God the Father

I recently watched the documentary “Shiny Happy People,” which looks at the abusive system of the Institute of Basic Life Principles, in which the Duggar family participated, and more broadly, how it is part of Christian Dominionism and Christian nationalism. Though familiar, the sheer size of this movement, the number of people affected by it, and it’s blatant authoritarian and civil goals, surprised me. I’m surrounded by its followers and affects, yet it isn’t a Christianity I can relate to.  

Dominionism and Christian nationalism arose in the U.S. in the 1970s in reaction to the progressive movements of the time. Christian nationalism seeks to eliminate the separation of church and state, place (their specific) religious symbols in the public square, and base laws on (their specific interpretation of) Christian theology. Dominion theology goes even further, seeking to establish a fundamentalist Christian nation, ruled by theocratic law. It encourages predominantly fundamentalist/evangelical/Pentecostal Christians to get politically engaged and gain control over all aspects of government, from local school boards to the SCOTUS.

The movement didn’t arise in a specific church with a specific leader. Rather, several leaders with similar messages arose at the same time. Sometimes a church was dominionist; other times, dominionists existed within a less politically-minded church. So different versions of varying intensity insidiously grew in various environments, including among some Catholics. Branches like “Kingdom Now,” “New Apostolic Reformation,” “Seven Mountains Mandate,” “Fivefold Ministry,” “Basic Life Principles,” and “Spiritual Warfare,” all fall under dominionism.

A few of the big leaders of the movement early on were R.J. Rushdoony, who believed society should replicate the laws of the Israelites in the Old Testament; James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family; Bill Gothard, leader of Institute of Basic Life Principles seminars; and Francis Schaeffer, credited with the Seven Mountain Mandate.

Dominionism isn’t just about letting your beliefs guide your political decisions. It’s about gaining worldly power. Specifically, the Seven Mountain Mandate arose in the mid-1970s that says Christians must conquer seven mountains to establish a global theocracy: government, education, media, arts/entertainment, religion, family, and business. And the plan continues today, which children raised in the movement specifically taught to seek out political power in order to impose this movement’s will on the nation. Christians in this movement see themselves as the rightful leaders of the world. They look to the Kingdom of Israel in the Old Testament as an example, rather than the early Church of the New Testament, which has no secular power.

Dominionism rarely says it out loud, but at its most extreme, it is anti-democratic. It seeks an authoritarian dictator-king and blind obedience of the people. This idea of authoritarianism is replicated in the family—the father is the god-king, who the wife and children must obey unquestioningly. It’s easy to see how weak men are drawn to this idea—they don’t have to earn love or respect in this system; they can demand it and say it’s God’s will. There is no compassion or understanding or questioning or mercy. There is only power and authority and will and obedience.

When I read/watch/listen about cults, people usually talk about how they had to deconstruct what they learned in childhood. So many people grew up being taught guilt, punishment, and submissiveness. Their fathers and/or preachers modeled authoritarianism and called it God-ordained. They abused and called it love. It breaks my heart that so many experienced such an unsupportive, unloving model of family and church, and it makes me so grateful for my own family and community which makes this unfathomable to me.

While it bothers me when ex-Christians sweep all of Christianity into broad statements, usually U.S. fundamentalism/evangelicalism, I do understand where their anger comes from. If the only God I ever knew was one of anger and punishment and demanded obedience to evil men, then I’d reject that too. If your own father or father figures were abusive, then how could a God called Father bring comfort and mercy?

A father creates a family, bears responsibility, loves, protects, supports. The word/role has only positive connotations for me. So I don’t know how people who have traumatic and dictatorial connotations reconcile that. I don’t know how to teach them what a healthy fatherly relationship, and thus a healthy relationship with God, is.

Today is Father’s Day, and I’m just so grateful for having healthy, loving, supportive fatherly relationships—with my own father, with other fatherly figures, with God. I’m learning how intertwined they are, and I’m mourning for those who have to detangle and deconstruct. I know the Father’s love. I know God the Father loves those who don’t know how to recognize His love. I hope they find Him, even when earthly fathers fail.

And on the broader level, dominionists continue to seek political power—Christian nationalism is looking ever-stronger, ever-angrier, evermore authoritarian, evermore fascist and tied with white nationalism. Dominionist ideology plays a strong role in American politics, even though it’s often in coded language. And it concerns me, both for the laws of the country and the souls of people raised in such theology. It’s not a God or a Christianity I know. Christians should seek the heavenly kingdom, not earthly ones. Christians are called to convert, not conquest. Christian nationalism is bad politics, terrible theology, and antithetical to the Father’s love.