Introduction
This 2010 report expanded upon my original “Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism” thesis from 2005. I published my material in several locations online, including the late Pastor Ken Silva’s website, and the old Discernment Ministries website (currently defunct), where it had been published in their newsletter. It was also included in Sandy Simpson’s book titled Dominionism. I wrote that it was “a work in progress” and that it would periodically be updated. As things worked out, the Discernment Research Group simply continued posting articles on the Herescope blog that expanded on the original themes.
With the help of Dr. Orrel Steinkamp, we wrote extensively about Dominionist theology originating in the pentecostal and charismatic wing of the Church, particularly as it intersected with American politics. Our writings were based on original source research on the Latter Rain/Manifest Sons of God movement, which was originally deemed a cult. It rose to prominence again after C. Peter Wagner and John Wimber connected with the Kansas City Prophets. The rise of what Wagner called “The New Apostolic Reformation” (NAR) would mainstream these old Dominionist beliefs into the evangelical world. Christian media, social media, Internet, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms enabled these old doctrines to gain new life and assimilate into the evangelical consciousness.
Up to the time that we began publishing, most of the critical writing about the Dominionism phenomena originated from the political Left, which had focused primarily on Reconstructionism. Media writers, however, were sloppy. They tarnished all evangelicals with accusations of Dominionist political agendas, and sensationalized the perceived threats. Our team was appreciative of a small group of Left-leaning writers who reached out to us to check facts, ask questions (including about theology), and verify the accuracy of their research. Their articles proved to be more authentic and served as reliable documentation, supplementing our own body of knowledge.
There is a grain of truth in the fear-mongering about evangelical extremists. Dominionists from a variety of theological camps have consistently employed deceptive tactics, and have not been completely honest as to their overall agenda. Some posit a national agenda to Christianize their nation-state. Others voice a globalist agenda to enact Christianity across the face of the earth. What most share in common is the view that the Church must rule the State, which must submit to it. But HOW? How can this be enforced? Persuasion? Compulsion? This is the key question that all believers must ask of them. Their utopic visionings have no prior example in Church history where it was bloodless. Rather in practice it has always manifested as totalitarianism for those who fall outside the prescribed theological definitions of a proper Christian or a perfect State. The freedoms that we have in Christ would be abridged by impositions of man’s version of “truth” and “justice” done in the name of Jesus.
This 2010 report is a “snapshot in time.” It marked the first effort at compiling a list of characteristics of various manifestations of Dominionism as we watched them arise. I am currently working on an update. This thesis must be expanded in view of events during the past four years when we all experienced a frightening effort by the State to smear all evangelicals, including normal patriotic American citizens, with the “Christian Nationalist” label. This disparaging term is accompanied by extremely inflammatory rhetoric, false accusations and threats of punitive measures. It must be rebutted. Here we see the freedoms that we have in Christ are being abridged by impositions of the State’s version of “truth” and “justice” done in the name of civic unity, common ground, and global peace. To achieve this the State has enlisted the aid of the Corporate, the third leg of Peter Drucker’s stool – which, by the way, is the real Fascism. It is a very lucrative enterprise for this Private Sector (Leg) – the Church, charities and private entities – who receive monies from both State and Corporate for the purpose of… Dominating.
To be continued…