Douglas Wilson
Born (1953-06-18) June 18, 1953
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Idaho
Occupations
  • Theologian
  • pastor
  • author
SpouseNancy Wilson
Children3 including N. D. Wilson
OrdinationCREC
Theological work
EraLate 20th and early 21st centuries
Tradition or movement
Main interests
Notable ideasFederal Vision

Douglas James Wilson (born June 18, 1953) is a conservative Reformed and evangelical theologian, pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, faculty member at New Saint Andrews College, and author and speaker. Wilson is known for his writing on classical Christian education, Reformed theology, as well as general cultural commentary. His most controversial work is Southern Slavery, As It Was,[1] which he coauthored with Steve Wilkins. He is also featured in the documentary film Collision documenting his debates with anti-theist Christopher Hitchens on their promotional tour for the book Is Christianity Good for the World?.

Biography

Douglas Wilson was born in 1953, and in 1958 his family moved to Annapolis, MD where he spent most of his childhood.[2] His father was a full-time evangelist, who worked with the Officers’ Christian Union. His father had become a Christian in the Naval Academy, and worked in Christian literature ministry, both in Annapolis and later in Idaho.[3] Upon high school graduation Wilson enlisted into the submarine service, after which he attended the University of Idaho, where he met his wife, Nancy, whom he married in 1975. They have three children and many grandchildren.[4] His son Nathan Wilson is a bestselling author, and his daughter Rebekah is married to the president of New Saint Andrews College, Ben Merkle.

Career

Wilson co-founded the Reformed cultural and theological journal Credenda/Agenda and has been a contributor to Tabletalk, a magazine published by R. C. Sproul's Ligonier Ministries. He has published a number of books on culture and theology, several children's books, and a collection of poetry.

Wilson has been a prominent advocate for classical Christian education, laying out his vision for education in several books and pamphlets, particularly Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning and The Case for Classical Christian Education.[5][6] He argues that American public schools are failing to educate their students, and proposes a Christian approach to education based on the medieval trivium, a philosophy of education with origins in Classical Antiquity and emphasizing grammar, rhetoric, and logic and advocates a wide exposure to the liberal arts, including classical Western languages such as Latin and Greek. The model has been adopted by a number of Christian private schools[7] and homeschoolers.[8]

Wilson has written on theological subjects, advocating Van Tillian presuppositional apologetics and postmillennialism.[9] His book Letter from a Christian Citizen[10] was Wilson's response to atheist Sam Harris's Letter to a Christian Nation. In May 2007, Wilson debated atheist public intellectual Christopher Hitchens in a six-part series published first in Christianity Today,[11] and subsequently as a book entitled Is Christianity Good for the World? with a foreword by Jonah Goldberg.

Controversies

Federal Vision

Wilson's views on covenant theology have caused some controversy as part of the Federal Vision theology, partly because of its perceived similarity to the New Perspective on Paul, which Wilson does not fully endorse, though he has praised some tenets.[12] The Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States declared his views on the subject to have "the effect of destroying the Reformed Faith".[13][14]

Discussions on slavery

Wilson's most controversial work is considered to be his pamphlet Southern Slavery, As It Was, which he co-wrote with Christian minister J. Steven Wilkins. In it, they wrote that "slavery produced in the South a genuine affection between the races that we believe we can say has never existed in any nation before the War or since."[1] Louis Markos notes that "though the pamphlet condemned racism and said the practice of Southern slavery was unbiblical, critics were troubled that it argued U.S. slavery was more benign than is usually presented in history texts."[15] Some historians, such as Peter H. Wood, Clayborne Carson, and Ira Berlin, condemned the pamphlet's arguments, with Wood calling them "as spurious as Holocaust denial".[16]

In 2004, Wilson held a conference for those who supported his ideas at the University of Idaho. The university published a disclaimer distancing itself from the event, and numerous anti-conference protests took place. Wilson described critical attacks as "abolitionist propaganda".[16] He also has repeatedly denied any racist leanings. He has said his "long war" is not on behalf of white supremacy; rather, Wilson claims to seek restoration of a prior era, during which he says faith and reason seemed at one and when family, church, and community were more powerful than the state.[17]

The Southern Poverty Law Center connects Wilson's views to the Neo-Confederate and Christian Reconstruction movements influenced by R. J. Rushdoony, concluding, "Wilson's theology is in most ways indistinguishable from basic tenets of [Christian] Reconstruction."[18]

Canon Press ceased publication of Southern Slavery, As It Was when it became aware of serious citation errors in 24 passages authored by Wilkins where quotations, some lengthy, from the 1974 book Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery by Robert William Fogel and Stanley L. Engerman were not cited.[19] Robert McKenzie, the history professor who first noticed the citation problems, described the authors as being "sloppy" rather than "malevolent" while also pointing out that he had reached out to Wilson several years earlier. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, "He described the lifted passages as simply reflecting a citation problem, and attributed the latest uproar to "some of our local Banshees [who] have got wind of all this and raised the cry of plagiarism (between intermittent sobs of outrage).""[20] Wilson reworked and redacted the arguments and published (without Wilkins) a new set of essays under the name Black & Tan[21] after consulting with historian Eugene Genovese.[22]

Published work

Author

  • Wilson, Douglas (1989), Wilson, Douglas (ed.), No Stone Unturned: The CEF Symposium on Creation, et al, Canon Press.
  • ———; Nance, James B (2006) [1990, 1992, 1997], Introductory Logic for Christian and Home Schools, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-033-0.
  • ——— (1991), Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning: An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education, Crossway, ISBN 978-0-89107-583-7.
  • ——— (1995), Reforming Marriage, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-45-5.
  • ———; Hagopian, David (1996), Beyond Promises: A Biblical Challenge to Promise Keepers, Canon, ISBN 1-885767-12-9.
  • ——— (1996), Wilson, Douglas (ed.), Repairing the Ruins: The Classical and Christian Challenge to Modern Education, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-14-1.
  • ———; Wilkins, Steve (1996), Southern Slavery: As It Was, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-17-2.
  • ——— (1996b), Contours of Postmaturity: InterVarsity Press Comes of Age, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-20-2.
  • ——— (1996c), To A Thousand Generations: Infant Baptism ~ Covenant Mercy to the Children of God, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-24-0.
  • ——— (1997a), Standing on the Promises: A Handbook of Biblical Childrearing, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-25-7.
  • ——— (1997b), Her Hand in Marriage: Biblical Courtship in the Modern World, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-26-4.
  • ——— (1997c), Easy Chairs, Hard Words: Conversations on the Liberty of God, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-30-1.
  • ——— (1997d), Persuasions: A Dream of Reason Meeting Unbelief, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-29-5.
  • ———; Craig, Karen (1997), Latin Grammar for Christian and Home Schools (2nd ed.), Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-37-0.
  • ———; Jones, Douglas (1998), Angels in the Architecture: A Protestant Vision for Middle Earth, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-40-0.
  • ——— (1999a), Joy at the End of the Tether: The Inscrutable Wisdom of Ecclesiastes, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-50-9.
  • ——— (1999b), Federal Husband, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-51-6.
  • ——— (1999c), The Paideia of God and Other Essays on Education, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-59-2.
  • ——— (1999d), Fidelity: What It Means to be a One-Woman Man, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-64-6.
  • ——— (2000), For Kirk and Covenant: The Stalwart Courage of John Knox, Leaders in Action, Cumberland House, ISBN 978-1-58182-058-4.
  • ——— (2000), Knowledge, Foreknowledge, and the Gospel (monograph), Canon, ISBN 978-5-550-03324-1.
  • ——— (2000), Exhortations: A Call to Maturity in Worship, Charles Nolan, ISBN 978-0-9677603-1-5.
  • ——— (2001), Untune the Sky: Occasional, Stammering Verse, Veritas, ISBN 978-1-930710-69-6.
  • ——— (2001b), Greyfriars Covenant: Essays on Evangelism and Apologetics, Greyfriars Hall.
  • ——— (2001c), Beyond Stateliest Marble: The Passionate Femininity of Anne Bradstreet, Leaders in Action, Cumberland House, ISBN 978-1-58182-164-2.
  • ——— (2001d), Mother Kirk: Essays on Church Life, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-72-1.
  • ——— (2001e), Wilson, Douglas (ed.), Bound Only Once: The Failure of Open Theism, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-84-4.
  • ——— (2001f), Excused Absence: Should Christian Kids Leave Public Schools?, Canon, ISBN 978-0-9702245-1-4.
  • ———; Callihan, Wesley; Jones, Douglas (2001), Classical Education and the Homeschool, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-85-1.
  • ——— (2002), "Reformed" is Not Enough: Recovering the Objectivity of the Covenant (PDF), Moscow, ID: Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-005-7, archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2007.
  • ——— (2002b), The Case for Classical Christian Education, Crossway, ISBN 978-1-58134-384-7.
  • ——— (2003), A Serrated Edge: A Brief Defense of Biblical Satire and Trinitarian Skylarking, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-010-1.
  • ——— (2003), Blackthorn Winter, Maritime, Veritas, ISBN 978-1-932168-10-5.
  • ——— (2004), My Life for Yours: A Walk Though the Christian Home, Canon, ISBN 978-1-885767-90-5.
  • ——— (2004), Wisdom Is A Woman And Other Short Essays On Marriage For Men, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-029-3.
  • Wilson, Douglas; Fischer, G Tyler, eds. (2005), Omnibus I: Biblical and Classical Civilizations, Veritas, ISBN 978-1-932168-42-6.
  • ——— (2005), Black & Tan: A Collection of Essays and Excursions on Slavery, Culture War, and Scripture in America, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-032-3.
  • ——— (2006), For a Glory and a Covering: A Practical Theology of Marriage, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-041-5.
  • ——— (2007), Letter from a Christian Citizen: A Response to Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris, American Vision, ISBN 978-0-915815-66-1.
  • ——— (2008), The Deluded Atheist: A Response to Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion, American Vision, ISBN 978-0-915815-59-3.
  • ——— (2008), God Is. How Christianity Explains Everything, American Vision, ISBN 978-0-915815-86-9.
  • ———; Hitchens, Christopher (2008), Is Christianity Good for the World?, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-053-8.
  • ——— (2008), A Primer on Worship and Reformation: Recovering the High Church Puritan, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-061-3.
  • ——— (2008), Heaven Misplaced: Christ's Kingdom on Earth, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-083-5.
  • ——— (2009), Five Cities that Ruled the World: How Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and New York Shaped Global History, Thomas Nelson, ISBN 978-1-59555-136-8.
  • ——— (2010), Wilson, Douglas (ed.), The Forgotten Heavens: Six Essays on Cosmology, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-071-2.
  • ——— (2010), What I Learned in Narnia, Canon Press, ISBN 978-1-59128-079-8.
  • ——— (2011), A Study Guide to Calvin's Institutes, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-086-6.
  • ———; Wilson, ND (2011), The Rhetoric Companion: A Student's Guide to Power in Persuasion, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-078-1.
  • ——— (2011), Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-099-6.
  • ——— (2012a), Future Men: Raising Boys to Fight Giants (rev ed.), Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-110-8 Original edition, 2001, ISBN 978-1-885767-83-7.
  • ——— (2012b), Evangellyfish, Canon, ISBN 978-1-59128-098-9.
  • ——— (2012c), Father Hunger: Why God Calls Men to Love and Lead Their Families, Thomas Nelson, ISBN 978-1-59555-476-5.

Contributor

  • Wilson, Douglas; et al. (1996), Hagopian, David G (ed.), Back to Basics: Rediscovering the Richness of the Reformed Faith, P&R, ISBN 978-0-87552-216-6.
  • ———; et al. (2001), Johnson, Gary LW; White, R Fowler (eds.), Whatever Happened to the Reformation?, P&R, ISBN 978-0-87552-183-1.
  • ———; et al. (2003), Strawbridge, Gregg (ed.), The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism, P&R, ISBN 978-0-87552-554-9.
  • ———; et al. (2004), Wilkins, Steve; Garner, Duane (eds.), The Federal Vision, Athanasius, ISBN 978-0-9753914-0-2.
  • ———; et al. (2004), Mathison, Keith A (ed.), When Shall These Things Be?: A Reformed Response to Hyper-Preterism, P&R, ISBN 978-0-87552-552-5.
  • ———; et al. (2006), Strawbridge, Gregg (ed.), The Case for Covenant Communion, Athanasius, ISBN 978-0-9753914-3-3.
  • ———; et al. (2010), With Calvin in the Theater of God: The Glory of Christ and Everyday Life, Crossway, ISBN 978-1-4335-1412-8.

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Wilson & Wilkins 1996.
  2. ↑ Wilson, Douglas (April 6, 2005). "The Kindness of God". Blog and Mablog. Moscow, ID. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  3. ↑ Wilson, Douglas (June 16, 2022). "Memorial Service for Jim Wilson Scheduled". Blog and Mablog. Moscow, ID. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  4. ↑ Wilson, Douglas (December 31, 2018). "Heavy Horses, Heavy Blessings". Blog and Mablog. Moscow, ID. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  5. ↑ Wilson 1991.
  6. ↑ Wilson 2002b.
  7. ↑ History, Association of Classical and Christian Schools History, archived from the original on April 5, 2010
  8. ↑ Introduction to Classical Christian Education, Classical Christian Homeschooling
  9. ↑ Gentry, Kenneth L. (2010). "Postmillennialism". Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond. Zondervan Academic. p. 22. ISBN 9780310873990. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  10. ↑ Wilson 2007.
  11. ↑ "Is Christianity Good for the World?". Christianity Today. 8 May 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  12. ↑ Wilson, Douglas. "A Pauline Take on the New Perspective". Credenda/Agenda. 15 (5). Archived from the original on 2004-02-05.
  13. ↑ "A Call to Repentance" (PDF). Covenant Presbytery, Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States. 22 June 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  14. ↑ Wilson 2002, pp. 7–9, ‘Forward’.
  15. ↑ Markos, Louis (19 August 2019). "The Rise of the Bible-Teaching, Plato-Loving, Homeschool Elitists". Christianity Today. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  16. 1 2 Ramsey, William L (December 20, 2004). "The Late Unpleasantness in Idaho: Southern Slavery and the Culture Wars". Washington, District of Columbia: History News Network. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
  17. ↑ Worthen, Molly (April 17, 2009). "The Controversialist". Christianity Today.
  18. ↑ "Doug Wilson's Religious Empire Expanding in the Northwest". Intelligence report. SPL center. Spring 2004.
  19. ↑ Luker, Ralph E (May 2, 2005), "Plagiarizing Slavery...", Cliopatria (blog), History News Network
  20. ↑ "Plagiarism As It Is: Neo-Confederates". Southern Poverty Law Center: Intelligence Report. 2004. Archived from the original on March 3, 2015.
  21. ↑ Wilson 2005.
  22. ↑ Ramsey, William L (March 27, 2006). "Horowitz, Genovese, and the Varieties of Culture War: Comments on the Continuing Unpleasantness in Idaho". Washington, District of Columbia: History News Network. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
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