Celebrity Christianity has many pitfalls, and I talk about them at length in my book . Commandment 3: Never Erect Popes namedrops Doug Wilson as a figure in Big Eva large enough to operate outside of the normal Big Eva paradigm. Although in the book I use John MacArthur as a figure well-meaning believers elevate to quasi-papal status, the same is increasingly true of Doug Wilson whose star is shining bright in 2024 (which is a good thing by the way).
However, as people like myself, JD Hall, and others have alluded the Antioch Declaration, written in part by Doug Wilson, was published at a time when Wilson is seeking to maintain his newfound approval in the world by staving off accusations of antisemitism. Nevertheless, those in Moscow’s orbit are circling to defend the Antioch Declaration and its faults with a notable exception in Joe Rigney who was a part of John Piper’s ministry before hopping over to Moscow.
Toby Sumpter is a pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho and cohost of CrossPolitic. He wrote an article defending the Antioch Declaration that is a stunning and brave display of sycophancy. In his article, Brother Wars and the Antioch Declaration, Moscow doubles down on defaming people who oppose the Antioch Declaration. After comparing themselves to Jesus and Peter in their rebukes of brothers, Sumpter writes:
And mixed into the melee are real ghouls, apostates, orcs, Feds, and belligerents, who are simply verbal terrorists and cyber lynch mobs. They snipe and stab and falsely accuse and spread lies and rumors, and they are of their father the devil.
Sumpter defends the Antioch Declaration by attempting to separate it from the underlying scandal of Tobias Riemenschneider who publicly slandered Joel Webbon with the intent of discrediting his ministry.
At this point, it would be helpful to distinguish some things. It is necessary to be able to separate the pastoral situation that arose in Joel Webbon’s church from the Antioch Declaration. The fact that some of the same players are involved does not mean that it warrants conflating the two things. There are of course overlapping themes and topics, but it simply doesn’t follow that the Declaration is attacking fellow Reformed brothers.
This is an impossible line to draw because of the timing and personalities of the Antioch Declaration. The men who are most responsible for promoting the slander of Tobias Riemenschneider (aside from Eschatology Matters who were more unwitting) are the other collaborators of the document such as James White, Joe Boot, and Doug Wilson. That they release this declaration whilst Tobias Riemenschneider has a lot of baggage attached to him is a statement in and of itself, a middle finger to Joel Webbon and his supporters.
Toby Sumpter lofts a softball question to Doug Wilson on the matter, whereby Doug Wilson defends Tobias Riemenschneider’s lack of response by claiming that he needed the recording the Zoom call he had with Joel Webbon on August 7 to respond.
So @douglaswils and @CrossPolitic decided to have a struggle session over the Antioch Declaration, and they were forced to address the controversy that was created by Pastor Tobias and the meme heard ‘round the world. I have added captions to the video clip, but I’ll also post an… pic.twitter.com/Fe4fwMSVeo
— Defiant Baptist (@DefiantBaptist) November 26, 2024
Doug Wilson then scoffs at the idea that Riemenschneider would have lied and gotten away with it had he not been secretly recorded.
The whole controversy got off to a very messy start. Right? The issue is not ‘oh, Pastor Tobias, if the meeting hadn’t been recorded, he could slander somebody.’ The issue is really copacetic to record someone and then to share that with others and share it with others, and then have a public controversy where the person you recorded is the one person who’s not allowed to listen to it.
Like other Antioch defenders, they neglect to mention that Riemenschneider made it a public controversy through his gossip. Doug Wilson, incorrectly, claims that Joel Webbon knew he was being recorded. Chocolate Knox offers mild pushback on why the issue ever became public which Doug Wilson excuses. Chocolate Knox whose name suggests that the Antioch Declaration would condemn him for racial vainglory (just kidding, he’s Black) has not signed the document or maybe his signature awaits the manual review.
Back to Sumpter’s article where he erroneously claims that the document is agreeable.
I didn’t hesitate to send it to my friends Brian Suave and Joel Webbon asking them to consider signing it. I’ve since been told by some that such a thing seems disingenuous since it should be obvious they wouldn’t agree with significant elements of the Declaration. But it wasn’t at all obvious to me. The only thing I could imagine being a quibble for some is the futurist reading of Romans 11
Indeed, the Antioch Declaration assumes an eschatological position on Romans 11, akin to John Hagee. But that’s hardly the only issue, as previously discussed. He then claims that the Antioch Declaration was not attacking Joel Webbon, over its reference to “wolves” in shepherd’s clothing.
Let me try to bring this in for a landing with a few comments on the Declaration itself. First, some took umbrage at the reference to “wolves.” This is odd since that is one of the central tasks of shepherds – to guard the flock from wolves. But the shrieks went up that the Declaration was calling Joel Webbon a wolf, but it wasn’t and it didn’t. Your ability to do the reading carefully is diminishing by the minute.
Toby Sumpter insists that this is about Corey Mahler, the host of Stone Choir. However, Mahler is not a shepherd. Nor is he named in the document. Doug Wilson in his nonanswer to Chocolate Knox talked about “side B nazism” as a justification to make the Riemenschneider’s grievances public.
Sumpter addresses the Aristotle question and the inconsistent position the Antioch Declaration has on the Post-War Consensus. However, Toby Sumpter avoids addressing the statement’s unbiblical take on Jews and false religions.
I conclude with several thoughts. For all the cries that the Declaration was unclear or confusing, it seems to me that it was clear enough. And I believe that is why it has been so offensive to a certain quadrant of the Reformed world. Mission accomplished.
The irony is that for those who think this Declaration represents virtue signaling and Woke 2.0, the real test is who is thinking like an idealogue? Who is acting like a Marxist? The ones classifying groups of people into ideologies or those trying to distinguish between different kinds of actors? For example, while I’m very appreciative of the Post War Consensus analysis, using that as some kind of worldview decoder ring that explains everything you don’t like isn’t going to help. It’s kind of funny to me that many of the same sorts of men who have (rightly) taken back the term “Patriarchy” are now also scoffing at some of the most faithful fathers in our camp, dismissing them as “boomer brains.” I guess “Boomers” are the new Patriarchy. Don’t forget your pink hats.
Indeed, there are several thoughts, but there is not a coherent argument. The Antioch Declaration is woke because it views Jews as a victim class and chastises Christians to not notice their sinful behaviors, whilst the writers had no problem noticing problems like Black fatherlessness. It’s Woke Wars II which is the same as the first Woke War.
In Winning Not Winsome, I talk about celebrity culture in Christianity leading to an inability or unwillingness to respond to issues. One byproduct of erecting Evangelical Popes I had not considered was the less talented sycophants who emerge as a result. But social media is a free market of ideas, now more than ever, so these types will be found out.
4 Responses
Thanks Ray, well said!
Toby doesn’t have any choice. Remember Roy Atwood, the long time loyal toady of Doug’s who was abruptly let go from New St. Andrews and had to schlep off to Europe to find a school to makes ends meet at? It’s still not known what he did to offend Doug, but the result was swift and painful like a vengeful sky god casting lightning bolts at one who has not cowed to him properly.
Anyone who works for any church, denomination, school, publishing company, or any other business Doug controllers or who simply goes to Doug’s church and doesn’t want to lose every friend they have on earth is going to have to go to bat for Doug on this (same as any other day, really).
What makes this all super absurd is Reimenshcneider is based in Germany, right? Let him mind the business of his own nation. They need to make it clear that although they might fellow churches in other countries, those foreigners don’t get to dictate policy to US churches. That’s the declaration that’s actually needed!
Reimenshcneider mentioned that some American pastors had told him to go after Webbon so even though I agree with you, it is really Doug Wilson and James White who are driving this bus.