The March edition of the CUUPS Bulletin talks with David Green, the consulting minister for the Amarillo UU Fellowship, in the wake of several stories on the Christian militant group Repent Amarillo. The Christian “soldier group” have targeted the fellowship on their “warfare map” for being a haven to Pagans, and according to Green, have already been protesting Pagan events there.

“They have protested at Pagan events at the Fellowship. Repent Amarillo is apparently a very small organization whose members also use the name “Raven Ministries.” Their respective websites are fairly clear on their agenda, but their efforts have had the unintended effect of drawing positive attention to our Fellowship; many of our newer members and guests learned of the Amarillo Unitarian Universalist Fellowship due to Repent Amarillo’s well-publicized activities and website.

While we might keep a wary eye on Repent Amarillo, they have not prevented us in the least from growing and moving forward into an exciting future. We’ve discovered that plenty of folks in the Amarillo area are seeking a place to share a progressive, tolerant, and welcoming religious experience.”

So it looks like their intimidation tactics haven’t been as effective, and may actually be backfiring, in regards to the UU Fellowship and the Pagans who call it home. As Green points out, this doesn’t mean there is no threat, or that we shouldn’t be watchful, only that they haven’t found the same traction in attacking the religious “other” as they have with swingers and strippers.

Meanwhile, Rachel Tabachnick at Talk To Action examines Repent Amarillo’s origins and affiliations, and gives a history of the spiritual warfare technique known as “spiritual mapping” that these groups engage in.

“Repent Amarillo’s spiritual mapping and militant spiritual warfare tactics have drawn attention, but they are not much different than those being practiced by “prayer warriors” all over the country.  The spiritual mapping techniques are the same as those introduced by C. Peter Wagner and other New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) leaders.  Pastor Bohn actually appears to disagree with much of the NAR theology but, like many aggressive ministries, has adopted their unorthodox methods nevertheless.”

It’s an interesting essay, and Tabachnick is quick to warn us against complacency simply because groups like Repent Amarillo tend to be small and isolated, pointing out that these warfare groups are spreading quickly, and she predicts a rise in “spiritual” Christian vigilantism in the years to come.

Tags: Christianity, CUUPs, Paganism, Repent Amarillo, spiritual warfare, Talk To Action, Texas, Unitarian-Universalism, UUA