Sons of Charlatanry
By Andrew Smyth - Posted at Once For All Delivered:
On Peter Bell, host of the upcoming "Sons of Patriarchy"Published October 17, 2024
What happens when biblical patriarchy, christian nationalism (sic), and a theology of authority and submission become the pillars of a movement? Scores of abuse stories in marriages, schools, churches, families, and more. Though these ideas have filtered throughout the United States for decades, they found a home in Moscow, Idaho, through the ministry and work of Doug Wilson. From there, they have influenced churches across the United States, and across the world. In this series, you’ll hear from experts on all aspects of these movements, and the stories of abuse from those who survived. Some are Christian, some are not, but one thing they’ve got in common? They’re finally speaking out. This is their story.
The host of this podcast is Peter Bell. Until this summer, Bell was a co-host of the Guilt Grace Gratitude podcast and (as a graduate of Westminster Seminary California a year after me) was also pursuing a call to the ministry, a journey which took him to various NAPARC denominations and churches. The X account for Sons of Patriarchy has already in its short existence engaged in many accusations and suppositions against many brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m no particular defender of Wilson or his movement, but many of the accusations and attacks reach well beyond Moscow and to well within NAPARC. Bell and the others in this project are soliciting financial donations and seeking victims to tell their stories.
Previously, in May of this year, I and another Orthodox Presbyterian minister (Pastor Shawn Mathis of Providence OPC in Denver, CO) began investigating Bell because of his activities and claims on GGG and social media. We found that Bell was being represented on GGG as a pastor with ties to the OPC despite having no ecclesiastical credentials (ordination or licensure), and in at least one case he was denied ecclesiastical credentials (by a URCNA classis). Furthermore, Bell was promoting individuals and ideas on GGG that were not in keeping with our Reformed faith (these findings are detailed in the letter below). Bell was uncooperative when confronted, so we sent correspondence to the OPC presbytery in which Bell was pursuing the ministry and the other church bodies that we contacted in the course of our investigation.
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