In the interests of simplicity, I want to focus on just one aspect of latest contribution to the literature of pooh poohery about dominionism and the New Apostolic Reformation.  

The lengthy story by Associated Press religion writer Rachael Zoll on October 17th, mentions Talk to Action in passing, stating that NAR leader C. Peter Wagner has "become a lightning rod for critics of dominionism, largely because of the extensive research of Talk2Action, a liberal investigative site and one of its writers, Rachel Tabachnick."   But somehow, she managed not to cite any of that research, or for that matter, anything from Wagner's writing regarding dominionism.

Indeed, while the AP story emphasizes the "Latter Rain" roots of NAR theology, it completely ignores Wagner's own acknowledgement of the influence of the most important Christian theocratic theologian of the 20th century, R.J. Rushdoony, and how Wagner all but names himself as Rushdoony's successor.

[update: Perry campaign denies responsibility for Bickle comments]

According to Kansas City-based International House of Prayer founder and evangelist Mike Bickle--who played a major role in the August 6th "The Response" prayer event that served as the de facto kickoff event for Rick Perry's presidential bid--in the near future Jews who refuse to convert to Christianity and move to Israel will be pursued by "hunters" sent by God and can expect to be thrown into "prison camps" and "death camps" (see embedded video footage, from Bickle sermons)

Years before there were articles about the New Apostolic Reformation on Talk2Action, numerous conservative Christians wrote about the movement and the growth of Dominionism in great detail.   In 2003, when I was beginning to learn about the movement, I followed some of these websites in order to understand their perspective on the movement and I continue to read them today. I have not used many for references in my work in the past, because I am approaching the NAR as a threat to separation of church and state and religious pluralism and not as a critic of the validity of their theology.  I am not recommending or providing verification for the material in the links that follow.  However, this is small sample of a body of media that negates the absurd claims that only liberal or secular writers are concerned about Dominionism, the NAR, and their unique brand of spiritual warfare and apostolic government.

Some secular and Christian writers are claiming the threat from the New Apostolic Reformation movement is a fictitious boogey man.   The fear mongering has been conjured up in the brewing pots of leftwing socialist- types staffed with Jewish writers according to some.  It has been said many of these writers are akin to those who wrote of Jews connected to conspiracy myths.  The latest publication of the Baptist Standard, the official Texas Baptist newspaper, carried an article about the alarming movement.  The Texas newspaper, connected to the Baptist General Convention of Texas, is hardly a leftwing depository of anti-Christian bigots staffed with Jewish authors.

Robert Finn, the controversial Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, has been indicted by a Jackson County Grand Jury on misdemeanor charges of failing to report child abuse.

This is the first time a head of a diocese has ever been charged with a crime for failing to report pedophile behavior on the part of one of his subordinate priests.

We are pleased to welcome Greg Metzger as a guest front pager. He is an independent writer whose work has appeared in Christian Century, Commonweal, and Books & Culture.  His blog is Debating Obama, where this essay first appeared -- with lots more links. -- FC

I guess I should have seen it coming. I have been reading enough of C. Peter Wagner lately to know that he sees the demonic in everything (including the Statue of Liberty), so I should not have been surprised that he has taken to attacking the major source of information available about the New Apostolic Reformation (outside of Wagner's own house organs, which are notorious for their guarding of basic information). Yet there is something so jarring and spiritually disturbing about his decision to cast Talk To Action as the "voice of the accuser" that I really was surprised when I saw it.

It has just concluded what it's calling the most successful Values Voter Summit in its history, and is now getting ready to launch a year long Values Voter Bus Tour aimed at influencing both the Republican Party's presidential primaries and the 2012 presidential election.

It is a 12-million dollar a year operation run by a very capable leader who rides the airwaves - the 24/7 cable news networks and conservative talk radio - like a veteran broncobuster. It has outlasted a number of other religious right groups (think Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition), and is outpacing the financially troubled, and once mighty, Focus on the Family.

It is one of the most outspokenly - and outrageously -- anti-gay organizations in the country.

Welcome to the world of Tony Perkins' Family Research Council (FRC), where the definition of family is circumscribed, and the research is suspect.    

A little over a year ago, a cadet at the Air Force Academy emailed the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) to tell us about an "underground" group of about a hundred Academy cadets who, in order to maintain good standing among their peers and superiors at the Academy, were actually pretending to be fundamentalist Christians. Their charade included leaving Bibles, Christian literature, and Christian music CDs laying around their rooms; attending fundamentalist Christian Bible studies; and feigning devoutness at the Academy's weekly "Special Programs in Religious Education" (SPIRE) programs. This group of cadets had decided to resort to doing whatever they had to do to play the role of the "right kind" of Christian cadets, all the while living in constant fear of being "outed."

In the words of the cadet who wrote to MRFF last year, who described himself as "kind of the leader" of this underground group: "If any of us gave even the slightest indication that we weren't one of their number, our lives would be even more miserable than they already are due to the fact that we are all living lies here. Despite the Cadet Honor Code we all lie about our lives. We have to."

I attended the Values Voter Summit Oct. 7-8 and have written a personal take on what I saw, felt and experienced. This was my sixth time attending the event. The crowd was estimated at about 3,000, but this is somewhat deceptive. On day one, the throng was augmented by a large delegation of students from Liberty University. On day two, a huge group of Ron Paul disciples registered to hear their hero speak and vote for him in the straw poll.

Still, the Summit is further evidence -- if any were needed -- of the ongoing power of the Religious Right. House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor were there, along with several other Republican congressional leaders and every major GOP presidential contender. All pledged fealty to the Religious Right's goals.

Although the New Apostolic Reformation has co-opted language of the social gospel, they promote a Tea Party-style anti-statism.  Call it prosperity doctrine with a twist. Leading apostles oppose state involvement in social services, but teach that the movement is going to end poverty, "transform" communities, and take dominion over society and government with the aid of a "great wealth transfer" from the ungodly to the godly. Leading "workplace apostles" gather annually for the Kingdom Economic Yearly Summit (KEYS), the apostles' version of the World Economic Forum, to prepare for the great wealth transfer and taking control over the Seven Mountains of culture.

"We need to pray that all false accusations and the voice of the accuser of the brethren be silenced in the name of Jesus!" - Spokesperson for Global Havest/Global Spheres, Inc. ministries

Leading up to the 2008 election, prominent NAR apostles prayed with and blessed Sarah Palin, and they overwhelmingly dominated the August 6th, 2011 The Response prayer event that served as the de facto launch for Texas Governor Rick Perry's 2012 election presidential bid. Apostles from this same movement are now encouraging their followers to pray that this website be "silenced in the name of Jesus!"

The designated successor ministry to C. Peter Wagner's Global Harvest Ministries is Global Spheres, Inc. (which boasts its own spinoff apostolic network), headed by ICA apostle and ACPE prophet Chuck Pierce, head of Glory of Zion Ministries. Currently, the Global Spheres, Inc. website features three training videos; one by C. Peter Wagner, one by Doris Wagner, and one by Bill Sudduth--who in the video introduces his 2011 50-state speaking tour, dubbed "Tearing Down The Strongman", on the alleged demonic roots of Freemasonry and Islam.