Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho)

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Christ Church is a controversial evangelical church led by Douglas Wilson in Moscow, Idaho. It is known for a conservative religious ideology and a number of institutional projects, including a publishing operation (Canon Press), a magazine (Credenda/Agenda), a three-year ministerial training program (Greyfriars Hall), and a private accredited college (New Saint Andrews).

1 Beliefs
2 Criticism
3 Response
4 External links

[edit] Beliefs

Christ Church is a traditional Calvinist church, holding to conservative Reformed theology. It is known for its promotion of Christian education, Biblical courtship, and for its opposition to liberalism and feminism as being contrary to the Christian faith. Christ Church also holds to Biblical inerrancy and adheres to the Westminster Standards, the Three Forms of Unity, and the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. It is a member of the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches.

We reject “any form of racism when biblically defined, conspiracy theories which assume that God is not the sovereign of all history, any unscriptural taking up arms against the authorities which God has established, or any incitement to do so, any refusal to pay taxes based upon legal or historical quibblings, and so forth. Many of these positions which we have in mind may contain a measure of the truth, which we acknowledge, contrary to the established wisdom. But our concern is that these truths are maintained in an unbiblical context and applied in an unbiblical manner. The duty of Christians today is to recover a thorough understanding of the gospel, repent of their sins, gather in churches, hear the Word preached, take the Lord’s Supper, and cry out for deliverance.”

[edit] Criticism

Christ Church has drawn criticism locally and nationally. For example, the Church has been described as the "Taliban on the Palouse," as reported by journalist Mark Potok. It is also accused of having an idiosyncratic view of history accused of celebrating the Confederacy and slavery in the southern United States.

Tax evasion is one charge leveled against Christ Church and its satellite enterprises. The tax-exempt status of Anselm House, the site of the Church’s headquarters, and of New Saint Andrews was the subject of multiple court rulings in 2004. In late 2005, the Idaho Attorney General declined to file criminal charges against Wilson and another representative of Christ Church, Eric Burnett, regarding allegations that both men committed perjury in November of 2002 while giving testimony at a Board of Tax Appeals hearing. Christ Church has been cleared of all tax evasion charges.

The church and its affiliates have also been involved in many intensely contested zoning and land-use disputes, brought upon the church by various community members.

[edit] Response

Christ Church claims that it has been persecuted and treated unfairly by many of its critics and by the local governments. It has accused local opponents of having a bias against the church and its affiliated ministries and seeking to close them down because they disagree with the message taught by the church.