doug mastriano

A Reporter’s Guide to the New Apostolic Reformation [Revised for 2025]

Frederick Clarkson, André Gagné — Thu, 23 May 2024 04:58:12 EDT

The story of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) lives at the epicenter of the intersection of politics and religion in the US—and reporting about it is as essential as it is challenging. The story of NAR is happening in the…

Taking Aim at Religion Itself, Apostles Prime Networks For Real-World Violence

Frederick Clarkson — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 04:44:52 EST

It is more than paradoxical that an ostensibly Christian university leader would say, “We are here to put a knife to the throat of religion.” But that’s what Apostle Greg Hood, the founder of Kingdom University in Franklin, Tennessee believes…

Netanyahu’s Genocidal Religious Rhetoric isn't Just an Appeal to the Israeli Right — He Has Another Constituency in Mind

Brock Bahler — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 05:43:37 EST

As a horrifying humanitarian crisis unfolds in Palestine/Israel, observers have been alarmed by the Israeli leadership’s deployment of religious rhetoric and colonialist talking points in its response to the Hamas attacks. On October 28th, for example, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…

'Sit Down and Be Quiet' — MAGA Attack on Jewish Republican Exposes Christian Nationalism's Shaky Commitment to Pluralism

Ben Lorber — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:59:11 EDT

Max Miller isn’t the person you would expect to condemn Christian ‘bigotry’ on Twitter. A GOP House member from Ohio and an advisor to former President Trump, Miller has essentially marched in lockstep with the MAGA movement. But last week…

'Joel's Army' Is Already Here: The Obscure 20th Century Religious Movement That Profoundly Influences The Right's Cosmic Battle

Frederick Clarkson, André Gagné — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 02:01:12 EDT

Anyone who’s been paying attention to the rhetoric of the religious and political Right has heard it: the sound of a critical moment in a bad horror movie. It’s the moment when we learn that the demons are us —which…

The Spirit of January 6th: The Theology of This Seldom Discussed Movement Animates the Growing Threat to U.S. Democracy

Frederick Clarkson, André Gagné — Tue, 16 May 2023 04:12:56 EDT

Listen to this article on the Inform Your Resistance podcast. Lance Wallnau, a prominent Apostle/Prophet in the Neo-Charismatic New Apostolic Reformation, had an unusual Easter message this year. Rather than a traditional message of hope and eternal life, he issued…

For Many Christian Zionists, Israeli Protesters are a Threat to God's Plan

Aidan Orly — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:50:45 EDT

Since Prime Minister Netanyahu and his far-right coalition have sought to curtail the powers of the Israeli judiciary, effectively seizing power in perpetuity , Israeli society has erupted into some of the largest sustained protests in its history. The world…

AR-15 Lapel Pins are More Than Political Provocation — They're Symbols of the Violence at the Heart of White Christian Nationalism

Annika Brockschmidt — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 06:25:02 EDT

Violence has always been at the center of White Christian nationalism: the vow to impose order on those perceived as un-American, if need be with force, either by the police or by wielding a gun themselves. And while the absolute…

Should We Expect to See a Rise in Christian Nationalist Violence in the US?

Nilay Saiya — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 03:50:50 EST

Troubling new details regarding the violent propensity of Christian nationalism have been revealed by a new survey on American Christian nationalism released last month. According to the PRRI/Brookings Institution data, adherents of Christian nationalism are almost seven times as likely…

'Exporting Garbage to the Nations': Conservative Christian Rifts Spreading Like Cracked Glass

Frederick Clarkson, André Gagné — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 02:32:26 EST

The conservative Christian base of the Republican Party has never been as monolithic as it sometimes seems. This has recently been on vivid display in Pennsylvania, where rifts among conservative evangelical Christians are spreading like cracked glass. New cracks appeared…

When Violence is Inevitable: Club Q and the Success of the System

Heron Greenesmith — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 03:53:22 EST

Thirty people in a queer club were shot with an AR-15 by a man with a prior criminal record. Thirty people in a queer club were shot with the Christian Right’s revered weapon as Transgender Day of Remembrance 2022 dawned…

From Shofars to Hammers: The Spiritual Warriors of MAGA are 'ReAwakening' to Political Violence

Mark Clatterbuck — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 04:07:16 EST

For two days in late October, I attended Clay Clarke’s MAGA-driven ReAwaken America Tour near my home in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Keynote speakers included a predictable Who’s Who of Trump surrogates, including Michael Flynn, Mike Lindell, Roger Stone, and Eric…

Putin's Violent Holy War Rhetoric Made it to the Christian Right Fringe — And There's Reason to Believe it'll Go Mainstream

Thomas Lecaque — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 05:30:57 EDT

It starts with a tweet: https://twitter.com/realRickWiles/status/1585375961033605120?s=20&t=DZQ… And it is, of course, not simply that. Shortly before, in support of Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin appointing a “chief exorcist” against Satanism, he said : “Can you think of anybody, in the…

When it Comes to Societal Dominion, the Details Matter: A Reporter’s Guide to the New Apostolic Reformation, Part II

Frederick Clarkson, André Gagné — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 05:18:30 EDT

This is the second of a three-part series. Read Part I: Christian Right Denialism is More Dangerous Than Ever: A Reporter’s Guide to the New Apostolic Reformation & Part III: Call it ‘Christian Globalism’ The apostles of the New Apostolic…

After Roe: 3 Troubling Trends from the 'Compassionate' Anti-Abortion Crowd

Robert Repino — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 05:38:23 EDT

In the early ’90s, my Catholic grade school hosted a guest speaker, a member of the Pennsylvania state legislature. After giving our eighth-grade class a basic civics lesson, he opened the floor to Q&A. And, in the excruciating hour that…

Christian Right Denialism is More Dangerous Than Ever: A Reporter’s Guide to the New Apostolic Reformation

Frederick Clarkson, André Gagné — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 08:22:53 EDT

While the Christian Right has been an increasingly powerful factor in American politics for decades, it has benefited from a strangely persistent culture of denialism. We needn’t review the number of times that reporters, scholars, and religious leaders who should…

Book Bannings Are Bad Enough, But Where Those Involved Are Considered Demonic, the Stakes Could Get Much Higher

Frederick Clarkson — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:39:52 EDT

Calls for, or at least predictions of, revolution or civil war have been common on the religious and political Right for decades. This has been particularly so among leaders of the Christian revivalist movement, the New Apostolic Reformation, in recent…

In a Disturbing Trend, Far-Right Candidates are Getting Crucial Support from Militia Groups and Churches

Chrissy Stroop — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:53:31 EDT

How many local churches are providing direct electoral support to far-right-wing Christian candidates for political office? How many of these churches have members who participated in the January 6, 2021 insurrection, radicalized in part by their pastors’ extreme preaching? How…

New Apostolic Reformation Faces Profound Rift Due to Trump Prophecies and 'Spiritual Manipulation of the Prophetic Gift'

Frederick Clarkson, André Gagné — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 04:47:29 EDT

Updated 8/16/22: The authors’ response to a correction request follows the article. - eds Four weeks after the January 6th insurrection , two leaders of the revivalist New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) were concerned about the future of their movement. They…

When Religious Freedom Means Freedom for Religious Violence

Frederick Clarkson — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 03:51:18 EDT

Religious freedom has long been a rallying cry of the religious and political right. In recent years, it’s been used to provide a rationale for exemptions from a variety of civil right laws. But at least since January 6 th…

Christian Nationalists and the Holy Gun Crusade

Thomas Lecaque — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 01:12:14 EDT

In the wake of every mass shooting in this country, we have a brief moment where we talk about the guns used and the need for gun control. And then rapidly, the gun lobby, conservative politicians, Second Amendment absolutists, and…

GOP Candidate for PA Governor Affiliated with Far-Right Gun Church, 'Rod of Iron Ministries' — Here's an Annotated Sermon by Leader Sean Moon

Thomas Lecaque — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 12:03:28 EST

Pennsylvania State Senator and retired colonel Doug Mastriano has announced his candidacy for governor. And, in keeping with his participation in the Jericho March movement, the Stop the Steal Rally on January 6 th , and other appearances at Christian…