NAR’s ‘7 Mountains Mandate’ is fueling political extremism in the US

Vance Boelter who allegedly shot Melissa Hortman a Democratic Minnesota state representative and her husband Mark Hortman on June studied at Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas The group is a Bible school linked to the New Apostolic Reformation or NAR The NAR is a loosely organized but influential charismatic Christian movement that shares similarities with Pentecostalism especially in its belief that God actively communicates with believers through the Holy Spirit Unlike traditional Pentecostalism however the organization emphasizes modern-day apostles and prophets as authoritative leaders tasked with transforming society and ushering in God s kingdom on Earth Prayer prophecy and worship are defined not only as acts of devotion but as strategic tools for advancing believers vision of cabinet and society After the shooting the Christ for the Nations Institute issued a message unequivocally denouncing any and all forms of violence and extremism It stated Our organization s mission is to educate and equip students to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through compassion love prayer system worship and value for human life But the shooting has drawn attention to the school and the larger Christian movement it belongs to One of the the majority significant aspects of NAR teachings in the current era is what is called the Seven Mountains Mandate The mandate calls on Christians to gain influence or take dominion over seven key areas of values religion family tuition regime media business and the arts With over three decades of experience studying extremism I offer a brief overview of the history and core beliefs of the Seven Mountains Mandate Related Unfriending America The Christian right is coming for the enemies of God like you and me Dominion of Christians The concept was originally proposed in by evangelical leader Bill Bright the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ Now known as Cru the Campus Crusade for Christ was founded as a global ministry in to promote Christian evangelism especially on college campuses United by a shared vision to influence society through Christian values Bright partnered with Loren Cunningham the founder of Youth With A Mission a major international missionary training and outreach organization in the s The mandate was popularized by theologian Francis Schaeffer who linked it to a larger critique of secularism and liberal tradition Over time it evolved C Peter Wagner a former seminary professor who helped organize and name the New Apostolic Reformation is often regarded as the theological architect of the group He developed it into a call for dominion In his book Dominion How Kingdom Action Can Change the World he urged Christians to take authoritative control of cultural institutions For Wagner dominion theology the idea that Christians should have control over all aspects of society was a call to spiritual warfare so that God s kingdom would be manifested here on earth as it is in heaven Since Bill Johnson a senior leader of Bethel Church and Johnny Enlow a self-described prophet and Seven Mountains advocate among others have taken the original idea of the Seven Mountains Mandate and reshaped it into a more aggressive political and spiritually militant approach Spiritual militancy reflects an aggressive us-vs -them mindset that blurs the line between faith and authoritarianism promoting dominion over society in the name of spiritual warfare Their version doesn t just aim to influence tradition it frames the effort as a spiritual battle to reclaim and reshape the nation according to their vision of God s will Lance Wallnau another Christian evangelical preacher televangelist speaker and author has promoted dominion theology since the early s During the U S presidential voting process Wallnau along with several prominent NAR figures described Donald Trump as anointed by God to reclaim the mountain of regime from demonic control In their book Invading Babylon The Mountain Mandate Wallnau and Johnson explicitly call for Christian leadership as the only antidote to perceived moral decay and spiritual darkness The beliefs Sometimes referred to as Seven Mountains of Influence or Seven Mountains of Heritage the seven mountains are not neutral domains but seen as battlegrounds between divine truth and demonic deception Adherents believe that Christians are called to reclaim these areas through influence leadership and even if necessary the use of force and to confront demonic political forces as religion scholar Matthew Taylor demonstrates in his book The Violent Take It By Force Diverse perspectives and interpretations surround the rhetoric and actions associated with the New Apostolic Reformation Particular analysts have pointed out how the NAR is training its followers for an functioning confrontation Other commentators have revealed that the rhetoric calling for physical violence is anti-biblical and should be denounced NAR-aligned leaders have framed electoral contests as struggles between godly candidates and those under the sway of satanic influence Similarly NAR prophet Cindy Jacobs has repeatedly emphasized the need for spiritual warfare in schools to combat what she characterizes as demonic ideologies such as sex coaching LGBTQ inclusion or discussions of systemic racism In the NAR worldview cultural change is not merely political or social but considered a supernatural mission opponents are not only wrong but possibly under the sway of demonic influence Elections become spiritual battles This belief system views pluralism as weakness compromise as betrayal and coexistence as capitulation Frederick Clarkson a senior research analyst at Political Research Associates a progressive think tank based in Somerville Massachusetts defines the Seven Mountains Mandate as the theocratic idea that Christians are called by God to exercise dominion over every aspect of society by taking control of political and cultural institutions The call to take back the tradition is not metaphorical but literal and believers are encouraged to see themselves as soldiers in a holy war to dominate society Several critics argue that NAR s call to take back beliefs is about literal domination but this interpretation is contested A large number of within the movement see the language of warfare as spiritually focused on prayer evangelism and influencing hearts and minds Still the line between metaphor and mandate can blur especially when rhetoric about dominion intersects with political and cultural action That tension is part of an ongoing debate both within and outside the movement Networks that spread the beliefs This belief system is no longer confined to the margins It is spread widely through evangelical churches podcasts YouTube videos and political networks It s hard to know exactly how a multitude of churches are part of the New Apostolic Reformation but estimates suggest that about million people in the U S attend churches that openly follow NAR leaders At the same time the Seven Mountains Mandate doesn t depend on centralized leadership or formal institutions It spreads organically through social networks social media notably podcasts and livestreams and revivalist meetings and workshops Andr Gagn a theologian and author of American Evangelicals for Trump Dominion Spiritual Warfare and the End Times writes about the techniques in which the mandate spreads by empowering local leaders and believers Individuals are authorized often through teachings on spiritual warfare prophetic gifting and apostolic leadership to see themselves as agents of divine transformation in society called to reclaim the mountains such as leadership media and mentoring for God s kingdom This approach Gagn explains allows different communities to adapt the action mandate to their unique cultural political and social contexts It encourages individuals to see themselves as spiritual warriors and leaders in their domains whether in business development ruling body media or the arts Small groups or even individuals can start movements or initiatives without waiting for top-down directives The only recognized functionaries are the apostles and prophets running the church or church structure the believers attend The framing of the Seven Mountains Mandate as a divinely inspired mission combined with the movement s emphasis on direct spiritual experiences and a specific interpretation of scripture can create an ecosystem where questioning the mandate is perceived as challenging God s authority Slippery slope These beliefs have increasingly fused with nationalist rhetoric and conspiracy theories A powerful example of NAR political rhetoric in action is the rise and influence of the Appeal to Heaven flags For those in the New Apostolic Reformation these flags symbolize the belief that when all earthly authority fails people have the right to appeal directly to God s authority to justify resistance This was evident during the Jan Capitol insurrection when these flags were prominently displayed To be clear its leaders are not calling for violence but rather for direct political engagement and protest For particular believers however the calls for spiritual warfare may become a slippery slope into justification for violence as in the circumstance of the alleged Minnesota shooter Understanding the Seven Mountains Mandate is essential for grasping the dynamics of contemporary efforts to align executive and tradition with a particular vision of Christian authority and influence Art Jipson Associate Professor of Sociology University of Dayton This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license Read the original article Read more about this topic Fighting demons The New Apostolic Reformation is waging a holy war against democracy Meet the New Apostolic Reformation cutting edge of the Christian right Trump s revolution succeeds One of the fastest shifts in evangelical thought in American history The post NAR s Mountains Mandate is fueling political extremism in the US appeared first on Salon com