Original context here. More discussion here.
Ackerman’s plan was summarized by me as strengthening biblically-faithful congregations, and strengthening and then reconquering moderate (i.e, wavering) congregations, all within the most infamous of the mostly-far-left mainline Protestant denominations. Eventually, if all goes well, we can retake entire denominations because liberal Christianity cannot sustain itself.
(By “we,” I mean Christians who are faithful to the message of Christ and the Apostles. I’m not calling on anyone here to join the Reconquista.)
That’s the key point. Liberal “Christianity” cannot sustain itself. It’s weaker than it looks.
For me, the most important thing about Ackerman’s plan is its spirit. Take the fight to the enemy in one of his strongholds.
This might require a little guile every now and then but not, it seems to me, much more that is required for normal life. To be a useful reconquistador requires one to be forthright in the faith just about all the time. You might have to be more discrete when under the eye of a liberal bishop, but even so, you cannot hide what you are doing and still be useful.
They might not like what you’re doing, but if you do it right they’ll have a hard time stopping you.
What you have to be is something like a missionary: One who ventures into foreign territory in order to help the natives. It’s not for everyone, especially not if you have charge over young children (unless you want to send them to another church, which seems inappropriate.)
All of this seemed obvious to me. I didn’t think it needed to be spelled out.
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So I was a little puzzled when the most common responses to Operation Reconquista were to think that Ackerman and I are bidding ordinary Christians to rush to join apostate, spiritually-toxic churches, and that we’re telling our recruits to dissemble.
That’s not what I’m bidding or telling. And neither is Ackerman, if I read him correctly. If that’s what he is saying, I withdraw my approval.
But then Ackerman is not the Pope of the Operation. It will be carried out by people who understand local conditions and discover tactics that work. Ackerman’s role is to energize spirited Christians by showing them the weaknesses of the enemy and giving them a plausible plan.
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And, of course, what’s true about leftist “Christianity” is true about leftist society generally. It looks strong, and it can sometimes deliver a fearsome punishment, but it’s brittle. It cannot sustain itself.