For Christ Church, a mixed bag
Apr. 12—A crowd packed into the University of Idaho Administration Building on Thursday night to listen to Christ Church leaders explain their views on controversial topics such as abortion, race and religion.
Christ Church pastor Doug Wilson, New Saint Andrews College president Benjamin Merkle and King's Cross Church pastor Toby Sumpter were the featured speakers during a question-and-answer session that lasted an hour and 45 minutes.
The event drew church members and critics alike — more than 100 people in all — and some of the leaders' responses led to boos and outbursts from the crowd. One attendee held a sign saying "Christ Church isn't welcome here."
Christ Church has drawn controversy for years because of its societal and political views and sex crimes committed by church members, as well as its stated mission to make Moscow a Christian town.
Wilson said Thursday the biggest misconception is the church wants to conduct a hostile takeover of Moscow.
"I think people are thinking that we are attempting to do something that has never entered our heads," Wilson said. "We are simply not interested in doing that sort of thing."
Wilson said he wants Moscow to become a Christian town by means of persuasion, evangelism and "being good neighbors."
Sumpter said Christ Church members are able to get along with people of different beliefs, including atheists, because everyone is made in God's image.
However, Wilson later said those who do not believe in God cannot generate an "ethical system that is binding on anyone else."
He also reaffirmed his opposition to gay marriage, and his opposition to abortion even if a pregnancy is the result of a sexual assault.
Wilson addressed accusations that Christ Church is a cult. Unlike cults, Wilson said, Christ Church does not try to isolate its followers from their family and friends. He also said members of the congregation are allowed to leave the church if they choose.
He claimed the shops and businesses owned by Christ Church members serve everyone in the community and not just congregation members.
The church's response to sex crimes was a topic of conversation. Members of the church have been arrested and charged with such crimes, including former deacon Alex Lloyd, who pleaded guilty to child porn charges in 2022.
Wilson said if a Christ Church leader admits to a sexual offense, they would have to resign. Sumpter said if the church finds out about a crime, they would call the police.
Wilson was also asked about his views on slavery, which is a common question posed to him because of previous comments he made about some slaves and slaveholders having a mutual affection.
Wilson said they are grateful slavery is gone and that it is an "ungodly" system. He said his previous comments on slavery were based on researching historical interviews of former slaves depicting "reasonable human relationships" between masters and slaves.
Other opinions expressed by Wilson included his belief that women should not have certain leadership positions in the church because it is prohibited by the Bible. Merkle added that New Saint Andrews has female faculty members.
Wilson also claimed he does not know if climate change is real, if it is caused by humans, or if it can be reversed. He also does not know if climate change is necessarily bad.
Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.
