectionable. Suppose the photog- professed religious conviction. Taking RL frame, the employer’s religious liberty rapher were a conservative Catholic who a photograph is not facilitating a mar- rights are threatened. In the civil rights agreed with Pope Benedict XVI’s state- riage, or blessing it, or solemnizing it. frame, the employee’s reproductive rights ment that other religions are “deficient.” It is not a religious act at all but a com- are threatened. Same facts, but different Would she be barred by Catholic doctrine mercial one—subject to a host of laws, frames lead to different potential “vic- from taking pictures of a Jewish couple? and impacting other parties’ rights. tims.” Likewise in LGBTQ cases. In one Is taking a photograph, as a professional case, frequently cited by “religious liberty” who advertises doing so as a business, a EXPANDING THE SPHERE activists, a New Mexico wedding photog- religious act at all? Finally, “religious liberty” activists sub- rapher was fined $6,000 for refusing to Third, discriminating merely because tly expand the sphere of religious ex- photograph a same-sex couple. Whose one is offended is illegal, regardless of emptions. Typically there are five tiers rights are at stake: The photographer’s re- whether the feeling of offense comes of actors: ligious interest in not sanctioning a same- from religion or not. The photographer, 1. Churches, clergy, and religious insti- sex union, or the couple’s right to be free Elaine Huguenin, may have been offend- tutions from discrimination? ed in some way, but she might also have There are several common moves that been offended by an interracial couple, 2. Religious organizations or an interfaith couple. Would such dis- RL advocates make in such cases. 3. Religious-affiliated organizations First, they generally portray only one crimination be legal? Huguenin was re- side of this equation. For example, after quired only to offer the services she pub- 4. Religious-owned businesses describing the New Mexico case, Thomas licly advertised to all comers. When one 5. Religious individuals Berg writes, “It is likely in the future that enters the marketplace as a business, one The law treats these tiers differently: religious dissenters, organizations, and agrees to a whole host of rules. Perhaps Churches are rarely required to obey an- individuals, will more frequently face one’s religion teaches that it is acceptable ti-discrimination laws, for example, but a Hobson’s choice between facilitating or even required to defraud unbelievers; religious organizations may be, and reli- same-sex marriages against their con- nonetheless, doing so is illegal. Perhaps gious-owned businesses are. RL rhetoric science and giving up their charitable ac- one’s religion teaches that women’s hair deliberately misstates harms upward, tivities or small businesses.”16 There is no must always be covered; nonetheless, one and tactically expands exemptions mention here that refusing to “facilitating may not require such observance among one’s customers. In downward. On the one side, no clergy all cases, believers will ever have to solemnize any marriage are “rendering unto against her/his beliefs, yet restrictions Caesar what is Cae- on tier 4 or 5 individuals are cynically sar’s” by obeying the extended by RL messaging to tier 1. On secular civil law. the other side, RL advocates are clearly Fourth, is it even pursuing a staged plan to migrate exten- true that a photogra- sions downward. For example, in the pher is “facilitating New York same-sex marriage debate, ex- same-sex marriages isting law exempted tier 1, Republican against [her] con- state senators won exemptions for tiers science?” The term 2 and 3, but at least one senator held out “facilitating” sug- for tiers 4 and 5, and ultimately voted gests that the pho- against marriage equality. tographer enabled This expansion of the sphere of exemp- the marriage, which tions is best illustrated in the example of is incorrect. the so-called “HHS Mandate.” As Professor Though it is hardly ever reported in Chai Feldblum the media, this provision did not in fact has discussed in originate with “Obamacare.” In 2000, several articles,17 the U.S. Equal Employment Opportuni- religious liberty ty Commission held that failure to pro- claims are not ab- vide contraceptive coverage violates the

6 • The Public Eye spring 2013 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act, an United States Conference of Catholic Bishops amendment to Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that outlaws, among other The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has been at the forefront of things, discrimination based on sex.18 the conservative religious liberty campaign as applied both to healthcare and LGBTQ is- Thus, contraception coverage has been sues. In June 2010, the USCCB created an initiative called “Marriage: Unique for a Reason,” the law for all employer-sponsored com- which emphasizes sexual difference between partners as crucial to marriage and conserva- prehensive health plans for businesses tive religious liberty concerns: The legal definition of marriage as between one man and with more than 15 employees for 12 one woman not only protects marriage as an institution, but also protects the religious 1 years. And 26 states already have laws freedom of those who adhere to that definition. requiring contraceptive coverage, laws As the U.S. presidential election season was getting underway, the USCCB re-issued its that have been upheld in court.19 “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” treatise, which “applies Catholic moral prin- What transpired, however, was any- ciples to a range of important issues.” In the document, the bishops cite religious liberty thing but settled. In January 2012, as a central concern for Catholic voters: “As Americans, we are . . . blessed with religious HHS Secretary Katherine Sebelius an- liberty which safeguards our right to bring our principles and moral convictions into the nounced the new policy. Though it public arena. These Constitutional freedoms need to be both exercised and protected, as exempted churches and religious non- some seek to mute the voices or limit the freedoms of religious believers and religious profits (tiers 1 and 2 of the above taxon- institutions. . . . The Church through its institutions must be free to carry out its mission omy), Catholic churches and charities and contribute to the common good without being pressured to sacrifice fundamental immediately objected.20 On February teachings and moral principles.”2 10, 2012, HHS announced a compro- In 2012, the USCCB provided the organizational and PR muscle to complement the Becket mise, in which insurance providers, Fund’s intellectual leadership on the HHS provision. Their “Fortnight for Freedom” (June rather than employers, would absorb 21-July 4) was a national series of events about religious liberty issues, chiefly the HHS the cost of the deductible.21 This would provision and same-sex marriage. have seemed to remove the conscience- offending causality. But by then the Catholic Church (and in particular the USCCB) was empowered and took on EFFECTIVENESS giously affiliated agencies should be able the entire HHS provision, including the Current data on the overall effectiveness to refuse to place children with same-sex part that was already part of settled law. of the “religious freedom” strategy are couples, if those agencies receive federal The Becket Fund has since filed 58 law- mixed. According to the Public Religion funding.27 This may be in part because suits challenging the HHS Mandate.22 Research Institute (PRRI), 49 percent of the question included the issue of federal On February 1, 2013, the Obama ad- Americans do not believe that religious funds: Much of the public may not know ministration proposed allowing faith- freedom is threatened in America to- that Catholic Charities benefits from mil- based hospitals and universities—not day, while 50 percent do believe that it lions of dollars of federal funding. merely churches and religious orga- is being threatened.24 Correlating those It is also worth noting that there may nizations—to issue plans that do not data with statistics on Americans’ reli- be some truth to the Christian Right’s provide birth control (i.e., tier 3, in ad- gious beliefs generally—e.g., 46 percent fears that America is growing less reli- dition to tiers 1 and 2). They would not believe in creationism25—this suggests gious—and looks to continue doing so. have to contract, arrange, pay or refer that it is primarily religious traditional- A Pew report from October 2012 found for any contraceptive coverage to which ists who believe that religious freedom that the “nones”—Americans who are they object on religious grounds. The is under attack. In other words, Becket religiously unaffiliated—are rapidly women who work for this second group and others may be preaching to the growing, and now comprise 19.6 per- would still get birth control coverage, choir. Of course, conservative religious cent of Americans,28 with higher per- but it would come through a separate liberty campaigns are multifaceted and centages among younger age groups. individual plan, not from the religious may have success in the courts and leg- It is also true, of course, that LGBTQ organization’s plan. This is a huge con- islatures, even if public opinion lags rights have made astonishing advances cession and should represent a victory behind. Interestingly, the PRRI data in recent years (even as women’s rights for the “religious liberty” campaign. showed no significant difference be- to healthcare have diminished over But in a statement, the Becket Fund tween Roman Catholics and Protestants the same period). So the overall metric said the new rule “does nothing to pro- on this issue: 55 percent of Catholics of effectiveness may be these deeper tect the religious freedom of millions said religious freedom was not being trends, which portend a diminishment of Americans”—in other words, tiers threatened, while 44 percent said it is. 26 in the power of religion to influence 4 and 5.23 The tactic of expanding the On another issue, that of adoption, the public opinion. sphere of exemptions has had such suc- conservative religious liberty argument Jay Michaelson, formerly the religious liber- cess that it is now focused on obtaining has failed to gain much traction beyond ty fellow at PRA, is the recently named Vice religious exemptions for any corpora- those already convinced. Sixty-three per- President of social justice programs at the tion that wishes to obtain them. cent of Americans do not believe that reli- Arcus Foundation.

spring 2013 The Public Eye • 7 BY RACHEL TABACHNICK

The Christian Right, Reborn The New Apostolic Reformation Goes To War

The New Apostolic Reformation, an aggressively political movement within Christianity, blames literal demonic beings for the world’s ills and stresses the power of “spiritual warfare”to deliver people and nations from their power. It is rapidly gaining influence in the United States and around the globe, and aims to advance a right-wing social and economic agenda—all while reinventing the structure of Christianity.

Participants at a NAR event in Nashville, TN, on July 7, 2007. Image courtesy of thoughtquotient.com.

n the late summer of 2000, Rev. ton, D.C., and changed the course of the involved in U.S. politics, especially in an- Lou Engle, a political activist 2000 election. The prayers of the faithful tichoice and antigay organizing. Engle and Charismatic religious lead- were answered when the U.S. Supreme staged TheCall San Diego, for example, er, organized an all-day prayer Court handed down its Bush v. Gore de- the week before the 2008 election, with rally in Washington, D.C. As cision, giving the election to George W. the explicit purpose of bolstering support Engle explained later, the event Bush. On the heels of that success, “the for Proposition 8, the California ballot originated in a pressing ques- inward voice of the Lord . . . reverberated initiative and constitutional amendment tion that he couldn’t shake: strongly in his spirit,” and Engle decided that limited the definition of marriage “How can I turn America back to God?” In to organize a similar event in another to a union between a man and a woman. Ia dream, Engle “felt overwhelmed by the city in 2001. At the suggestion of Sam Engle’s organization mounted a radio impossibility” of achieving that goal, but Brownback, now the governor of Kansas campaign and sent out email and phone then he saw a vision of a verse from the and then a Republican U.S. senator, he blasts in support of Proposition 8, and Bible: “And he will go on before the Lord chose Boston. Brownback had told him he urged attendees to be martyrs for the in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn that “you need to dig the wells of revival cause.3 James Dobson, founder of the the hearts of the fathers to their children in New England and close the doors to Christian Right organization Focus on and the disobedient to the wisdom of the false ideologies that have found entrance the Family, later cited TheCall San Diego righteous.”1 From that dream, and a sub- through Boston.”2 as the reason for Proposition 8’s success.4 sequent “supernatural series of events,” a Since then, Engle has staged more than In 2010, an estimated 10,000 people at- giant prayer rally was born. Engle named 20 similar rallies, and each has attracted tended TheCall Houston, whose purpose it TheCall. tens of thousands of participants to sta- was “to contend for the ending of abor- By Engle’s account, TheCall drew diums across the United States. He and tion and to spark an adoption revolu- 400,000 people to the Mall in Washing- his organization have also become deeply tion.” Antichoice activism was a major

8 • The Public Eye spring 2013 BY RACHEL TABACHNICK focus, as well, of TheCall Detroit in No- flagship maga- vember 2011.5 zine, Charisma, The NAR’s influence is international. that it “was part Engle was featured extensively in God of a shift in the NAR leaders have forged a powerful Loves Uganda, a documentary about U.S. heavens and that “spiritual warfare” theology that puts the evangelical conservatives’ antigay influ- God has thrown a ence in Uganda, where the infamous An- window open,” so political and social transformation of the ti-Homosexuality “Kill the Gays” Bill was that we “have en- world at the top of Christianity’s agenda first introduced in 2009.6 tered a season of Engle is a leader in a Charismatic reli- time in a massive gious and political movement called the [spiritual] war. . . New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). His . We are in a war, and structures, for example.13 Both ani- rallies are among the movement’s most and if we don’t win, we lose everything” mate and inanimate objects are believed visible public manifestations, and despite (brackets in original).10 to be demon haunted,14 and NAR train- Dobson’s endorsement, they reflect many Consequently, NAR leaders have ing materials include examples of prayer of the NAR’s departures from the tradi- forged a powerful “spiritual warfare” the- harming or killing human beings who tional Christian Right. The movement ology that puts the political and social are considered to be demonic. The purg- is rooted in Charismatic Christianity, a transformation of the world at the top of ing of supposed demonic influences is cross-denominational belief in modern- Christianity’s agenda.11 The revolution celebrated in NAR media with dancing day miracles and the supernatural. begins, they believe, with the casting and singing. Emerging from the U.S. neo-Pentecos- out of demons. NAR training materi- In all of this, the NAR’s leaders believe tal movement that gained particular als claim that communities around the that they are preparing Christians to force in the 1980s, these beliefs spread world are healed of their problems—ex- battle against evil, gain dominion over to Roman Catholics and mainline and periencing a sudden and supernatural the earth, and pave the way for Jesus’s re- evangelical Protestant churches in the decline in poverty, crime, corruption, turn. With those goals in mind, the NAR United States and worldwide. and even environmental degradation— is deeply invested in infiltrating every Pentecostalism has a history of racial once demonic influences are mapped and realm of American society, and the move- diversity and women ministers, and NAR then purged from society through NAR’s ment believes that what is now primarily itself has broad appeal in terms of gen- particular brand of “spiritual warfare,” a religious revolution will culminate in der, race, and ethnicity. For example, which is sometimes referred to as “power total revolution. Indeed, at a conference women and minorities are prominent in evangelism.” in 2008, a prominent NAR leader pointed its leadership.7 It’s also culturally savvy, Power evangelism is based on the idea to a map showing apostolic centers in the sponsoring youth events that look more that some “people groups,” including U.S.—or “Freedom Centers,” as he de- like rock concerts than traditional church ethnic, racial, religious, or geographic scribed them. Speaking of NAR apostles services. Its stylish leaders dress in casual groups, resist being evangelized be- and prophets, as leaders of the move- clothes, encourage fasting and repetitive cause they are controlled by “territorial ment are called, he said: “They’re out chanting as a means of inducing altered spirits,” or high-level demons. Strategic there. Believe me, they are everywhere. mental states, and use sophisticated me- prayer is believed to loosen the control of There are apostles in the military. There dia strategies and techniques to deliver these demons, allowing for mass evan- are apostles in government. . . . They’re their message. gelism and the subsequent transforma- there in entertainment. They’re there in But the NAR aims to be far more than tion of communities.12 The sources of education. You have no idea what God is a hipper and more diverse version of demonic activity can include homosexu- about to unleash on this nation.”15 the Christian Right. Its most prominent ality, abortion, non-Christian religions, Even if it falls short in its world-con- leaders and prolific authors claim to be and even sins from the past. This prac- quering ambitions, or in Engle’s hope to creating the “greatest change in church tice of applying power evangelism to “turn America back to God,” the NAR de- since the Protestant Reformation,”8 and people was evident, for example, in The- mands serious attention. The movement they describe themselves as modern-day Call Boston in 2001. Charisma reported is bringing about profound changes in prophets and apostles. The movement that “50,000 people filled City Hall Pla- the character of conservative Christian- aims to unify evangelical and all Protes- za” and “petitioned God to shift the ide- ity and the Christian Right, both in the tant Christianity into a postdenomina- ologies of witchcraft and the Gothic sub- United States and around the globe.16 tional structure, bringing about a refor- culture and to affect the humanism that The source of the movement’s great mation in the way that churches relate came to Boston by way of the French Age strength lies not just in building new in- to one other, and in individual churches’ of Enlightenment philosophers Jean- stitutions, but in creating new networks internal governance.9 Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire.” and alliances among long-established The NAR believes that radical political NAR leaders teach that strategic prayer institutions. The NAR’s leaders are me- and social consequences will follow from can literally alter circumstances in the thodically transforming the nature of this religious reformation. Speaking of temporal world: the spontaneous burn- the relationship between congregations TheCall D.C., Engle told the movement’s ing and destruction of religious icons and their leaders, creating a much more

spring 2013 The Public Eye • 9 THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT, REBORN

NAR Terms: A Glossary authoritarian leadership style than has traditionally been true of evan- apostles and prophets Otis defines several more terms that are gelical Christianity. That shift is According to C. Peter Wagner, prophets are central to the NAR movement: central to the movement’s political “those most strongly anointed by God to potential. The NAR’s charismatic, hear his voice.” He describes prophets as community transformation authoritarian leaders are well-po- sitioned to reinvent the Christian needing to partner with an apostle. “Apos- “A condition of dramatic socio-political Right, infusing it with a new wave tles take the word of God from the prophets renewal that results from God’s people of energy, expanding its base of (and, they also, of course, hear from God entering into corporate vision, corporate support, conducting sophisticated directly), they judge it, they interpret it, they repentance and corporate prayer.” political campaigns, and doubling strategize their procedures and they assume intercessory prayer down on right-wing social and eco- leadership in implementing it.” Elsewhere, “Petitions, entreaties and thanksgivings nomic agendas—all while giving Wagner writes that an apostle is a “leader made on behalf of another. Intercession the Christian Right a new gloss of . . . sent by God with authority to establish also involves the act of standing between openness and diversity. the foundational government of the Church the object of prayer and spiritual forces.”3 within an assigned sphere of ministry by (“Intercessory prayer” is an old phrase hearing what the Spirit is saying to the CHRISTIANITY AND that has been redefined in the context of churches and by setting things in order ac- THE CHARISMATIC Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare, defined cordingly for the expansion of the Kingdom.” REVOLUTION below.) The roles of the prophet and apostle often The NAR has emerged primarily from overlap. Many leaders hold both roles. strategic level spiritual warfare the Pentecostal/Charismatic sec- tor of Christianity. Charismatics are “A term that pertains to intercessory bishop evangelicals, in that they believe in confrontations with demonic power con- “Bishop” is used interchangeably with the necessity of being “born again.” centrated over given cities, cultures, and apostle. The Church of God in Christ, a Pen- But they also believe that a second peoples.” In SLSW, intercessors believe tecostal denomination, has traditionally had conversion experience, sometimes they can literally block demonic attack, bishops, but the title is also used by some called baptism in the Holy Spirit, which is the reason for the proliferation of leaders of New Apostolic networks.1 endows believers with supernatural prayer rooms that function 24/7 in loca- gifts, which may include the pow- tions around the world. C. Peter Wagner charismatic ers of healing, speaking in tongues, writes about having three sets of personal Refers to Christians who have experienced and prophesying. “Pentecostal” re- intercessors, and some businesses are now what is described as “baptism in the Holy fers to the denominations formed by Spirit,” or a secondary conversion experience employing paid intercessors for protec- Charismatics beginning in the early 4 that is believed to be accompanied by endow- tion. Wagner teaches that there are three 1900s. As a whole, Pentecostals and ments of supernatural spiritual gifts, such as levels of spiritual warfare: 1) ground level, Charismatics constitute about one- speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing.2 or casting out demons from individuals; fourth of the Christian population 2) occult level, meaning the battle against globally, and their numbers are rap- neocharismatics and the third wave demons that operate through witchcraft idly growing, along with their influ- According to World Christian Trends, the and esoteric philosophies; and 3) strate- ence. A recent Pew survey found revolutionary Pentecostal movement that gic level, meaning the battle against the 36 percent of Americans were Pen- began about a century ago has been defined highest level of literal territorial spirits that tecostal or Charismatic.17 by three “waves.” The burgeoning of tradi- SLSW practitioners believe are in control In one sense, the NAR is the lat- tional Pentecostal denominations defined of communities, ethnic groups, religions, est iteration of a long tradition: For the First Wave. The Second Wave was a and nations. decades, rogue movements have more general spread of Pentecostal theol- emerged on the fringes of the Pente- territorial spirits ogy and practice throughout Catholicism costal/Charismatic sector of Chris- “Demonic powers that have been given and many mainline Protestant denomina- tianity, teaching that a coming gen- tions. Second Wavers are called Charismat- controlling influence over specific sites, eration will receive a supernatural 5 ics. The Third Wave is even broader and peoples, and areas.” outpouring that empowers it to sub- includes “believers baptized in the Holy 18 warfare prayer due or take dominion over nations. Spirit but who do not affiliate with First With the NAR’s rise, this belief has “The application of strategic-level spiritual Wavers or Second Wavers, but join inde- moved from the fringes into broader warfare to evangelistic efforts. An uproot- pendent churches.” These Third Wavers are streams of evangelical life. ing of prevailing spiritual strongholds that called Neocharismatics. The man credited with coining the hinder the gospel.”6 In the book Informed Intercession, George name New Apostolic Reformation is C. Peter Wagner, who was a pro- fessor of “church growth” for three

10 • The Public Eye spring 2013 decades at Fuller Theological Seminary, sions. Within the ICA, Wagner presided ditional evangelicals in that they claim to a nondenominational evangelical semi- over an association of apostles—many receive extra-biblical revelation directly nary in Pasadena, CA. Wagner became of which, in turn, claimed hundreds from God—early warnings of natural di- internationally known for his teaching or thousands of ministries under their saster, for example, or messages about on church expansion and was a leading leadership.23 Wagner also formed net- various political candidates.31 They fre- strategist for the Lausanne Committee for works of faith-healing ministries, “de- quently broadcast their prophecies on the World Evangelism. A spinoff of that orga- liverance ministries” that claim to free movement’s popular websites. nization, following an international con- people from demon possession, and an NAR leaders refer to this shift as the ference in Singapore in 1989, launched inner-circle of leading prophets, in addi- “restoration of the five-fold gospel,” a massive effort to evangelize as much of tion to the Wagner Leadership Institute based on a verse in the New Testament the world as possible by the year 2000.19 (WLI), a network of training programs in book of Ephesians, which describes the Known as “AD 2000 and Beyond,” this ef- locations across the United States, Cana- roles of church leadership as apostles, fort enabled Wagner and other pioneers da, and several Asian nations.24 prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teach- to promote the distinctive ideology that is Disdain for traditional institutions ers.32 The responsibilities of apostles and central to the NAR. and seminary training is common across prophets overlap. In broad terms, proph- Though not from a Pentecostal or the movement, and leaders are provided ets claim they have the power to hear Charismatic background, Wagner has certificates, including doctorates, for God’s voice, while apostles claim to have embraced Charismatic beliefs about completing courses on apostolic govern- received a special anointing from God, faith-healing, speaking in tongues, and ment, submission to authority, combat- which allows them to assume leadership prophecy.20 In this, he reflects the dra- ting demons, and the “Seven Mountains in implementing God’s will. In many cas- matic growth of Charismatic-style belief Mandate.”25 The latter is a campaign es, a senior pastor declares him- or her- among evangelicals who don’t consider that teaches how to take “dominion” self to be both an apostle and a prophet, themselves Charismatics or Pentecostals. over the seven power centers of society: and it’s common for pastors/apostles to Wagner has dubbed the movement the arts and entertainment, businesses, have spouses who are also prophets. “Third Wave.” It’s now the largest sector education, family, government, media, Apostles often require a percentage of of the Pentecostal/Charismatic stream and religion.26 the tithe from the churches, for which within Christianity, far outnumbering they provide apostolic covering, creat- First and Second Wave Charismatics. ing a pyramid system in which money THE AUTHORITARIAN IMPULSE (The former refers to traditional Pente- AND EVANGELICAL CHURCHES flows to the top. And though there is costal denominations. The latter refers to no rigid hierarchy, the system leads to Evangelical churches in the United the spread of Charismatic beliefs within an increasingly authoritarian system of States are, traditionally, democratically the mainline Protestant denominations, church governance. Apostles at the helm governed. Pastors are typically hired or and among Roman Catholics, beginning of churches often have control over much fired directly by congregational vote or in the 1960s.) of the church’s finances, and they can be by elected deacons or elders, who also The Third Wave involves the spread of sanctioned or removed only by their own manage the budget and make other de- distinctly Charismatic manifestations and apostolic overseers. This transition has cisions for the congregation.27 But one beliefs throughout other sectors of evan- become so common that there are now of the major themes taught by New Ap- gelical Christianity, including an obses- organizations that provide New Apostol- ostolic leaders is the need for congrega- sion with the spirit world and with demon- ic-style church constitutions online.33 tional and organizational members to ology. Paradoxically, these obsessions In the United States, an influential ad- submit to pastoral, or apostolic, authori- have often been rejected by traditional vocate of shifting away from democratic ty.28 The effect is that, across the nation, Pentecostals and Charismatics.21 The governance is Rick Warren, the best-sell- churches that were once democratically Third Wave is primarily made up of post- ing author and pastor of a megachurch in governed are transferring power to NAR denominational, or unaffiliated, churches California. Though his church is part of apostles, who then provide “apostolic and ministries. The NAR apostles and the Southern Baptist Convention, a de- covering” to other pastors, churches, prophets are forming relational networks nomination in which churches have tra- and ministries below them.29 The apos- between these unaffiliated churches as ditionally been governed by democrati- tolic “cover” is the person to whom one well as current denominations. cally elected deacons, Warren echoes the is accountable—a spiritual mentor. Fail- As the author of dozens of the move- NAR teaching that church government ing to submit to this authority means ment’s foundational books, Wagner is should be led by those who have been en- inviting demonic attack. Submitting be- both its leading theorist and its most dowed with “spiritual gifts.” As Warren comes a measure of one’s faith.30 important organizing force. In the late wrote in his dissertation at Fuller Theo- Apostles and prophets, who the move- 1990s, he became the leader—or “Con- logical, “The church functions on the ba- ment asserts are chosen by God rather vening Apostle”—of the International sis of spiritual gifts, not elected offices. than church elders, are the leaders of Coalition of Apostles (ICA).22 It became You don’t find anybody getting elected in this new authority structure. One way an international model for forming the the New Testament.”34 Peter Wagner was they demonstrate their chosen status is NAR’s relational networks, which have the mentor for that dissertation, which through prophecy. They differ from tra- both horizontal and vertical dimen- became the basis for Warren’s first book, spring 2013 The Public Eye • 11 THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT, REBORN

The Purpose Driven Church. Unlike Wag- as “gatekeepers and agents of change the year outside Mozambique, speaking ner, though, Warren does not specify and leadership within their regions.”41 at apostolic and prophetic conferences that churches be under the authority of Though Rodriguez has been marketed globally, including the annual “Voice of modern-day apostles and prophets, a dis- as a moderate evangelical, he is deeply the Apostles” conference.49 tinct marker of NAR adherents.35 engaged in social-conservative activism The nation’s flagship evangelical pub- Another influential advocate of these and in promoting Islamophobia, deny- lication also failed to delve into Baker’s new authority structures was Ted Hag- ing global warming, and promulgating practice of “expelling” demons from gard, the now-disgraced former presi- neoconservative economic policy, as a re- children or the role that Baker and the dent of the National Association of cent Public Eye article shows.42 Churches Revival Alliance played in the work of Evangelicals (NAE). In the late 1990s, from numerous denominations were to Todd Bentley, one of the most contro- Haggard partnered with Wagner to build be included in Rodriguez’s grandiose goal versial figures in the NAR. Bentley had the World Prayer Center as the electronic of “bring[ing] together the top 12 most held revival events with Baker in Africa at “nerve center” and headquarters of Wag- anointed apostles of every nation of the which he claimed to heal AIDS victims.50 ner’s newly formed NAR entities in Colo- Western Hemisphere by the year 2010 And in 2008, the heavily tattooed Bentley rado Springs.36 and every nation of the world by 2020.”43 temporarily became the superstar of the Haggard’s book The Life-Giving Church, The 3DBN network led by Rodriguez movement with a faith-healing revival in included the par- which he punched and kicked patients ticipation of an AOG in order to “heal” them and expel the de- presbyter who pro- mons that caused their affliction.51 Before his downfall, a rising star of the vided references for Apostles representing Revival Alliance, movement punched and kicked patients in the network.44 The Wagner’s ICA, and Rick Joyner (a prophet network provided ap- and leader of another apostolic network) order to “heal” them and expel their demons ostolic covering for came together in an unprecedented cer- a group of primarily emony in June 2008 to place Bentley un- Latino churches in the der the apostolic covering of the Revival U.S. and a few inter- Alliance apostles, claiming that this was included a foreword by Wagner and de- national churches. In 2004, Rodriguez the beginning of a great Holy Spirit out- scribed the “evolving way we admin- and two other 3DBN leaders founded pouring of supernatural signs and won- istrate the discipling of believers” in the National Hispanic Christian Leader- ders on the nation.52 A press investigation New Apostolic churches. This included ship Conference (NHCLC) as an evange- found no evidence of Bentley’s power to church bylaws that allowed for Haggard listic association. In 2010 and 2012, the heal people or bring the dead to life.53 This to have control over 65 percent of the NHCLC partnered with the multimillion failed to deter thousands of pilgrims from church budget.37 dollar get-out-the-vote effort of United around the world from flocking to Lake- Wagner and Haggard parted ways a few in Purpose, and its media promoted the land, Florida. Bentley’s role in the healing years later, but before Haggard’s dramat- work of Rodriguez, Newt Gingrich, David revival abruptly ended a few weeks after ic public sex and drugs scandal.38 In his Barton, and Christian Right luminaries.45 the ceremony, when he was exposed for autobiography, Wagner cited Haggard’s The NAR’s broadening influence is cheating on his wife. move toward traditional evangelical- evident, as well, in the recent coverage ism, in anticipation of his presidency of it has received from Christianity Today.46 DOMINIONISM RISING the NAE, as the reason for the split. That In 2012, the magazine featured a popular The New Apostolic Reformation has in- shift “did not fit at all with our apostolic/ figure in the movement, Heidi Baker, on herited and accelerated two transforma- 39 prophetic stream of Christianity,” ac- its cover. The author of the piece begins tive currents within conservative Christi- cording to Wagner, though today, NAR by stating that there are credible reports anity over the past several decades. One is apostles and prophets such as Samuel that Baker heals the deaf and raises the a revised theology of the End Times. The Rodriguez and Harry Jackson hold board dead in her ministry work in Mozam- other is the energized, empowered, and positions in the NAE, including on the bique. Baker goes on to assert that she highly politicized variety of evangelical- 40 executive board. and her husband do not promote the ism that has emerged from this theology. NAR or consider themselves modern-day Prior to the emergence of the con- apostles.47 THE NAR’S BROADENING temporary Christian Right in the 1970s, INFLUENCE Christianity Today failed to challenge many conservative Christians were strong her assertion despite Baker’s role as a The inroads made by the NAR in the defenders of the separation of church leader of the internationally known Re- larger evangelical world are evident in and state, and there was little in funda- vival Alliance network. In this role, Baker the work of Samuel Rodriguez, an As- mentalists’ theology—particularly their provides apostolic covering to numerous semblies of God pastor and one of the beliefs about the End Times—that could other ministries around the world, in- nation’s most prominent Hispanic evan- be interpreted as encouraging political cluding her own Iris Ministry’s Nashville 54 gelicals. He described the apostles of his activism. Those beliefs centered on a branch.48 In her role as one of the Revival own Third Day Believers Network (3DBN) narrative that involved Christians being Alliance Apostles, Baker spends much of

12 • The Public Eye spring 2013 “raptured” to heaven just prior to the sev- en-year rule of the Antichrist on earth. This belief is called Pre-Tribulational Dis- On Screen: NAR In Africa pensationalism, or simply Pre-Trib, and God Loves Uganda, a 2013 documentary film, focuses on the evangelistic work of it was popularized in fiction in the mid- some key New Apostolic Reformation figures, specifically their role in fomenting twentieth century, when the threat posed antigay attitudes and activism. Their efforts were part of an antigay campaign that by nuclear weapons made end-of-the- led Uganda’s legislature, in 2009, to come close to passing the Anti-Homosexuality world scenarios seem especially plausi- Bill, which sought to impose the death penalty for some homosexual behavior ble.55 The belief system’s most influential articulator is Hal Lindsey, whose book (thus its more colloquial name, the “Kill the Gays Bill”). It’s currently in limbo in the The Late Great Planet Earth, published legislature. in 1970, became a publishing phenome- Though the film and its promotional materials identify them only as evangelical non—one of the best-selling books of the Christians, the people and organizations at the forefront of this campaign have decade—and brought Pre-Trib ideas into deep roots in the NAR movement. They include Lou Engle, whose “solemn assem- the U.S. cultural mainstream. blies” emphasize antichoice and antigay themes and have attracted tens of thou- The disconnect between this theol- sands of people to stadiums across the U.S. Also featured is the Kansas City-based ogy and political activism is the lack of incentive for working through politi- International House of Prayer, which sponsors round-the-clock prayers sessions cal mechanisms to change the world. A that plead for the U.S. to be “healed” of cultural and sexual depravity. theology more compatible with their po- God Loves Uganda is an official selection at numerous film festivals in 2013, includ- liticization began percolating through ing Sundance. Its director, Roger Ross Williams, explained what motivated him to conservative Christian circles in the de- make the film: cades prior to 2000. In direct contrast to Pre-Trib teachings, Dominionism posits “I began meeting in Uganda—and in America—some of the mission- that Christians must take dominion over aries who have helped to create Uganda’s evangelical movement. the earth before Jesus can return.56 The They were often large hearted. They were passionate and commit- leading thinkers behind modern-day ted. Many of them were kids from America’s heartland. And they Dominion theology belong to a move- were, I began to discover, part of a larger Christian evangelical move- ment called Reconstructionism. ment that believed that Biblical law should reign supreme—not just In 1982, Reconstructionists dedicated in people’s hearts—but in the halls of government.” an entire issue of the journal Christian- ity and Civilization to a critique of the Rev. Kapya Kaoma, a religion and sexuality researcher with Political Research As- way that fundamentalists, including sociates, appears as a voice of tolerance in God Loves Uganda. He is also featured Jerry Falwell, were operating the New in a related short video by Roger Ross Williams, titled “Gospel of Intolerance.” The 57 Christian Right. The critique centered New York Times published the eight-minute “Op-Doc” on its website. Referring to on the “intellectual schizophrenia” of his research in Uganda, Kaoma says, “I discovered that some American evangelicals, the movement, meaning the conflict feeling that they have lost the culture war here at home, are now turning to Africa. between its theology and its behavior. The Reconstructionists believed that the Their goal: to wipe out what they call ‘sexual immorality.’” Lou Engle also appears defeatist and escapist Pre-Trib teachings in the video: “The West has been in decline,” he says. “I think Africa is the firepot of failed to provide the foundation for the spiritual renewal and revival. It’s very exciting to me.” reformation of American society. In the same publication, a leading Re- constructionist, Gary North, recalled a political rally in Dallas in 1980, at which The man who made the rally possible, nationalist histories that claim separa- Ronald Reagan addressed a crowd of according to North’s account, was his tion of church and state is a myth; for the 61 about 15,000 people, including 200 father-in-law, Rousas J. Rushdoony, the revival of creationist teachings; and for pastors.58 Several evangelical luminar- preeminent Reconstructionist intellec- “biblical economics,” that is, using bib- ies were in attendance, and the former tual. Rushdoony has become best known lical sources to justify free-market eco- 62 governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, for his belief that biblical law should be nomics. On the last subject, Rushdoony was in charge of logistics. North wrote enforced—even execution by stoning for has written extensively about the biblical of the rally that it “was a political rally: some offenses, such as gay sex and abor- prohibition of certain taxes and govern- more precisely, it was a rally for politics tion. The shock value of these stances ment-sponsored welfare and social-safe- as such, and for Christian involvement has mostly obscured Rushdoony’s main- ty nets. Most importantly, Rushdoony in politics. It was a break from almost stream influence and achievements, paved the way for American fundamen- 60 six decades of political inaction on the which are considerable. Rushdoony talists to move toward the aggressive po- part of American fundamentalist reli- laid the foundation for the modern litical engagement that has marked the 63 gious leaders.”59 homeschooling movement; for Christian Christian Right since the 1980s. spring 2013 The Public Eye • 13 THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT, REBORN

By the 1990s, Reconstructionist ideol- the Spirit. The Neocharismatic stream, including the Ft. Lauderdale Shepherds ogy had been widely disseminated within in fact, is a world in which it’s not un- and the Kansas City Prophets, and in re- the Christian Right, largely through the usual to find reports of glory clouds, vivals like the Toronto Blessing and the efforts of a group called the Coalition on gold dust, and gem stones appearing, or Lakeland Outpouring. Revival, founded in 1984. Its goal was of worshippers being “slain in the Spir- to bring conservative evangelical, fun- it” and falling to the floor with ecstatic PROPHETS AND APOSTLES damentalist, and Charismatic leaders laughter. IN A MODERN WORLD together to overcome theological dif- But the two groups served each other’s These theological and political currents ferences and to “implement the Biblical needs and purposes well. Reconstruc- led Peter Wagner to declare, in 2001, that 64 and Christian worldview.” The agenda tionists needed followers, while the Pen- the New Apostolic Reformation had be- is described in the Encyclopedia of Evan- tecostal/Charismatic sector needed a gun. In his book Dominion!, Wagner de- gelism: “The Coalition on Revival has more muscular intellectual dimension. scribes the theology of the movement as sought to build bridges between Recon- Frederick Clarkson has described the ef- Dominionism and traces its intellectual structionist thought and political conser- forts of Christian Reconstructionists to heritage “through R.J. Rushdoony and vatives, and all members of the coalition’s convince Pentecostals and Charismatics Abraham Kuyper to John Calvin.”73 steering committee must sign the Coali- to join their ideological camp: “Recon- Wagner and his closest colleagues pro- tion on Revival Manifesto which includes structionists have sought to graft their ceeded to energize the NAR in the United a pledge to ‘work to Christianize America theology onto the experientially orient- States and across the world through their 65 and the world.’” ed, and often theologically amorphous, evangelizing strategy, dubbed “Strategic A key player in the transition from apo- Pentecostal and Charismatic religious Level Spiritual Warfare,” whose purpose 69 litical to political theology was Christian traditions.” is to increase the speed of evangelization Broadcasting Network’s Pat Robertson, Though Reconstructionism was cru- across the globe.74 who founded the Christian Coalition fol- cial to the spread of Dominionism among Creative media campaigns were de- lowing his unsuccessful run for president Neocharismatics, the concept wasn’t en- veloped to introduce this new concept in 1988. Robertson was ordained as a tirely alien to them. Fringe movements of evangelizing worldwide, including a Southern Baptist minister but became a had emerged repeatedly within Pente- series of films under the Transformations Charismatic who flirted with Reconstruc- costalism, teaching that there would be title.75 These movies resulted in a series tionism. One leader within the Christian an outpouring of supernatural powers in of Transformations organizations form- Right, Gary DeMar, described Robertson a coming generation, allowing them to ing in communities across the globe.76 66 as an “operational Reconstructionist,” subdue or take dominion over nations. A In the United States, among the most and Gary North included Robertson’s rogue movement called Latter Rain, for significant and far-reaching parts of “Christian Action Plan for the 1980s” example, emerged in 1947 from a series the NAR infrastructure is its “prayer in his own “Biblical Economics Today” of faith-healing revivals and a popular warrior” networks. Today, all 50 states 67 newsletter. booklet on gaining supernatural powers have a network under the authority of a 70 The alliance between the Pentecostal/ through long-term fasting. The move- statewide apostolic leader.77 The prayer Charismatic sector of Christianity and ment taught restoration of “the neglect- warrior networks regularly distribute the Reconstructionists seems an un- ed offices in the contemporary church of guides in preparation for elections, “ed- 71 likely one. Reconstructionist leadership apostles and prophets,” along with the ucating” participants on political issues. consists largely of white men, and Rush- laying on of hands to directly “impart” They also sponsor training events and doony was an intellectual and an Ortho- supernatural gifts, including prophecy. conferences and serve as a link between dox Presbyterian who wrote tomes on The Pentecostal denomination As- individuals and various NAR ministries. biblical law for a reconstructed Amer- semblies of God officially denounced the Calls for prayer, especially public dis- 68 ica. Pentecostals and Charismatics, “New Order of Latter Rain” in 1949 (and plays of prayer and repentance, are the 72 meanwhile, are known for their racial repeated that denunciation in 2001). movement’s most vital organizing and and gender diversity, and for their ex- But Latter Rain’s ideology lived on in the energizing tool. One of the NAR’s most periential faith and manifestations of following decades through other groups, influential institutions, the Internation- al House of Prayer (IHOP or IHOPKC), is headquartered in Kansas City and orga- nizes 2,000 people (staff, students, and For the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, PRA released an interns) to maintain prayer sessions that updated edition of the Defending Reproductive Justice are open to the public 24 hours a day, activist resource kit, in recognition of the fact that seven days a week. According to its mis- many women and transgender individuals still lack sion statement, IHOP “is committed to access to reproductive rights. praying for the release of the fullness of Download it today at politicalresearch.org/RJARK. God’s power and purpose, as we actively win the lost, heal the sick, feed the poor, make disciples, and impact every sphere

14 • The Public Eye spring 2013 of society—family, education, govern- manifest here on earth. Dominion means movement within a stone’s throw of the ment, economy, arts, media, religion.”78 being the head and not the tail. Domin- governor’s mansion.” The event, which IHOP claims that its volunteers work 50 ion means ruling as kings. It says in Rev- was broadcast globally via satellite televi- hours a week “as they go from the prayer elation Chapter 1:6 that He has made us sion and the internet, had an estimated room to the classroom and then to minis- kings and priests—and check the rest of audience of up to 30 million people.91 try outreaches and works of service.” Lou that verse; it says for dominion. So we are Three days earlier, Peter Wagner had Engle is part of IHOP’s leadership team kings for dominion.”85 published an essay titled “Why You Must and IHOP’s founder, Mike Bickle, was The magazine Charisma, owned and Take Dominion Over Everything.” He ex- part of Peter Wagner’s original Apostolic published by a former member of Wag- plained how, as a younger man, he had Council of Prophetic Elders. Bickle’s work ner’s International Coalition of Apos- been seduced into the error of Pre-Trib in Kansas City has been the model for tles, published an issue of articles about thinking, in part by The Late Great Planet more than 400 more “houses of prayer” the growing influence of Pentecostals Earth: “Now I look back on those days in the U.S.79 within Ameri- To date, the most highly publicized can politics.86 of NAR’s calls to prayer, or “solemn as- Charisma attrib- semblies,” took place in Houston in the uted the negative “Dominion has to do with control. Dominion summer of 2011. Texas Gov. Rick Perry press to “anti- aggressively promoted it at a time when Pentecostal bias” has to do with rulership. Dominion has to do he was a leading contender for the Repub- and the Left’s with authority and subduing and it relates to lican Party’s presidential nomination. demonization of The rally attracted 30,000 people and “any high-profile society. . . . Dominion means ruling as kings.” was broadcast to churches around the leader who takes - C. Peter Wagner world.80 Several familiar figures from the a stand for Chris- Christian Right appeared on stage with tian values.”87 Perry and leaders of the NAR.81 The result Writing in The was that apostles and prophets who had Washington Post, for years remained under the radar were Lisa Miller quoted the head of the largest with a strange combination of regret and suddenly subjected to scrutiny from the evangelical public-relations firm in the amusement,” he wrote. “How is it that I media, including an interview with me nation: “You would be hard-pressed to was so wrong for so long? As I analyze conducted by Terry Gross on the NPR pro- find one in 1,000 Christians in America my change, I can sum it up by admit- gram Fresh Air.82 who could even wager a guess at what ting that I simply did not understand the Exposed to this scrutiny, NAR’s leaders dominionism is”—though knowing the kingdom of God.”92 publicly distanced themselves from some definition of Dominionism is hardly rel- And what is the key to understanding of their more radical ideology. Webpages evant to following the lead of apostles in the kingdom, according to Wagner? Do- were removed and websites were amend- religious and political activism.88 minion theology. ed to explain that the NAR’s apostles are After Rick Perry’s campaign for presi- “Now I take the Great Commission either not Dominionists, or that the term dent began to visibly collapse, interest in more literally,” Wagner wrote, “when it simply means to gain influence in soci- the NAR waned, and it was back to busi- tells us not to make as many individual ety.83 Peter Wagner himself granted two ness as usual. On November 1, 2011, disciples as we can but to disciple whole unprecedented interviews with main- Lou Engle and Mike Bickle led TheCall social groups—such as entire nations. stream media outlets in October 2011. Detroit, which had been preceded by a This is kingdom theology. . . . The battle He explained to Terry Gross, for example, year of events and conference calls dis- will be ferocious, and we will suffer some that the NAR respected religious plural- cussing “spiritual warfare” against the casualties along the way. However, we ism and that Dominionism was not about Muslim community, though it was pub- will continue to push Satan back and dis- ruling: “In terms of taking dominion, we licly billed as reconciliation between ciple whole nations. We are aggressively don’t—we wouldn’t want to—we use the whites and blacks.89 retaking dominion, and the rate at which word dominion, but we wouldn’t want to On November 20, 2012, Kansas Gov. this is happening will soon become ex- say that we have dominion as if we’re the Sam Brownback signed a proclamation de- ponential. The day will come when ‘The owners or we’re the rulers of, let’s say, the claring December 8 a “Day of Restoration” kingdoms of this world have become the arts and entertainment mountain.”84 in Kansas. It was accompanied by a video kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, Compare that explanation with what in which he invited citizens to attend a and He shall reign forever and ever.’” Wagner said about Dominionism at an prayer event in Topeka, called ReignDown NAR conference in 2008: “Dominion USA, to be held near the capitol build- Rachel Tabachnick is a PRA research fel- 90 has to do with control. Dominion has to ing. “For about three hours Saturday,” a low. She investigates the impact of the Re- do with rulership. Dominion has to do local paper reported on December 8, “To- ligious Right on policy and politics in edu- with authority and subduing and it re- peka held the eyes, ears, hearts and souls cation, economics, the environment, and lates to society. In other words . . . what of followers of Jesus Christ throughout foreign policy. the values are in Heaven need to be made the nation and world as host of a religious spring 2013 The Public Eye • 15 perspectives

BY THEO ANDERSON Tracking Christianity’s Transformation: An Interview with James Ault

James Ault is a writer and documentary filmmaker based in Northampton, MA. His first film, Born Again (1987), focused on the life of a fundamentalist Baptist church in Worces- ter, MA. He later wrote a book about the same church, Spirit and Flesh (2004), which The Washington Post called “the best single-volume explanation of why American fundamental- ist Christianity thrives among certain people.” Ault wanted to explore the social bases of “family-values”politics among grassroots sup- porters of the New Right, which was becoming a powerful political force when he began his research in the early 1980s. He settled on the small, blue-collar “Shawmut River Baptist Church” (a fictitious name Ault uses to protect the privacy of the subjects), whose pastor was vice president of the Massachusetts chapter of Jerry Falwell’s political organization, the Mor- al Majority. “As soon as I walked through its doors,” Ault said about his first visit to Shawmut River, “I felt you could see the social world in which New Right enthusiasms made sense to its supporters. Families are gathered. You get to know things about their personal life. There’s no separation between private and public. It’s all there.” Ault’s latest project is a two-part film series, African Christianity Rising, which focuses on Ghana and Zimbabwe. It documents Christianity’s “explosive growth” on the continent, showing the ways that it’s expanding and being adapted within African cul- tures. Information on Ault’s projects is available at www.jamesault.com.

To summarize part of your argument in Spirit and Flesh, for ple, if people have government programs to rely on, let’s say in the professional middle class, adolescence is primarily about old age, why do they have to count on their children, and expect learning to establish a personal identity and becoming a self- their children to help them out later on? The effective reliance governing individual. Whereas, for the people you found at on a safety net that government provides is felt to break down Shawmut River, it’s more about fulfilling your role within a the reciprocities that people rely on to knit their relationships family network. together. It breaks the logic of that reciprocity that helping rela- There’s a world of difference between becoming an autonomous tions depend on. individual...and meeting the duties of a connected kin-based network of people who know one another and who help define One intriguing aspect of your book was the discussion of abso- reality for you and define your moral universe, because you’re lutes, and the fact that they’re applied in a very practical way. interacting with them, they’re gossiping about you, and you I would come to Shawmut River Baptist Church and hear the pas- share common knowledge of one another. Whereas for people tor preaching that “God hates divorce.” And then I would watch not anchored in a kin-based network, the world is more frag- the members of the congregation help this woman divorce her mented. So where is our moral universe going to come from? husband and help get her an apartment and support her while One of the ways it’s created in this more atomized, isolated mid- she was doing it. And I would say, “Hey, what’s going on here?” dle class is through political enthusiasms. I noticed among my They would say, “Everyone knows her husband’s pissing away fellow New Left activists that there was not infrequently a kind the family income with his drugs and his snowmobile.” of moral need to be hammering at these things, be expressing I realized that “everyone knows . . .” was key here. The thing is them, quite apart from the actual effectiveness of these actions. that every moral judgment the collective makes, in an oral cul- There was an identity need: How are we going to create what we ture, is based on what we know in common and assume others believe in? How are we going to know what matters to us? know in common. So we don’t have to make it explicit. . . . We apply things in a more concrete, contextual way, knowing the de- So this is a very communal world with tight networks of rela- tails of every case. So abstract principles don’t matter that much. tionships. I imagine readers are wondering how that leads to Individualistic people, who don’t live in family-based networks fundamentalists’ general embrace of very hyper-individualistic and have to find our own moral compass, have to have clearer economic philosophy and their endorsement of “free markets.” ideas about what that moral principle is, and make it explicit. A good question. That’s why there are strains between the lib- Whereas people in a village society, or this kind of church, are ertarian and social conservative wings of the Republican Party. handling it with shared knowledge about the circumstances But they both come together around their stand against “Big around this case and that one. Therefore, when they trumpet Government.” For the social conservatives at Shawmut Riv- these absolutes, that doesn’t mean that on the ground they aren’t er, whose communal world was sustained by social pressures reasonable and loving. Of course, in some cases, they can be un- among people who knew each other’s business, the impersonal loving and unjust. Some person’s animosity, or jealousy toward bureaucracy of “Big Government” not only doesn’t make sense, a particular person, may succeed in tilting things in an unjust di- but also can be felt to interfere with community life. For exam- rection. I saw that at Shawmut River. But, on the whole, I found

16 • The Public Eye spring 2013 BY THEO ANDERSON people there loving, caring, and sensible to a remarkable degree. growth in late-nineteenth century America, and as it did with New South cities after World War II, which is when fundamen- There’s a reason they can’t acknowledge that there’s a pragmat- talism spread to the South. It was an urban phenomenon. Peo- ic application of the absolutes, because to acknowledge that ple coming from rural villages where they have other forms of would be to embrace a sort of relativism and individualism that cohesion and community—they need something to hold their they can’t abide, right? lives together in the anonymous world of city life, and churches I think that you have to put it in the context of where funda- become a major building block of that new kind of community. mentalism arose. It didn’t just arise out of the blue. It rose in response to modernist theology that was denying the supernat- It’s clear that Africa is very religious. But why does it matter ural, denying basic tenets of faith and values. So fundamental- that the expression of that religiosity is so heavily Christian? ism arose out of a felt need to defend. One reason is that it connects with other branches of Christi- And how do you best defend your traditional beliefs in the anity, which has been the dominant religious tradition in the modern world? You use a modern form—from literate, scien- West and remains the major religious tradition in the United tific culture—of citing a text. You say, “The Bible says it in chap- States. As it connects with other branches of the church on a ter 4, verse 10.” That’s a modern form of justifying a belief or world scale, it influences those branches. For example, here tenet, even though in your actual practice, you might be much in the United States, while the Congregational churches have more flexible. ...Abstract [principles] come into play in defend- a more decentralized, local polity, Episcopalians through the ing something that they feel is under attack. By the same token, Anglican Communion and United Methodists are more inter- the New Right never would have gotten off the ground without national bodies with large branches in the “two-thirds [i.e., the New Left movements of liberation challenging traditional non-Western] world.” So when the issue of gay marriage, or values in the 1960s and ’70s. Holding onto those things comes ordaining gay clergy, comes up, as it did in the last General out of defense. And I think that ought to be taken into account Conference of the United Methodist Church, they face more by any organization or group that’s trying to move forward and challenges from their representatives from the two-thirds defuse the opposition that’s arisen out of those moral conflicts. world, who are growing in numbers and growing in repre- The accusation that you’re immoral, you’re unjust, you’re back- sentation in leadership. ward—these are the kinds of judgments that make people hold Why do you think have Africans been so opposed to gay rights? fast to their principles, I think. This requires more time than we have, but I think that Africans A common thread between Born Again and African Christi- generally have a hard time with homosexual rights for the same anity Rising is that, in both cases, you’re covering a subject you reasons members of Shawmut River Baptist Church did, and think is important but that hasn’t been on the radar for most peo- many African- and Latino-Americans do. Wherever people live ple. When you started your research in Shawmut River Baptist within extended families creating separate spheres for men and Church more than 30 years ago, people thought the New Right women—where blue-collar men, for example, spend weeks out would be a fleeting phenomenon. And the same is true of African hunting together while their wives and mothers-in-law run the Christianity. So why did you want to tell this story? household, or African men and women sit separately at pub- I started on the project [African Christianity Rising] in 1996, and lic meetings (not together as husbands and wives)—men and the first article that really brought the importance of African women see one another as “other.” Christianity to American intellectuals was in The Atlantic Month- In fact, their marriages don’t involve the same interdepen- ly—Philip Jenkins’ article, [“The Next Christianity,”] in 2002. dent partnership, or intimacy, that autonomous, individu- However, already in 1974, when my parents visited me alistic, urban professionals assume in the United States. We when I was living in Zambia, they had come to Africa because should remember that new models of marriage involving ro- my father had just become a bishop and head of the General mantic love, and sex as a vehicle for emotional intimacy—not Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, just pleasure—arose only in nineteenth-century America, and and his close colleagues said that something important is hap- mainly among urban professionals (as Helen Horowitz shows in pening in Africa now. So church leaders were already aware her book, Rereading Sex). The very word “homosexual,” where that something major was happening in Africa, a generation sexual practice is seen as part of one’s very identity, comes into before it was noticed by American intellectuals. And it has English usage only at the end of that century. To propose the proved to be the case that that movement, which was so ro- legitimacy of same-sex marriage to blue-collar men out hunting bust, which sees the number of churches in Ghana, for exam- together, or to Ghanaian men friends walking down the street ple, doubling, every 12 years, is assuming a more important together hand-in-hand, as they routinely do, naturally raises part of the Christian church worldwide. ... tensions, and is felt, perhaps, even to threaten their assumed So it’s becoming more important politically on a world scale, goal of marrying “the other.” throwing up leaders that then come into positions of authority These differences have been very painful for progressives in and influence. They are taking leadership roles in the church the [United Methodist] Church. But I remember one saying, “If because of the power of the grassroots growth of Christianity, we’re going to be a world church, we have to accept these com- where people think: This is important for us. Church growth promises and face these challenges.” So Christian growth in has been fueled, to a considerable degree, by more and more Africa connects with Christians in other parts of the world and Africans moving into cities, just as urbanization fueled such brings it to church life here in the United States.

spring 2013 The Public Eye • 17 endnotes

Religious Liberty, p.4 Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Lib- 3. See Robin Fretwell Wilson, “Matters charismamag.com/blogs/162-j15. erty: Emerging Conflicts, eds. Douglas of Conscience: Lessons for Same-Sex 11. There are dozens of books about 1. Ethan Bronner, “At Stanford, Clini- Laycock, Anthony Picarello, Jr., and Marriage from the Healthcare Context,” the NAR’s brand of spiritual warfare, cal Training for Defense of Religious Lib- Robin Fretwell Wilson (Lanham, MD: Douglas Laycock, Anthony Picarello, including C. Peter Wagner, Engaging the erty,” New York Times, January 21, 2013, Rowman & Littlefield, 2008), 123-56. Robin Fretwell Wilson, eds., Same-Sex Enemy: How to Fight and Defeat Territo- http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/ 18. See Julie Rovner, “Rules Requiring Marriage and Religious Liberty: Emerging rial Spirits (Ventura, CA: Regal, 1991); us/at-stanford-clinical-training-for-the- Contraception Coverage Have Been In Conflicts (Lanham: Rowman and Little- C. Peter Wagner (ed.), Territorial Spir- defense-of-religious-liberty.html?_r=0. Force for Years,” National Public Radio, field Publishers, 2008),96. its: Insights into Strategic Level Spiritual 2. West Virginia State Board of Educa- Feb. 10, 2012, http://www.npr.org/ Warfare and Intercession (Ventura, CA: tion v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943). blogs/health/2012/02/10/146662285/ Gospel Light, 1991); and Cindy Jacobs, Technically, Barnette was a free speech rules-requiring-contraceptive-coverage- US Conference of Catholic Deliver Us from Evil (Ventura, CA: Gospel case—holding that the government can- have-been-in-force-for-years. Bishops, p. 8 Light, 2001). not compel speech of any kind—but it is 19. “Contraceptive Equity Laws in 12. The process of “transformation” widely understood as a case about reli- Your State: Know Your Rights-Use Your 1. Marriage: Unique for a Reason is through spiritual warfare has been gious liberty. Rights, A Consumer Guide,” National an initiative of the United States Confer- widely taught in books, training vid- 3. Bob Jones Univ. v. United States, 461 Women’s Law Center, Aug. 27, 2012, ence of Catholic Bishops,” http://www. eos, and the Transformations series of U.S. 574, 605 (1983). The case affirmed http://www.nwlc.org/resource/contra- marriageuniqueforareason.org/about- movies produced by George Otis, Jr. the Internal Revenue Service’s ruling ceptive-equity-laws-your-state-know- us/. There are now Transformations-related that a private school’s tax-exempt status your-rights-use-your-rights-consumer- 2. United States Conference of Catho- entities throughout the U.S. and the depended on maintaining a policy of guide-0. lic Bishops, Forming Consciences for world. See George Otis, Jr., “History nondiscrimination. 20. See Barbara Bradley Hagerty, Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Politi- of the IFTP,” www.iftpartners.com/ 4. See Randall Balmer, The Making of “Catholic Bishops Revolt Against cal Responsibility from the Catholic index.php/about-us/history, and Ed Evangelicalism: From Revivalism to Poli- Birth Control Rules,” National Pub- Bishops of the United States, October Silvoso, “Transform Our World,” www. tics (Waco: Baylor Univ. Press, 2010), lic Radio, Feb. 12, 2012, http://www. 2011,http://www.usccb.org/issues- transformourworld.org/en/welcome. 61-69. npr.org/2012/02/02/146265425/u- and-action/faithful-citizenship/upload/ Also see Kapya John Kaoma, Colonizing forming-consciences-for-faithful-citi- African Values: How the U.S. Christian 5. Martha Minow, “Should Religious s-catholic-bishops-take-stand- against-birth-control-rules. zenship.pdf, v. Right is Transforming Sexual Politics in Groups Be Exempt from Civil Rights Africa (Somerville, MA: Political Re- 21. See Mary Agnes Carey, “FAQ: The Laws?” Boston College Law Review 48 search Associates, 2012), 51,www. Obama Administration’s Compromise (Sept. 2007), 797. politicalresearch.org/wp-content/up- on Contraception Benefits,” Kaiser 6. Phyllis Schlafly and George Neu- New Apostolic, p. 11 loads/downloads/2012/10/Colonizing- Health News, Feb. 11, 2012, http:// mayr, No Higher Power: Obama’s War African-Values.pdf. www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Sto- 1. “TheCall DC 2000,” TheCall, www. on Religious Freedom (Washington, D.C.: 13. See “The ‘Transformation’ Move- Regnery Press, 2012), 1. ries/2012/February/10/Obama-contra- thecall.com/Groups/1000080319. ception-rule-FAQ.aspx. ment” section in PRA’s Colonizing Af- 7. “Rush: Religious Liberty Dies When 2. “TheCall Boston,” TheCall, www. rica’s Values report, p.51, www.politi- 22. “HHS Mandate Information Cen- Barack Obama Rules,” DailyRushbo, thecall.com/Articles/1000104250. calresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/ tral,” The Becket Fund, http://www. YouTube, Mar. 2, 2012, http://www. 3. Engle calls for participants to be downloads/2012/10/Colonizing-Afri- becketfund.org/hhsinformationcen- youtube.com/watch?v=ZFknIUgBZqE . “marked for martyrdom” near the end can-Values.pdf. tral/. 8. Paul D. Ryan, “Transcript and of this video of TheCall San Diego: “The 14. The classic training texts on spiri- 23. “Still Unacceptable and Unconsti- Audio: Vice Presidential Debate,” Call: Spiritual Warfare in the Field of tual mapping by NAR leaders include tutional,” The Becket Fund for Religious NPR, Oct. 11, 2012, http://www.npr. Martyrs,” YouTube, November 4, 2008. Wagner’s Breaking Strongholds in Your Liberty, Feb. 1, 2013, http://www.beck- org/2012/10/11/162754053/tran- 4. “TheCallSan Diego,” TheCall, City (Ventura, CA: Regal, 1997) and etfund.org/hhsannouncement1/. script-biden-ryan-vice-presidential- http://www.thecall.com/Articles/ George Otis, Jr., Informed Intercession: debate. 24. “Catholics and New Battle Lines 1000104263. Transforming Your Community through 9. Bradley S. O’Leary, The Audacity of Over Religious Liberty,” Public Religion 5. “TheCall Houston,” TheCall, www. Spiritual Mapping and Strategic Prayer Deceit: Barack Obama’s War on Ameri- Research Institute, June 6, 2012, http:// thecall.com/Articles/1000104264; (Ventura, CA: Gospel Light, 1999). For can Values (Los Angeles: WND Books, publicreligion.org/research/2012/06/ “TheCall Detroit,” TheCall, www.the- an academic analysis, see Rene Holvast, 2008), 19. fact-sheet-catholics-and-religious-lib- call.com/Articles/1000116729. Spiritual Mapping in the United States erty/ and Argentina, 1989-2005: A Geogra- 10. Robert P. Jones, “Fortnight of Facts, 6. See God Loves Uganda, www.god- phy of Fear (Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liber- 25. Frank Newport, “In U.S., 46% Hold lovesuganda.com/film/main-subjects. 2008). ty Concerns,” Public Religion Research Creationist View of Human Origins,” Lou Engle is also featured in the docu- Institute, July 1, 2012, http://publicre- Gallup Politics, June 1, 2012. http:// mentary Jesus Camp (Magnolia, 2006). 15. Dutch Sheets, speaking at the www.gallup.com/poll/155003/Hold- “Starting the Year Off Right Conference,” ligion.org/2012/07/fortnight-of-facts- 7. For instance, the Reformation Creationist-View-Human-Origins.aspx. Glory of Zion Ministries, Denton,TX, same-sex-marriage-and-religious-liber- Prayer Network of Apostle/Prophet Cin- January 3, 2008, http://freshpublish- ty-concerns/. 26. “Catholics and New Battle Lines dy Jacobs includes “National Apostolic ing.com/glory-of-zion-ministries-fresh- 11. See Sarah Barringer Gordon, The Over Religious Liberty,” Public Religion Special Focus” leaders in the categories c-192-p-1-pr-33363.html. Spirit of the Law: Religious Voices and the Research Institute, June 6, 2012, http:// of African-American, Asian-American, Constitution in Modern America (Cam- publicreligion.org/research/2012/06/ Ethiopian, Hispanic-American, Native- 16. The impact of the NAR’s apostolic bridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard fact-sheet-catholics-and-religious-lib- American, and Filipino American. See ideology and networks has been re- University, 2010), 138-156. erty/. “United States Reformation Prayer Net- ported in dissertations and research conducted primarily by scholars outside 12. Quoted in Barringer Gordon, The 27. “Catholics and New Battle work Structure,” www.generals.org/ the U.S. These include Rene Holvast, Spirit of the Law, 147. Lines,” http://publicreligion.org/re- fileadmin/documents/prayer_reforma- search/2012/06/fact-sheet-catholics- tion_network/rpn_structure_descrip- “Spiritual Mapping: The Turbulent Ca- 13. Beverly LaHaye, Who But a Woman? and-religious-liberty/. tion.pdf. reer of a Contested American Mission- (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1984), ary Paradigm” ( Ph.D. diss., University 28. “‘Nones’ on the Rise,” The Pew Fo- 8. C. Peter Wagner, Churchquake! The 100. of Utrecht, 1989-2005); Erwin Van Der rum on Religion and Public Life, Oct. 9, Explosive Power of the New Apostolic Ref- Meer, “Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare 14. Thomas Berg, “What Same-Sex- 2012, http://www.pewforum.org/Unaf- ormation (Ventura, CA: Regal, 1999), Theology of Peter Wagner and its Im- Marriage and Religious-Liberty Claims filiated/nones-on-the-rise.aspx. back cover. Have in Common,” Nw. J.L. & Soc. Pol’y plications for Christian Mission in Ma- 206 (2010), 210. 9. C. Peter Wagner, Dominion! How lawi,” (Ph.D. diss., University of South Kingdom Action Can Change the World Africa, 2008); Israel Ortiz, “Neo-Pen- 15. Shelby Capacio, “Minnesota for (Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen, 2006); Da- Marriage, pastor apologize for Hitler Becket, p. 6 tecostal Churches in Guatemala With vid Cannistraci, Apostles and the Emerg- Special Reference to Their Presence and comparison,” MyFox9, Oct. 23, 2012, ing Apostolic Movement: A Biblical Look http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/ 1. “Juma Mosque Congregation of Social Role, 1976-2006,” (Ph.D. diss., Baku, Azerbaijan,” The Becket Fund for at Apostleship and How God is Using it University of Wales, 2007). Also see story/19897323/minn-for-marriage- to Bless His Church Today (Ventura, CA: pastor-apologize-for-hitler-comparison. Religious Liberty, http://www.becket- John Stemberger, “The Rising Tide of fund.org/jum/. Gospel Light, 1998); Cindy Jacobs, Pos- Influence: How Pentecostalism is gradu- 16. Berg, “What Same-Sex Marriage sessing the Gates of the Enemy: A Training 2. Mary Ann Glendon, “Holy See’s Fi- ally changing the dynamics of American and Religious Liberty Claims Have in Manual for Militant Intercession (Grand politics,” Charisma Magazine, Novem- Common,” 207. nal Statement at Women’s Conference Rapids, MI: Chosen Books, 2009). in Beijing,” Sept. 15, 1995, http://www. ber 1, 2011, www.charismamag.com/ 17. See e.g., Chai Feldblum, “Moral its.caltech.edu/~nmcenter/women-cp/ 10. Ed Donnally, “God’s Fire Starter,” site-archives/1475-1111-magazine- Conflict and Conflicting Liberties,” in beijing3.html. Spiritual Renewal (blog), Charisma, www. articles/features/14579-the-rising-tide-

18 • The Public Eye spring 2013 of-influence. The article describes the Creation House, 2008. Also see Market- tion as Warren’s mentor. Both Warren pion the Vote campaign, advertised on involvement of Pentecostal/Charismatic place Leadership Ministries, “Reclaim- and Wagner use biblical and “church the NHCLC website at www.nhclc.org/ Christians in American politics as “off ing the 7 Mountains of Culture,” www. growth” reasoning to argue against a event/one-nation-under-god. See their the radar of most political observers” yet reclaim7mountains.com/. voting membership. Fuller’s church- two-hour One Nation Under God video, “steadily forming like a tsunami,” and it 26. The Seven Mountains Mandate growth department drew heavily from featuring Rodriguez, at www.morning- features politically involved leaders. Al- was the focus of the 2012 National Peter Drucker’s model for making the startv.com/oak-initiative/one-nation- though not labeled as such in the article, Day of Prayer activities, including church work more like a corporation, under-god. the overwhelming majority are apostles state legislative proclamations: for ex- with the pastor as CEO and performance 46. In 2009, a Christianity Today article and /or prophets in apostolic networks, ample, “Legislators Observe National rated by measurable outcomes, primari- quoted church historian Arturo Piedra, including Harry Jackson, Jr., Lou Engle, Day of Prayer Scheduled for May 3, ly rapid expansion. Bob Buford, founder who said that the “religious space of Samuel Rodriguez, Rick Joyner, Cindy 2012,” May 1, 2012, Louisiana Senate, of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for ‘prophets and apostles’ is dominated by Jacobs, Alice Patterson, Dutch Sheets, http://senate.la.gov/broome/releas- Nonprofit Management, also leads a an anachronistic Protestant shaman- and Mark Gonzales. es/2012/05012012.pdf. “church-growth think tank” called Lead- ism, made up of individuals (actores) ership Network. Its NEXT magazine 17. “Global Christianity: A Report on 27. Ecclesiology, or church govern- who pretend to save the world through featured Wagner and the New Apostolic the Size and Distribution of the World’s ment, is usually divided into: a) hierar- an animist manipulation of evil spirits.” Reformation as the January/March 1999 Christian Population,” Pew Forum chical or episcopal; b) representative or See Milton Acosta, “Power Pentecostal- cover article. The NEXT archive can be on Religion & Public Life. (December presbyterian; or 3) congregational. isms,” Christianity Today, July 29, 2009, 2011). www. pewforum.org/upload- accessed at http://leadnet.org/resourc- www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/ 28. A frequently referenced text on edFiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/ es/page/resources_archive. august/11.40.html?paging=off. apostolic covering is John Bevere, Un- Christian/Christianity-fullreport-web. 36. Charisma Magazine reported on der Cover: The Promise of Protection Un- 47. Tim Stafford, “Miracles in Mozam- pdf. both the beginnings and endings of the der His Authority (Nashville: Thomas bique: How Mama Heidi Reaches the Wagner/Haggard partnership in the 18. These included the Latter Rain Nelson, 2001). A website dedicated to Abandoned,” Christianity Today, May World Prayer Center. See J. Lee Grady’s movement of the late 1940s and 50s, critiquing apostolic covering describes 18, 2012, www.christianitytoday.com/ “God’s Air Command,” Charisma Maga- the Shepherding Movement of the the practice in detail; see Covering and ct/2012/may/miracles-in-mozambique. zine, May 1999, http://web.archive.org/ 1960s and 70s, and the Kansas City Authority, http://coveringandauthor- html?paging=off. web/20020420014839/http://www. Prophets of the 1980s. NAR leaders ity.com/ 48. “FAQ,” Iris Nashville, www.iris- who have backgrounds in these move- charismamag.com/issues/cm599/ 29. Nondenominational churches and nashville.com/faq/. ments include Bill Hamon, Paul Cain, cm59922.htm. churches from numerous denomina- 49. Heidi Baker spends much of each Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner, Jim Goll, and 37. Ted Haggard, The Life-Giving Church tions have shifted to the New Apostolic year speaking at apostolic conferences, others. See Rachel Tabachnick, “Do- (Ventura, CA: Regal, 1998). model of church government. Eddie including more than a dozen confer- minionism Taught by Forerunners of Long, one of the original members of 38. Ted Haggard made headlines ences in six different countries in the the New Apostolic Reformation since the International Coalition of Apostles, with his sex and drug scandal in 2006. first five months of 2013. See www.iris- the Late 1940s,” Talk to Action, No- wrote about the shift in power in his Mis- See Dan Harris, “Haggard Admits global.org/itinerary. vember 3, 2011, www.talk2action.org/ Buying Meth,” ABC News, Nov. 3, sionary Baptist church from the board 50. See Todd Bentley’s ministry report story/2011/11/3/211943/087. 2006, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/ to him in his book Taking Over: Seizing on Mozambique: Fresh Fire Ministries, 19. Jay and Olga Gary, The Countdown story?id=2626067&page=1. Your City for God in the New Millennium “Malawi Report – Greater Battles, Great- Has Begun: The Story of the Global Consul- (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 1999). 39. C. Peter Wagner, Wrestling with er Victories,” June 19, 2003, http:// tation on A.D. 2000 (Rockville, VA: A.D. 30. Jonathan L. Walton also described Alligators, Prophets, and Theologians: healing2thenations.net/news/03-06- 2000 Global Service Office, 1989), 10. Eddie Long’s shift to an authoritar- Lessons from a Lifetime in the Church, 19.htm. It notes that “Todd Bentley 20. C. Peter Wagner describes his jour- ian church structure in his book Watch A Memoir (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2010), has been encouraging the local people ney in many of his books, including the This! The Ethics and Aesthetics of Black 228. to bring the dead to the crusade meet- autobiography Wrestling with Alliga- Televangelism (New York: NYU Press, 40. These include Samuel Rodriguez ings where opportunity will be given tors, Prophets and Theologians: Lessons 2009), 133: “According to the bishop, and Harry Jackson, Jr., a prophet in the to see them raised up with resurrection from a Lifetime in the Church (Ventura, the democratic systems in place at Bap- Wagner-formed Apostolic Council of power.” CA: Regal, 2010). tist churches, featuring management by Prophetic Elders. Rodriguez joined the 51. Casey Sanchez, “Todd Bentley’s 21. Some of the harshest critics of the the traditional deacon or trustee boards, invitation-only ICA in 2009 and was also Militant Joel’s Army Gains Followers in movement are conservative Christians: are ungodly governmental structures listed in the membership in 2010. The Florida,” Southern Poverty Law Center, See Rachel Tabachnick, “NAR and that are outside God’s order... In Long’s membership list is no longer available; Intelligence Report, Fall 2008, www. Dominionism Have Been a Concern theological framework, the church in Rodriguez denies that he is now a mem- splcenter.org/get-informed/intelli- of Conservative Christian Groups for God’s order, like the family in God’s ber of the ICA. gence-report/browse-all-issues/2008/ Many Years,” Talk to Action, October order, is run, not democratically, but 41. See http://web.archive.org/ fall/arming-for-armageddon. 18, 2011, http://www.talk2action.org/ according to divine authority and the web/20031107071052/http://www. 52. See “Peter Wagner Endorses Todd story/2011/10/18/133757/45. concepts of respect, submission, and 3dbn.org/ministries/3DA.asp.The Bentley,” YouTube, July 4, 2008, www. obedience.” 22. International Coalition of Apostles, Third Day Believers Network, or 3DBN, youtube.com/watch?v=YEwsG4lsXq4. “About ICA,” www.coalitionofapostles. 31. Examples include numerous proph- was established by 2003. Most of the 53. Jeffrey Kofman, Karson Yiu, Nich- com/about-ica/. The membership list is ecies about Sarah Palin that were dis- webpages have since been removed, olas Brennan, “Thousands Flock to no longer available to the public. How- seminated during the 2008 election. but archived pages are at http://web. Revival in Search of Miracles,” ABC ever, see the 2009 membership list at These are communicated through the archive.org/web/20080108025254/ Nightline, Jul. 9, 2008, http://abc- “International Coalition of Apostles: apostolic prayer networks in each of the http://www.3dbn.org/fivefunctions. news.go.com/Nightline/FaithMatters/ Membership Directory,” International fifty states, and through popular New asp. story?id=5338963&page=1. Coalition of Apostles, November 10, Apostolic websites like Elijah List; for 42. Frederick Clarkson, “Rev. Samuel 54. In Dispensational theology, be- 2009, www.psa91.com/resource/ica. example, see Chuck Pierce, et al., “UR- Rodriguez: Not So Moderate,” Public lievers are snatched to heaven, or “rap- pdf. GENT PRAYER WARNING AGAINST Eye, October 2, 2012, www.politicalre- tured,” before the rule of the Antichrist 23. Wagner served as the “Convening” ATTACK ON THIS NATION,” The Elijah search.org/rev-samuel-rodriguez-not- and the horrors of the End Times. The or “Presiding Apostle.” After turning 80 List, September 26, 2008, www.eli- so-moderate/. millennial kingdom on earth, or 1000 years old, Wagner turned this position jahlist.com/words/display_word/6897. 43. See “Vision of Third Day Be- years of rule by Jesus, will not take place over to John P. Kelly. 32. Ephesians 4:11 is cited as evidence liever’s Network,” Third Day Believ- until after the seven years of Tribula- that modern-day apostles and proph- 24. Wagner Leadership Institutes are ers Network, http://web.archive. tion. The world is supposed to become ets are required to return to a biblical now under the leadership of Che Ahn org/web/20040222173953/http:// increasingly evil as the End Times ap- church model throughout NAR media. and are located in several U.S. cities. See www.3dbn.org/vision.asp proach. Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice See Ron Cottle, “Definition of ‘Apostle,’” Wagner Leadership Institute, “WLI Re- 44. By 2003 the webpage stated, “3DBN formed the Pre-Trib Research Center in International Coalition of Apostles, gionals,” www.wagnerleadership.org/ is in partnership with NPLAD [North Pa- 1993, now at Liberty University, in re- www.coalitionofapostles.com/about- regionals.htm. There are international cific Latin American District Council] of sponse to the decline of Dispensation- ica/definition-of-apostle/. locations as well: see Wagner Leader- the Assemblies of God under the leader- alism among evangelicals. See Thomas ship Institute, “WLI Internationals,” 33. One example is Apostolic By-Laws, ship of Rev. Felix Posos who can be con- Ice, “20th Anniversary of The Pre-Trib www.wagnerleadership.org/interna- http://apostolicbylaws.com/. tacted for references.” See http://web. Study Group: Tom’s Perspectives,” Pre- tionals.htm . 34. Richard Duane Warren, “New archive.org/web/20040206060827/ Trib Research Center, www.pre-trib. 25. Significant books on the man- Churches for a New Generation,” http://www.3dbn.org/leadership/pas- org/articles/view/20th-anniversary-of- date include Johnny Enlow, The Seven (Ph.D. diss., Fuller Theological Semi- torsambio.asp the-pre-trib-study-group. Mountain Prophecy: Unveiling the Com- nary,1993), 48. 45. United in Purpose provides fund- 55. Dispensationalism was introduced ing Elijah Revolution (Lake Mary, FL: 35. Wagner is described in the disserta- ing to NHCLC and sponsored the Cham- in the United States in the mid-1800s

spring 2013 The Public Eye • 19 ENDNOTES

and was widely disseminated through 69. Clarkson, “Christian Reconstruc- tion in crisis,” http://theresponseusa. tures/cov101711. the Scofield Reference Bible, first- pub tionism: A Covert Kingdom.” com/about-the-response.php. These 90. Cathy Cosby, “An Invitation from lished in 1909 and still in use today. 70. Franklin Hall’s booklet Atomic Pow- events were planned to continue through Kansas Governor Sam Brownback,” 56. See Chip Berlet, “How We Coined er with God through Fasting and Prayer the election season. Coverage includes a American Family Association, Nov. 29, the Term ‘Dominionism,’” Talk to Ac- was self-published by Hall in 1946 and Texas Observer article: Forrest Wilder, 2012, http://afa-ksmo.net/an-invita- tion, Aug. 31, 2011, www.talk2action. repeatedly since then. See http://holyg- “Rick Perry’s Army of God,” Texas Ob- tion-from-kansas-governor-sam-brown- org/story/2011/8/31/17047/5683. hostfire.org/ourministries.html. Some server, August 3, 2011, www.texasob- back/. U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) server.org/rick-perrys-army-of-god; and 57. This was the first journal in the series apostles and prophets, including Lou also spoke at the rally. my interview on NPR’s Fresh Air with published by Reconstructionists through Engle, reference Hall as the inspiration 91. Corey Jones, “ReignDown USA, Terry Gross, “The Evangelicals Engaged Geneva Divinity School: “Symposium on for their teachings. Hall was the author Brownback draw crowd to prayer move- in Spiritual Warfare,” National Pub- the Failure of the American Baptist Cul- of the 1966 book Subdue the Earth, Rule ment,” Topeka Capital-Journal, Dec. 8, lic Radio, August 19, 2011, www.npr. ture,” Christianity and Civilization, Spring the Nations, also self-published. 2012, http://cjonline.com/news/2012- org/2011/08/24/139781021/the-evan- 1982, http://freebooks.entrewave.com/ 71. Jack W. Hayford, The Charismatic 12-08/reigndown-usa-brownback- gelicals-engaged-in-spiritual-warfare. freebooks/docs/a_pdfs/cc_1.pdf. Century: The Enduring Impact of the draw-crowd-prayer-movement. 81. The New Apostolic Reformation 58. On the importance of this rally to Azusa Street Revival, (New York: Warner 92. C. Peter Wagner, “Why You Must should not be confused with the New the politicization of the Southern Bap- Faith, 2006), 182-83. Take Dominion Over Everything,” Charis- Apostolic Church, a denomination dat- tist Convention, see Bryan Kaylor, “A 72. See www.ag.org/top/beliefs/posi- ma Magazine, Dec. 5, 2012, www.charis- ing to the mid-1800s. It had approxi- ‘Transformative Moment’ in SBC Po- tion_papers/pp_downloads/pp_end- mamag.com/spirit/prophecy/15402- mately 9.6 million adherents worldwide litical Activity,” Ethics Daily, Aug. 20, time_revival.pdf. The 2001 position pa- the-case-for-dominionism. and also believed in the restoration of 2010, http://ethicsdaily.com/news. per references the 1949 decision, stating, modern-day apostles in preparation php?viewStory=16555. “The 1949 General Council of the Assem- for the End Times: see “History of Our NAR: A Glossary, p. 10 blies of God, in Seattle, Washington, ad- 59. See Gary North, “The Intellectual Church,” New Apostolic Church Inter- opted a resolution disapproving the doc- Schizophrenia of the New Christian national, www.nak.org/about-the-nac/ 1. Black Entertainment Television’s trines of the New Order of the Latter Rain. Right,” Christianity and Civilization, history-of-our-church. Lexi Show featured an interview titled Spring 1982, 2, http://freebooks.en- The minutes of that Council record that “Illegitimate Bishops” questioning how 82. “The Evangelicals Engaged In Spiri- trewave.com/freebooks/docs/a_pdfs/ after brief debate the resolution was ad- someone gets to be a bishop. Video tual Warfare,” Fresh Air, Aug. 19, 2011, cc_1.pdf. opted with an overwhelming majority.” embedded at The Gospel Coalition, www.npr.org/2011/08/24/139781021. 60. See Frederick Clarkson, “Christian 73. C. Peter Wagner, Dominion!: How thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitian- 83. See Kyle Mantyla, “Why are Do- Reconstructionism: Theocratic Domin- Kingdom Action Can Change the World yabwile/2012/12/20/bishop-mania- minionists Suddenly Downplaying Do- ionism Gains Influence,” The Public Eye, (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2008), 59. and-confusion-about-biblical-church- minionism,” Right Wing Watch, August March/June 1994, www.politicalre- 74. SLSW was controversial even among leadership. 22, 2011, www.rightwingwatch.org/ search.org/christian-reconstructionism. other conservative Christian missionar- 2. C. Peter Wagner and John Wimber’s content/why-are-dominionists-sudden- ies. It resulted in a Lausanne Movement famous class at Fuller Theological Semi- 61. According to North, Rushdoony con- ly-downplaying-dominionism and Kyle consultation in Nairobi in 2000, titled nary from 1982 - 1985 was titled “Signs, vinced the Presbyterian and Reformed Mantyla, “Wallnau: Don’t Say ‘Domin- “Deliver Us From Evil.” See A. Scott Wonders, and Church Growth” and pop- Publishing Company to publish The ionism,’ At Least Not in Front of The Moreau, “Gaining Perspective on Terri- ularized the idea that these supernatural Genesis Flood, by Henry Morris and John Media,” Right Wing Watch, October 17, torial Spirits,” Lausanne Committee for gifts would be used to evangelize the Whitcomb, after other publishers had re- 2011, www.rightwingwatch.org/con- World Evangelization, Dec. 31, 2009, world. Also see “Assessing the Wimber jected it. Its publication in 1961 sparked tent/wallnau-dont-say-dominionism- www.strategicnetwork.org/index.%20 Phenomenon,” a critique by, Dr. Don the modern revival of creationism. least-not-front-media. php?loc=kb&view=v&page=v&id= Lewis, professor of Church History at 62. Michael J. McVicar, “The Libertar- 3027%20&pagenum=1&lang=EN. 84. “A Leading Figure In The New Regent College of University of British ian Theocrats: The Long, Strange His- Apostolic Reformation,” Fresh Air, 75. The Transformations series of films Columbia at www.equip.org/articles/ tory of R. J. Rushdoony and Christian Oct. 3, 2011, www.npr.org/2011/10/03 has continued since 1999 and includes assessing-the-wimber-phenomenon. Reconstructionism,” Public Eye, Fall /140946482. 2007, www.politicalresearch.org/wp- Transformations, Transformations II: 3. George Otis, Jr., Informed Interces- 85. 2008 “Starting the Year Off Right” content/uploads/downloads/2013/01/ The Glory Spreads, Let the Sea Resound, sion: Transforming Communities Through conference hosted by Glory of Zion PE-Fall-2007.pdf An Unconventional War, and more. Spiritual Mapping and Strategic Prayer See a description of An Unconventional Ministries. A short video is at “C. Peter (Berrien Springs, MI: Renew, 1999). 63. Prior to the emergence of the “New Wagner: Dominionism Means Ruling War at Rachel Tabachnick, “A Joseph 4. See www.intheworkplace.com/ Christian Right,” fundamentalists were As Kings,” YouTube, August 30, 2011, Kony and his Victims Movie That Dem- apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=254 generally apolitical. www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2woK8- onstrates the Ulterior Motive Behind 20&columnid=1935. 64. The Coalition on Revival continues a ‘Good Cause,” AlterNet, March 19, y0_w. The longer video is at “‘Apostle’ 5. The SLSW teachings about ter- to maintain a website that houses the 2012, http://www.alternet.org/speak- C. Peter Wagner of the NAR Teaches ritorial spirits by Wagner and other Manifesto for the Christian Church and easy/2012/03/19. ‘The Dominion Mandate,’” YouTube, Worldview Documents. See “Welcome August 28, 2011, www.youtube.com/ pioneers resulted in controversy in the 76. Political Research Associates has to Coalition on Revival,” Coalition on watch?v=ecszOPc95s8. evangelical missions world, including a published a detailed account of the Revival, www.churchcouncil.org/Ref- 1993 working report and “Statement on Transformation films and organizations 86. Charisma Magazine, Nov. 2011. ormation_net/default.htm. Spiritual Warfare” and a 2000 Consulta- in a 2012 report. See Kapya John Kaoma, 87. See Rachel Tabachnick, “Quotes tion in Nairobi by the Lausanne Com- 65. Randall Herbert Balmer, The Ency- “Colonizing African Values,” Political on Dominionism From the Apostles mittee for World Evangelization. www. clopedia of Evangelicalism (Westminster: Research Associates, 2012, www.politi- and Prophets of the New Apostolic lausanne.org/en/documents/all/nairo- John Knox Press, 2002), 147. calresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/ Reformation,” Talk to Action, Aug. bi-2000.html It was noted that Wagner 66. Balmer used the B’nai Brith Anti- downloads/2012/10/Colonizing-Afri- 26, 2011, www.talk2action.org/sto- was not alone in teaching SLSW, but was Defamation Leagues’ 1994 report “Re- can-Values.pdf. ry/2011/8/26/193314/769. the “most commonly cited authority on ligious Right: Assault on Tolerance and 77. The 50-state networks are under 88. Lisa Miller, “Be not afraid of evan- the topic.” www.lausanne.org/en/docu- Pluralism in America” as a source on the authority of Cindy Jacobs, Refor- gelicals,” Washington Post, Aug. 18, ments/all/nairobi-2000/202-territorial- COR. The ADL would later soften their mation Prayer Network; Chuck Pierce, 2011, http://articles.washingtonpost. spirits.html. stance on the Religious Right because Global Apostolic Prayer Network; and com/2011-08-18/national/35269575. 6. Wagner and other practitioners use of a growing partnership with Christian John Benefiel, Heartland Apostolic The quote is from Mark DeMoss, who warfare prayer or prayer warfare and Zionists. See Frederick Clarkson, “Chris- Network. See “About,” Reformation heads the DeMoss Group. His fam- power evangelism synonymously with tian Reconstructionism: A Covert King- Prayer Network, www.usrpn.org/about; ily’s foundation funded an evangelizing SLSW. dom,” The Public Eye, March/June 1994, and HAPN map at Heartland Apostolic booklet that was distributed around the www.politicalresearch.org/christian- Prayer Network, www.hapn.us/. world and was first published by lead- reconstructionism. On Screen, NAR in Africa, p. 13 78. See “About the International House ing Reconstructionist authors and Gary 67. Pat Robertson, “A Christian Action of Prayer,” International House of DeMar’s American Vision. See Rachel 1. Director’s Statement, God Loves Plan For The 1980’s by Pat Robertson,” Prayer, www.ihopkc.org/about/. Tabachnick, “Washington Post On Faith Uganda, http://www.godlovesuganda. Biblical Economics Today, Volume II, Columnist’s Flawed Article Dismisses 79. See, for example, this list of “hous- com/film/directors-statement/. No. 6, ed. Gary North, www.garynorth. Dominionism,” Talk to Action, Aug. es of prayer” in the U.S.: “24/7 Prayer com/freebooks/docs/28ba_43e.htm. 29, 2011, www.talk2action.org/sto- 2. Roger Ross Williams, “Gospel of Ministry Directory,” www.24-7prayerl- ry/2011/8/29/03752/8133. Intolerance,” Op-Docs (video series), 68. Rushdoony was ordained in the ist.com/index.html. New York Times, January 22, 2013, Presbyterian Church in 1944, but later 89. Rachel Tabachnick, “Spiritual War- 80. Most of the pages have been re- http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/23/ joined the more theologically conserva- fare,” Dome Magazine, October 17, moved from the event’s original website: opinion/gospel-of-intolerance. tive Orthodox Presbyterian Church. 2011, http://domemagazine.com/fea- “The Response: a call to prayer for a na- html?smid=fb-share&_r=0.

20 • The Public Eye spring 2013 reports in review

Hate, by the Numbers Double Bind The Year in Hate and Extremism Living in Dual Shadows: mark potok, southern poverty law center • intelligence report, spring 2013 LGBT Undocumented The Southern Poverty Law Center’s annual review of the evolu- Immigrants tion of the “radical right” finds that conspiracist, anti-govern- crosby burns, ann garcia, and ment “Patriot” groups reached “an all-time high of 1,360” in philip e. wolgin • center for american progress, march 2013 2012, and the number of “hard-core hate groups” continues to hold steady at more than 1,000. What happens What accounts for the growth in the anti-government move- when individ- ment and continuing high numbers of hate groups? The report uals encounter attributes it to the country’s changing demographics, embodied inequality and in the country’s first Black president (however, “the backlash to discrimination that trend predates Obama’s presidency by many years”), and debates over immigra- on two fronts? tion and gun control. In society at large, according to an Associated Press poll cited A new report in the report, anti-Black racism rose slightly during Obama’s first term. Another poll from the Cen- shows similar rates in anti-Latino attitudes. ter for American Progress ex- The Patriot movement, notorious for its connection to the Oklahoma City bombing in plores the unique challenges 1995, “generally believes that the federal government is conspiring to take Americans’ faced by LGBTQ people who guns and destroy their liberties” to create a “one-world government.” The report fur- are also undocumented immi- ther examines the mainstreaming of such conspiracist and polarized thinking, high- grants—an estimated 267,000 lighting the GOP’s opposition to Agenda 21, a purely voluntary plan for sustainable de- people (or many more) in the velopment created by the United Nations and signed by Republican President George United States. H.W. Bush. Just last year, the Republican National Committee denounced it as a “de- For example, while LGBTQ work- structive and insidious scheme” and a “socialist/communist redistribution of wealth.” ers already face a higher risk of The report predicts that “the radical right’s growth will continue,” fueled by potential at-work discrimination, their un- immigration reform, anger over a Black president, and recent debate over gun-control documented status makes them laws in the wake of the Newtown, CT, school shooting. unable or unwilling to report abuse. Same-sex families also face a higher risk of family sepa- ration due to deportation, as the The New Inquisition federal government does not rec- The Cardinal Newman Society ognize same-sex marriage and, catholics for choice • opposition notes, dec. 2012 thus, immigration sponsorship. Since its founding in 1993, the Cardinal Newman Society has dog- The report tells the stories of sev- gedly pursued its mission of monitoring and shaming Roman Cath- eral individuals who live in the olic colleges and universities for “perceived heterodoxy on issues “dual shadow,” including Yenny, a including the following: abortion, contraception, LGBT issues, as- native of Peru who was physically sisted reproductive technologies, euthanasia and women’s ordina- abused by her father for identify- tion.” ing as queer. She is now active in the struggle for immigration The Society portrays its position as that of all “true” Catholics, reform that will create a path to though a recent Catholics for Choice report finds that “its views are citizenship for undocumented im- substantially to the right of all but the most conservative members of the hierarchy.” migrants. With a total revenue of only about $1.5 million in 2010, its initiatives are nonetheless influential and wide-ranging. The organization publishes an annual guide to orthodox Wide-ranging recommendations Roman Catholic universities—places free from the “moral decadence that pervades our for combatting the pernicious ef- culture”—and organizes campaigns targeting institutions that deviate from its right- fects of the “dual shadow” include wing stance. support for comprehensive immi- gration reform that creates a path When the University of Notre Dame invited President Obama to give the commence- to citizenship, ends discrimina- ment address in 2009, the Society organized a petition with 360,000 signatures op- tion against binational same-sex posing a prochoice speaker. The Catholic university refused to revoke the invitation, couples, fixes and protects fam- and a Quinnipiac University poll showed that six in 10 Catholics approved of Obama ily-based migration, and gives speaking. The Society also fought a genital herpes vaccine trial at a Jesuit institution, young people access to education St. Louis University, because it required participants to use contraception. and citizenship. The message is The report concludes with the question, “Who gets the final word about the present clear: Both our immigration sys- and future of Catholic higher education?” Many groups rightly have a say: students, tem and policies regarding LG- their parents, faculty and administrators, theologians, bishops, and more. The report BTQ individuals must change for answers: “The right path will be determined by strenuous debate, rather than the si- these people to be given true op- lencing of debate. This can only happen within a culture of civility, a virtue not mod- portunities for success. eled by the Cardinal Newman Society.”

spring 2013 The Public Eye • 21 NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID POLITICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES BOSTON, MA 1310 BROADWAY, SUITE 201 PERMIT NO. 54584 SOMERVILLE, MA 02144

From the Archive Since 1981, Political Research Associates has been collecting material by and about the Right—books and maga- zines, marketing appeals, posters, pamphlets, videos, and more. This series illuminates some of the more intriguing pieces in the collection. The library is available for use by qualified researchers; contact PRA for details. Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet market publisher and produced in Earth (1970) is widely cited as the a mass market format that is sold best-selling non-fiction book of the in supermarkets and airports and 1970s. The film adaption, released so on. A film is made.” Boyer ex- in 1979, was narrated by Orson plains that this “set the pattern of a Welles. Late Great drew power from multimedia phenomenon that we several widespread fears in Ameri- now see with a number of proph- can society in the 1970s, especially ecy popularizers.” fears driven by the possibility of The most important subsequent global nuclear war. Lindsey claimed development in the End Times that a world edging toward chaos genre was the blockbuster Left Be- and collapse meant that Jesus’s re- hind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry turn to earth for Christians—the Poster advertising the 1979 film adaptation Jenkins, which features the head of The Late Great Planet Earth (center), “rapture”—must be imminent. (See of the United Nations as the An- surrounded by various products in the more Rachel Tabachnick’s “The Christian tichrist. It encompasses 16 books recent Left Behind series. Right, Reborn” in this issue for more (1995 to 2007) and three movies, about the Lindsey’s theology.) with a re-boot starring Nicolas Cage But it wasn’t the content alone that made Late Great a suc- currently in production, as well as graphic novels, video cess. According to Paul Boyer, a historian of End Times games, and a series of young adult novels. Writing in 2006, thinking in the United States, Lindsey was an energetic former PRA senior analyst Chip Berlet observed that “the self-marketer, savvy in the technological tools of the time: best-selling Left Behind series is a primer valorizing bigot- “The Late Great Planet Earth, published initially by an ob- ry, paranoia, and guerilla warfare against those who pro- scure religious publisher in Michigan, is taken up by a mass mote tolerance, pluralism, and global cooperation.”

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