I have to admit that I am not sure if I can seeing the rise of dominion theology more and more among the Religious Right because it is a) becoming more prevalent or b) it has always been there but I am now aware of it and therefore noticing it more.
As we noted recently, Janet Porter’s entire May Day 2010 prayer rally was built around “7 Mountains” theology; the idea that Christians are to take dominion over, literally, seven specific facets of modern life in order to wrest control away from Satan and his demonic spirits so that Christians can put them to use in bringing about God’s kingdom on Earth: (1) Business; (2) Government; (3) Media; (4) Arts and Entertainment; (5) Education; (6) Family; and (7) Religion.
Porter’s rally featured dozens of Religious Right leaders, all repenting and praying for one of these specific mountains. Some of them, like Cindy Jacobs, clearly subscribe to 7 Mountains theology, but others – like Tony Perkins, Mat Staver, Rick Scarborough, Rob Schenck, and Bryan Fischer – may or may not, but that didn’t stop them from participating in this event, though it did lead VCY America to drop Porter’s radio program because of her increasing involvement with this sort of dominionist theology.
Today, while watching the Family Research Council’s pre-National Day of Prayer webcast, I noticed that the last half-hour or so was given over to attendees gathering in small groups and praying specifically for each one of these same 7 Mountains in five minute intervals.
In fact, the official mission from the National Day of Prayer Task Force appears to be 7 Mountains-based (with the one exception being that the Task Force appears to consolidate arts and entertainment under the “media” title and adding the military to fill that open spot):
The National Day of Prayer Task Force’s mission is to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, mobilizing the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church and Family.
The Task Force is run by James Dobson’s wife Shirley and includes not only 7 Mountains co-founder Bill Bright’s wife Vonette on its leadership committee but also dominionist/New Apostolic Reformation mastermind Peter Wagner on its “board of reference,” along with several members of Congress: Representative Michele Bachmann, Representative Lincoln Davis, Representative Bob Goodlatte, Representative Mike McIntyre, Representative Mike Pence, Representative Joseph Pitts, and Representative Chris Smith.
Now, in a semi-related development, I noticed that last week Pat Robertson’s CBN hosted its annual “Week of Prayer” which featured two dominionist preachers and Lou Engle associates: Dutch Sheets and Che Ahn.
Sheets was co-organizing the now-canceled Wilderness Outcry event with Engle and wrote the foreward to Engle’s “The Call of the Elijah Revolution,” while Ahn is a co-founder to Engle’s TheCall and co-wrote “The Call Revolution” with Engle. In that book, Ahn reports that he first met Engle back in the 1980s when Engle was a seminary drop out who was mowing lawns for a living until, believing him to be a prophet, Ahn gave him a job in his church where all he had to do was pray and fast.
Like I said, I am not sure if this dominionist/7 Mountains theology is becoming more widespread among the establishment Religious Right or if it has always been there and I am just starting to notice it more.
But if places like VCY America are going to be dropping associations because of this creeping dominionism, they might soon find themselves parting ways with a significant number of groups within the so-called mainstream of the Religious Right.
