Steeplejacking: How the Christian Right is Hijacking Mainstream Religion

by Sheldon Culver, John Dorhauer

“A how-to manual for progressive Christians who want to reclaim the church from intolerant, extremist factions. An important book.”—Julia Scheeres, author of Jesus A Memoir

An unprecedented look inside the battle for religion in America, How the Christian Right is Hijacking Mainstream Religion exposes how a strident theocratic minority is attacking—or “steeplejacking”—mainstream churches in order to eliminate progressive voices and take control of America’s historic mainline denominations.

An insider account by two ministers on the front lines of mainstream religion’s longtime shadow war against the religious right, Steeplejacking reveals how conservative renewal groups, backed by a right-wing organization called the Institute on Religion and Democracy, use social wedge issues like homosexuality to infiltrate mainline churches and stir up dissent among members of the congregation, with the goal of taking over the leadership of the church, and ultimately, the denomination. The book unmasks the covert methods that renewal groups and the IRD use to spread their propaganda, as well as showing how the pastor and other church leaders can act as either provocateurs or protectors in the face of an attack. Churches that have been “steeplejacked” are also examined to illustrate why some are able to withstand an attack, while others succumb.

Featuring a foreword by Michelle Goldberg , author of the bestselling Kingdom Coming , and an introduction by Frederick Clarkson , Steeplejacking shows how mainstream religion can fight back against the insidious tactics of the Christian right.

An ordained minister forover thirty years, Sheldon Culver serves on the conference staff of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer is a member of the conference staff for the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ and a weekly contributor to talk2action.

Genres: Christianity, Religion

200 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

Reviews

[Adam Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book yesterday and opened it just to glance through, and ended up reading the whole thing in a single sitting. The authors pull back the veil to expose a coordinated effort by Christian Right groups to destabilize and undermine the mainline churches by stirring up dissent and conflict in local congregations, take control of church leadership, and instigate splits or get churches to leave the mainline. Fascinating reading.

[John Holst · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book opens us to the sad world of those who destroy church communities. Important book!

[Jan Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following national and international news one can’t help but notice more and more schisms and splits in mainline denominations. Authors Culver and Dorhauer trace this phenomenon back into the 1980’s where different denominations were split by different wedge issues. They traced the the beginnings to a group called Institute of Religion and Democracy whose sole mission is to harness peoples’ yearning for transcendence and anxiety about a quickly changing world to a punitive partisian program.” The IRD is not spiritual, but a political movement. By splitting the country’s mainline denominations, social justice positions will be weakened.

This short book is well documented and makes for thought provoking reading. I have long wondered why educated, intelligent, people become derailed by an onslaught of propaganda. It takes work to look beneath the surface of hot button topics and no one wants to offend God.

I highly recommend reading this book thoughtfully. The authors have done their homework. The book is expensive, I got it through Interlibrary loan but is certainly worth reading. While some will never agree, others may begin to notice patterns in the national news. It will at least spur some to research on their own.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thus book is thought-provoking, more than a little frightening, and has stimulated me to do additional research. Particularly interesting are the close parallels between the state of American politics in 2019—especially the continued rise and flourishing of win-lose ideas and convictions in what should be conversations among people who are seeking the best answers to the country’s problems—and the state of American mainline Protestant denominations—especially the acts of governance that are moving minimally doctrinal religious practices toward a capitulation to those who demand more law and enforcement thereof in lieu of traditions that expected and welcomed fluidity in matters of faith that enriched the church. In the end I’m glad I read it, while also deeply saddened and angry about the increasing exclusion of people created in God’s image from God’s churches. Any mainline Protestant Christian whose church has split or seems to be moving toward fracturing should read this insightful book.

[Zoe Garry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for the mainline!

[George Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

very informative, timely and empowering

[Phillip Woodard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good.