Promise Keepers: Christian Men's Movement Making a Comeback?

By Bill Berkowitz, AlterNet. Posted July 7, 2009.

“Within patriarchy, and its more mainstream counterpart, complementarianism (which promotes ‘complementarian,’ rather than egalitarian, roles for husbands and wives), Proverbs 31describes the attributes and responsibilities that a godly, submissive wife should have, and states that such a virtuous woman is more valuable than rubies -- a sentiment that is echoed in the title of one of the oldest magazines of ‘biblical womanhood,’" Above Rubies,” Joyce pointed out.

“Promise Keepers' reference to this well-known verse seems an obvious effort to tap into the widespread network of biblical womanhood ministries and teachings across conservative evangelical churches, which has flourished as the PK brand fell into obscurity over the past ten years. At the same time, they also seem to be making a token gesture towards the softer style of ‘new evangelicals,’ such as megachurch pastor Rick Warren, with their emphasis on alleviating poverty -- though true to other conservative evangelical work on poverty, they seem to promote a church-driven charity model rather than a systematic solution. Similarly, their problematic reference to Christianity's Jewish roots, which recalls many conservative Christian efforts to construct a common ‘Judeo-Christian’ heritage, seems like a familiar evangelical stand against secularism or religious pluralism, even as the Promise Keepers maintain a facade of respect for other religious traditions,” Joyce added.

“What we see in McCartney's eschatology is a move out of classic Dispensationalism,” Bruce Wilson, the co-founder of the blog Talk2Action, told AlterNet. According to his “brand of Christian Zionism, Christians can try to move the hands of the prophetic clock, to hasten the end time. Perhaps McCartney's ‘Road To Jerusalem’ project “flopped because he was too blunt about wanting to do that.” The more well-known Pastor John Hagee, the founder of Christians United For Israel, “declared the US invasion of Iraq would cause a Muslim army of millions to attack Israel (Hagee was a supporter of the US invasion), he tries to maintain he's not trying to hasten the end-time and has said that trying to advance the prophetic clock is ‘off the charts theologically,’" Wilson added.

As part of the pre-celebration prep, PK is “recruiting ‘5400 Watchmen on the Wall’ warring male and female intercessors to stand in the gap and make up the Wall on behalf of men, women, children, pastors, rabbis, and leaders from across the nation Fight to Finish Faithfully the race set before them.” Apparently the 5400 figure results from the fact that Folsom Field “is situated at 5400 feet above sea level, one of the highest college stadiums in the nation.”

Speakers confirmed so far include Jane Hansen Hoyt, president and CEO of Aglow International, who will be a keynote speaker; Dr. Tony Evans of Dallas, Texas; relationship expert Gary Smalley of Branson, Mo.; pastor Tommy Barnett (Phoenix); Rabbi Jonathan Bernis; Rabbi David Chernoff; Dr. Dan Juster; Promise Keepers president Dr. Raleigh Washington, and McCartney.

Does the Promise Keepers 20th anniversary event -- which will undoubtedly draw thousands to Boulder -- presage a revivified Christian men’s movement, or will it be something akin to the recurring celebrations of Woodstock (forty years old this summer) – a nostalgic sentimental moment with little greater meaning?

“I suspect McCartney isn't so much trying to restart the Christian men's movement but, rather, trying to mimic what New Apostolic Reformation leaders such as Lou Engle are doing,” Bruce Wilson.

”McCartney has participated in Engle's TheCall events and my guess is that he's trying to copy elements of Engle's winning formula,” Wilson added. Engle has held TheCall events in South America, Asia, Africa and Europe and in early June at Virginia Beach Rock Church Engle introduced and laid hands on Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee. “I think Bill McCartney is trying to catch the new wave.”

McCartney is also the co-author – along with Aaron Fruh -- of a book called “Two Minute Warning,” which takes an in-depth look on the topic of Jewish reconciliation. Due to be released in the fall, New Man magazine pointed out that early copies will be available at the “A Time to Honor” event.

"The book chronicles 1,900 years of how Satan has done everything possible to divide Jewish and gentile believers," Fruh, a Jewish believer and pastor who has written several books on the topic, told New Man. "This event is basically seeking to heal this divide."

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Bill Berkowitz is a freelance writer covering right-wing groups and movements.

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