Jim Burroway: \u201cChristian Dominionism Is Not a Myth<\/a>\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n These are not the people within the broad spectrum of Christianity, nor are they even those within the outer 10 percent of its fringes. We\u2019re not talking about the Pat Robertsons, the Joel Osteens, the Albert Mohlers or the Rick Warrens. No, we\u2019re talking about people who are far, far more fringe than anyone whose name immediately comes to mind whenever most people think of Christian evangelicalism. \u2026 When [Michelle] Goldberg says, \u201cIf you want to understand Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, understanding dominionism isn\u2019t optional,\u201d that advice applies to mainstream evangelicals as well. I suspect most of them don\u2019t understand dominionism either. \u2026<\/p>\n Pretending that the so-called New Apostolic Movement and Seven Mountains Theology don\u2019t exist or that those influenced by the Kansas City Prophets have not gained influence among particular presidential candidates here at home and political leaders abroad doesn\u2019t make them go away. \u2026 And when they are identified as close advisers credited for a big win in Iowa, or when they act as main speakers and moderators at a huge televised rally for a candidate\u2019s benefit, the proper response is to ask hard questions of what they want for the country, not whistling and quickly walking away.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n See also Burroway\u2019s \u201cDominionism Is Not a Myth (Cont\u2019d.)<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n Warren Throckmorton asks, \u201cWhat Would Dominionists Do With Gays?<\/a>\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n The answer to that question, Throckmorton suggests, can be learned from observing what American dominionist groups have been pushing for in Uganda, where for years now they have promoted a bill making homosexuality a capital crime.<\/p>\n In late 2009, I noted that the Seven Mountains teachings had adherents among those in Uganda who were strongly pushing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill there. If passed as is, the AHB will make homosexuality a capital offense.\u00a0 Because of his association with AHB promoter in Uganda, Apostle Julius Oyet, and his teaching on reclaiming the Seven Mountains of culture, I asked Atlanta pastor, Johnny Enlow, what he thought about laws criminalizing homosexuality.\u00a0 Enlow\u2019s reply leaves room for criminalization but stops short of calling for the death penalty. \u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Jason Pitzl-Waters: \u201cJust Because You\u2019re Paranoid, Don\u2019t Mean They\u2019re Not After You<\/a>\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n If a politician builds up a proven track record of hostility towards non-Christian faiths, or associates without qualm with those who do,\u00a0as I believe Michele Bachmann has, then there is great risk in allowing these figures to lead a secular multi-religious nation.<\/p>\n These debates over how much influence figures from various extremist Christian groups truly have isn\u2019t simply an academic matter for those who don\u2019t benefit from Christian privilege. Even if someone like Rick Perry isn\u2019t a true believer and is cynically hitching his wagon to the horses he thinks will help win him the race, the tide of an elected president raises all boats, and we would see figures who believe that Pagans are demonically controlled suddenly granted new levels of access to power. That\u2019s scary, because as the recently-released West Memphis 3 can tell you, Satanic panics are nothing to laugh off.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Brian Tashman: \u201cIf Dominionism Is a Liberal Conspiracy, Why Does It Have Conservative Critics?<\/a>\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n Matt Barber of Liberty University School of Law called [dominion theology] a \u201cscary Christian monster that lives under liberals\u2019 beds,\u201d despite the fact the Liberty University School of Law sponsored [Theonomist Gary] DeMar\u2019s conference last year, called \u201c2010 Sovereignty and Dominion conference \u2014 Biblical Blueprints for Victory!\u201d<\/p>\n In fact, the Communications Director of Truth In Action Ministries, which until recently was called Coral Ridge Ministries, claimed that \u201cdominionism is a sham charge-one reserved for Christians on the right,\u201d even though prominent dominionist Janet Porter was once the head of a Coral Ridge Ministries affiliate.<\/p>\n So if domininionism doesn\u2019t exist and is merely a construct of the left, then why was Porter fired by two conservative Christian radio stations for promoting \u2026 \u201cdominionism\u201d?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Those conservative critics include far-right factions like Brannon Howse\u2019s Worldview Weekend network, self-appointed heresy hunters and anti-\u201ccult\u201d groups (pretty much any organization with \u201cdiscernment\u201d in the name) and premillennial dispensationalists appalled by the dominionists postmillennial beliefs. Criticism of dominion theology by such groups goes back years before there was any such thing as a liberal blogger.<\/p>\n Religion Dispatches: \u201cBeyond Alarmism and Denial in the Dominionism Debate<\/a>\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n Sarah Posner and Anthea Butler discuss \u201cRicky Perry, the New Apostolic Reformation, and the recent brouhaha in the press about how much importance to accord to right-wing religion.\u201d This is from Butler:<\/p>\n The NAR isn\u2019t in a vacuum and more powerful than other movements, but it should not be dismissed either. I am more than annoyed with articles by Lisa Miller, Ralph Reed, Charlotte Adams and others attempting to blow off dominionists or NAR just because they don\u2019t think it exists. \u2026 Yes, not every conservative Christian is a Dominionist, but to say a movement doesn\u2019t exist, without even being able to say what it is in an op-ed is just irresponsible.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Greg Metzger: \u201cEvangelicals have a Perry\/Bachmann problem<\/a>\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n What I believe has happened \u2026 is that evangelicals have gravitated to the worst aspects of the secular articles \u2014 namely, the underlying fear of any type of religious presence in the public arena and the ignorance of the complexity and diversity of evangelicalism \u2014 to dramatically underplay the legitimate concerns over Perry\u2019s and Bachmann\u2019s religio-political vision. The Christian writers I mentioned \u2026 are either focusing too narrowly on specific errors in the secular media (Groothius, Allen do this I believe) or too broadly on the question of religion and public life (Miller, Gerson and McKnight do this). What they are missing is the mountain of serious scholarship and thoughtful writing that is the foundation of genuine concerns over the types of ideas and spiritualities that have had, according to Bachmann and Perry themselves, a significant influence on them and their staff.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n See also Greg Metzger\u2019s \u201cMore of the Same?<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAn Urgent Message from C. Peter Wagner<\/a>\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n Wagner is the \u201capostolic ambassador\u201d of the New Apostolic Reformation, the group at the center of what I\u2019ve described as \u201cthe creepy Pentecostal<\/a> wing of dominion theology.\u201d This \u201curgent message\u201d here is his response to the public regarding recent criticism and concerns about his group and its ties to candidates Bachmann and Perry.<\/p>\n Wagner explains what he means by \u201cdominionism\u201d \u2014 a word he\u2019s quite comfortable using to describe himself, despite the assertion by several recent writers that no one uses this word except paranoid liberal bloggers.<\/p>\n Wagner also claims, contra Joe Carter, et. al.,<\/em> that he actually does exist. I\u2019m prepared to accept his word on that, if not to trust much else of what he has to say in his \u201curgent message.\u201d<\/p>\n