MOSCOW, Idaho (RNS) — Pastor Doug Wilson has agreed to a dwell on-air dialogue with the producers of “Sons of Patriarchy,” a podcast devoted to exposing what it describes as abuse inside Wilson’s church, Christ Church, after a confrontation throughout a weekend of dueling occasions in Moscow.
The sudden settlement got here Saturday (Aug. 9) when Wilson was approached by Peter Bell, the podcast’s producer, and Sarah Bader, who works on the present, throughout a weekend-long occasion organized by the church.
Bell mentioned Wilson agreed to “a dwell 1-on-1 with me in Moscow, Idaho. We have now it on file.”
Nevertheless, Bell famous to RNS that Wilson is demanding a closed venue for the dwell dialog and different stipulations.
“He’s nicely conscious of the gang and media this might deliver, and that I do know his theology about in addition to anybody else,” mentioned Bell, who began “Sons of Patriarchy” final yr to reveal what he sees as patterns of abuse in church leaders.
Wilson confirmed the potential debate on Fb, posting “It’s taking place … IF” in response to an announcement concerning the face-off.
Friends pack the Kenworthy Performing Arts Middle for a “Sons of Patriarchy” dwell occasion on Aug. 8, 2025, in Moscow, Idaho. (Picture by Tracy Simmons/FāVS Information)
The event follows a offered out “Sons of Patriarchy” occasion on Friday, during which greater than 275 individuals packed Moscow’s Kenworthy Performing Arts Middle to listen to a dwell recording of the present. The podcast producers had intentionally scheduled their first Moscow go to to coincide with Grace Agenda, Christ Church’s weekend convention themed round C.S. Lewis’ Narnia collection.
The dueling Moscow occasions got here the identical weekend Wilson drew nationwide consideration for a CNN interview the place he defended his perception that girls shouldn’t be in church management and are anticipated to undergo their husbands. Wilson, a self-described Christian nationalist, additionally doubled down on his assist to repeal the nineteenth Modification — which gave girls the best to vote and was ratified in 1920 — saying males ought to vote for his or her “households.”
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, who attends a church in Wilson’s denomination and has praised Wilson’s writings, reposted the CNN interview on social media with the remark “All of Christ for All of Life” — a motto of Christ Church or Christ Kirk, as it’s also recognized.
“We’re all right here due to a man you recognize on this city. I gained’t even say his identify,” mentioned Bell to loud applause as he took the stage Friday night. “For those who’re human, you need him gone.”
Jeff Moss, a Palouse, Washington, resident and former Christ Church member who has appeared twice on the “Sons of Patriarchy” podcast, famous the importance of internet hosting the occasion in Moscow throughout Grace Agenda. Moss left the church 10 years in the past after serving as a pastor within the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Church buildings, the denomination Wilson helped discovered. Moss graduated from Christ Church’s Greyfriars Corridor pastoral coaching program and served as a missionary to Hungary to begin a CREC church there earlier than being ordained as a pastor in america.
“‘Sons of Patriarchy’ provides voice to individuals who have been abused in various methods by church buildings, by CREC, by church buildings influenced by Doug Wilson’s concepts,” mentioned Moss, who mentioned he left the church after realizing he didn’t match there anymore.
Moscow represents “floor zero” for the motion, he defined, as a result of Christ Church is predicated there and plenty of church households ship their kids to New St. Andrews School, Wilson’s affiliated establishment, despite the fact that the church’s affect extends nationally and internationally, together with a brand new church plant in Washington, D.C.
The church’s speedy progress has remodeled Moscow’s panorama. Since 2019, Christ Church has doubled in measurement to about 3,000 congregants within the city of 25,000, a progress spurt pushed by households with 4 to 6 kids on common and what Wilson calls emigration from blue states. The church not too long ago accomplished a brand new 1,200-seat church corridor on Dominion Avenue, although Wilson says the church has already outgrown it. Building continues on a brand new campus for the affiliated Logos Faculty, which serves 750 college students, whereas church members function a number of companies all through downtown Moscow.
Bell described Grace Agenda as Wilson’s “greatest recruiting convention” and mentioned the podcasters’ go to was strategically deliberate to “crash” the occasion and “plant seeds of disillusionment within the Moscow neighborhood, particularly with Kirkers.”
“Sons of Patriarchy” podcast emblem. (Courtesy picture)
Bell, who launched the podcast 9 months in the past, described the aim in visiting Moscow: “We’re the bully of the bullies. We make certain we hold you secure.”
The podcast has launched Outreach Idaho, a assist group that gives assets for church abuse survivors, together with authorized assist, counseling and help with shifting. The group has an consumption staff that responds to individuals looking for assist.
“That’s actually what it’s for. It’s for many who are in search of assist,” Bell mentioned. “That’s why we exist as a podcast.”
Journalist and creator Sarah Stankorb joined Bell on stage for a dwell recording of the present to debate her upcoming e-book, “Damned If She Does: Why Girls Stop Church and What It Means for the Way forward for Faith.” She’s credited with bringing nationwide consideration to Wilson’s motion via her 2021 Vice article detailing allegations of abuse inside the church neighborhood.
In the course of the dwell recording portion, Stankorb mentioned analysis displaying that abuse — religious, bodily and sexual — is among the foremost causes girls go away church buildings.
“Patriarchy isn’t new,” she mentioned, noting widespread themes throughout completely different religion communities in her analysis.
After the dwell podcast recording, viewers members lined as much as share private tales and ask questions on combating Christian nationalism whereas sustaining neighborhood relationships.
Moscow Metropolis Councilor Julia Parker was first to talk, asking the way to “be an excellent, welcoming, variety neighborhood” whereas preventing “this Christian nationalist church.”
“We wish to have respect for our neighbors on the identical time we wish to combat this,” Parker mentioned, describing a dilemma she mentioned many Moscow residents who’re involved about Christ Church’s affect face.
Stankorb inspired group and self-care, citing examples of communities that efficiently countered organized minority teams via bigger, civil responses.
A number of attendees requested for recommendation on speaking with Christ Church neighbors in useful, loving methods, particularly those that are contemplating leaving however who would possibly really feel scared.
A number of audio system addressed from stage the isolation skilled by these questioning or leaving patriarchal religion communities.
“While you don’t match, after which once you go away, it’s actually fairly lonely,” Stankorb mentioned, discussing analysis displaying the excellent nature of loss when leaving close-knit spiritual communities.
One attendee who traveled from exterior the realm described feeling “nearly alone” in questioning her conservative evangelical background and expressed gratitude at seeing “so many individuals really speaking about stuff that’s been in my head for thus lengthy.”
The night addressed tensions between political conservatives and progressives in addressing points round Christ Church.
One attendee recognized herself as a conservative Republican who works with different church buildings, saying she discovered herself in an ungainly place over the past election when she noticed “the voting bloc of Christ Church stroll in to vote collectively.”
Bell thanked each conservatives and progressives within the viewers for not “booing” one another, noting that Christ Church grows when “there’s Christ Church and there’s everyone else, they usually combat in opposition to one another.”
“Whether or not you’re Republican, Democrat, conservative, liberal, progressive, Black, white, no matter it’s, that is why you guys can get collectively,” Bell mentioned.
Stankorb emphasised discovering widespread floor.
“Possibly we’re not agreeing on coverage positions, however I wish to imagine there’s some core factor that binds us collectively, whether or not that’s our sense of rights or liberty or human freedom,” she mentioned.
Wilson’s settlement to seem on the present marks a departure from his typical response to critics. When approached by reporters about “Sons of Patriarchy,” he has beforehand replied by referencing a letter from his attorneys. In different venues, he has dismissed the podcast’s claims as recycled defamation or slander.
“I’ve had an open invite to Doug to speak, and he has maintained silence,” Bell mentioned in the course of the occasion. “He doesn’t wish to speak.”
Wilson didn’t reply to a request for remark for this text.
The “Sons of Patriarchy” staff introduced plans to return to Moscow.
“This isn’t the one go to. We wish to make this as a lot of an everyday factor as we are able to,” mentioned Bell, who is predicated in Georgia.
He additionally inspired attendees to put on “Disobedient Girls” T-shirts round Moscow all through the Grace Agenda weekend, which continued Saturday. Half the proceeds from sale of the shirts will assist Outreach Idaho.
The occasion concluded with Bell emphasizing the group’s function as a useful resource for these looking for assist.
”We could not have assets, however we have now individuals who can speak to you, who may also help you. If you wish to inform your story, we are able to level you to individuals who may also help,” he mentioned.
