Remember Doug Wilson? I’ve never met him, but I met a few of his creationist acolytes when I visited the Palouse a few years ago, and they were a remarkably slimy bunch. I couldn’t even imagine how slimy, though. Doug Wilson is known for founding a particularly regressive church in Idaho, and also for a debate tour he did with Christopher Hitchens (they made a documentary about it), which was a total mystery to me. I don’t know whether Hitchens wanted to give Wilson a platform for his conservative ideology, or whether he thought Wilson was an obliging punching bag.
Here, though, is a brief introduction to Wilson’s version of Christianity.
In addition to his role as pastor, Wilson is also a co-founder of New St. Andrew’s College and Grayfriars Hall, a vocational seminary for young men. He has developed a reputation for being a harsh and constant critic, spilling tons of digital ink on issues from LGBT inclusion in the church (he’s against it) to his favorite topic, the implausibility of Christian feminism. Wilson makes his reputation as a shock-jock theologian; in his tendency to bloviate, he brings to mind a certain presidential candidate: “Make Christianity great again!”
Wilson is one of the figureheads of a set of beliefs known as Biblical Patriarchy, devoted to the idea that “father rule”—the literal meaning of patriarchy—is a guiding principle for the Christian life. He is convinced the Bible teaches that a woman’s primary domain is in the home, and only after her responsibilities are satisfied there can she think about going out to get some volunteer work or, perhaps, a part-time job. Female preachers are, naturally, out of the question. “Christian women ought to be domestic,” he once said. “Everything is directed toward home and family and kids.”
You may not want to read further into the article, because it gets even uglier. One of the cheap tricks of Wilson’s seminary is that he gets community members to house his budding seminarians for him. So picture this: this predatory, misogynistic church attracts predatory, misogynistic students, who are then housed with the trusting faithful of his congregation and their families, and then…well, this isn’t a sitcom, so I can’t cheerfully say that mirthful hijinks ensue. It’s more like sexual abuse of minors, stalking, and destruction of families. Or, in other words, typical Christian family life.
And, you will not be surprised to learn, the kicker is that Doug Wilson defends his students who are molesting 13 year old girls, and blames the parents in those households. He has a point: you are a bad parent if you let a Wilson-endorsed student anywhere near your children.
I just had to go read that whole thing…fuck, it’s beyond awful. Also, all trigger warnings apply.
The tagline on Wilson’s blog reads “theology that bites back”. You get the distinct idea that this man enjoys being dangerous, at least to those he thinks deserve it, women and children. Oh, and apparently men who don’t fall in with his idea of a proper patriarch. He’s absolutely sickening.
I don’t know whether Hitchens wanted to give Wilson a platform for his conservative ideology, or whether he thought Wilson was an obliging punching bag.
He wasn’t much of an opponent for Hitch, and probably also pretended to be much more reasonable than he actually was. I encounter that fairly often in christians; they can be all mushy-woo woo about “celestial forces” and “open minded” but when you turn your back they’re talking about the bearded lightning-throwing guy in the chair.
A quick search for ‘Wilson’ on Libby Anne’s blog.
“He is convinced the Bible teaches that a woman’s primary domain is in the home”
“Christian women ought to be domestic,” he once said. “Everything is directed toward home and family and kids.”
Sounds to me like he’s saying the woman should be in charge of the house and family, and making all the decisions about the home.
Michael Duczech @ 4:
You’d be wrong. Clicking on the link would have cleared up your confusion:
If, after reading that, you still think Wilson is all about empowering the little domestics, try https://dougwils.com/s7-engaging-the-culture/seven-theses-on-submission.html and https://dougwils.com/s7-engaging-the-culture/patriarchy-vision-forum-and-all-the-rest-of-it.html
To say that Wilson is anti-feminist is a serious understatement, and autonomy (on the part of others) doesn’t exactly thrill him. Wilson does, at those two links, talk a lot about being a watchman of sorts, keeping an eye out for abuse and hypocrisy. All that talk, however, did not (and does not) stop him from protecting abusers and being happily hypocritical himself. I seriously suggest you read this: http://natalierose-livewithpassion.blogspot.com/2015/09/when-doug-wrote-to-my-father.html
But it’s alllll about the children and family…
I was amazed at that story about Jamin Wright. Not about what he did, because that’s sadly all too familiar, but at how the parents let it happen:
Umm, hello? A 23-year-old man tells you he has the hots for your 13-year-old child, and you ask for advice about whether it would be a good idea to have him in your home? How does “are you fucking kidding me” sound? Where’s your parental common sense?
Moggie, I had the same initial reaction but after reading more history of the unfolding Jamin saga, I realized that much of what occurred happened because the Greenfield home was used by boarders for Doug Wilson’s preachers in training at the local religious college. There were several young men staying in the Greenfield home and it seems that it was part of the ministry of Pastor (sic) Wight, to farm out students to local church homes. The Greenfields were at that time under the Wilson flag and regular church-goers, following Wilson’s theology with teeth brand of Christianity. Jamin was just one of several staying in the home. Had Mr. Greenfield not been under the direction of Pastor (sic) Wilson, he might have had the common sense to turf Jamin early on but you have to understand what it is to be part of a church like that, a cultic following that blinds those involved in delusion. This is not an excuse, but if you are suggesting that ‘common sense’ of some kind applies, well that is to miss the delusion in the room. Evangelical Christianity creates isolation among believers and within families too…. when there are only certain ways of communicating reality and these are defined by the preacher, much possibility is lost in family intimacy. More of Christ and less of me, they pray…. it is really fucked up. Your focus on the family being responsible is valid but does not implicate the fucker who when attending a legal hearing with Jamin and the Greenfields, sat on the side of the Jamin and shunned the victim(s). Finally, I don’t give a fuck if Mr. Greenfield was in delusional Christianity mode. I see him as a victim too. The perpetrator is patriarchal Christianity a al Wilson. Jamin went on to attend Wilson’s church and marry a young woman there, then abuse and choke her. This was after he was welcomed back to Wilson’s congregation without the general population of the church even being informed that a convicted abuser would be in their midst. Wilson managed this, the church patriarch. He allowed the perp to take another young woman in his fold. Please don’t misunderstand me when I say that Greenfield was a victim along with his daughter. He has taken responsibility for his delusionary lapse and left the Wilson bunch altogether. He has apologized to Natalie and she has stated that he was never a part of her abuse. He failed Natalie because he got sucked in by Wilson. His now ex-wife still attends Wilson’s church. Now I must go and wretch.