One of the major conduits for disseminating soft-core patriotic dominionism has been the televangelism ministry of Rev. D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. D. James Kennedy is widely respected throughout evangelicaldom.
Many would therefore be shocked to learn that D. James Kennedy’s name appears on the Coalition on Revival’s (COR) Church Council Steering Committee letterhead dated May 1993 and signed by Jay Grimstead that called “personal neutrality before King Jesus. . . sin and treason in this universe.” [emphasis added] See excerpts of this letter in the article posted on http://www.discernment-ministries.org website entitled “Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism.”
A recent article coming from the Left, details D. James Kennedy’s advocacy of the COR worldview “spheres” — an agenda that has now gone global. The article entitled, “The Rise of Dominionism: Remaking America as a Christian Nation” by Frederick Clarkson is published in the winter issue of The Public Eye Magazine (Vol. 19, No. 3) by Political Research Associates. Clarkson notes:
“The three-shared Dominionist characteristics of religious supremacy, Christian nationalism, and theocratic visions are on vivid display in . . . Rev. D. James Kennedy, the prominent televangelist. “
According to Clarkson, in early 2005, Kennedy hosted an annual political conference, “Reclaiming America for Christ” at his church in Ft. Lauderdale. Conference attendees were given material written by D. James Kennedy that exemplified the patriotic dominionist beliefs of COR:
“‘As the viceregents of God, we are to bring His truth and His will to bear on every sphere of our world and our society. We are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government … our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors—in short, over every aspect and institution of human society.” [http://tinyurl.com/e3smq ] [emphasis added]
This is pure COR dominionism. For more information about what is contained in the original COR sphere documents, see Al Dager’s book Vengeance Is Ours: The Church in Dominion (available from Discernment Ministries).
The Truth:
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)