Is Reformed Evangelicalism a cult?

1. After over 15 years within the culture, & after spending several years in an abusive reformed evangelical church (that was/is a cult), I’d argue YES.

Here’s a thread that may hopefully free some of you, and maybe offer others healing.

2. There are several characteristics that make up a cult. I will list them along w/ ways in which reformed evangelicalism meets it. The characters I will address are as followed.

1. Infallible Leadership
2. Isolating dogma
3. Hyper-exclusivity
4. Intimidation, fear, isolation

3. Further signs.

5. Delegitimizes former members
6. Isolationism (different than #2)
7. Leaders above Law/moral code
8. Elitism
9. Manipulation/abuse
10. Secrecy

4. Now let’s dive in.

-Infallible Leadership- part 1

Within Reformed Evangelicalism, there are certain leaders who are elevated to the point of infallible. These men speak at conferences, write all the books, & are seen as most enlightened. They are also almost all white men.

5.
-Infallible Leadership- part 2

Within local church context, pastors are treated as mini-Popes. There is no room to ever question them or their decisions. In fact, if you do, you are labeled “divisive”. “Fear of being “divisive” grants Pastors inn unity from accountability.

6.
-Isolating Dogma- Part 1
Cults have more than beliefs, they seek to assert their secondary beliefs as absolute & indoctrinate followers to view all those who don’t adhere as inferior or enemies. In Reformed Evangelicalism, embrace of T.U.L.I.P determines credibility of faith.

7.
-Isolating Dogma- Part 2
In recent times, how one vies the issue of justice & racial disparities have been added to this list. Those who disagree on any point of doctrine that causes the cultic cultural bubble to leak are deemed heretical, anti-Christ’s, or maybe Marxist.

8. This thread is gon’ be long y’all. Bear with me. I’ll try to speed things up but every point is important.

-Hyper-exclusivity-
Cults thrive thru making members feel they’re part of a special unique club. Reformed Evangelicalism accomplished this thru a conference culture.

9. Let me pause for a second and say, I became reformed in my soteriology & theology thru reading scripture long before joining the culture of reformed evangelicalism. It’s important to understand I’m of a movement & not the theology that’s been weaponized by it to oppress.

10. Let’s talk about 4, 5, & 6 together. There is an “IN or OUT” mentality within cults. You’re either “IN” or you are “OUT”. Within reformed evangelicalism, fellow reformed people are affirmed. The moment someone leaves a reformed church or culture; they’re immediately canceled.

11. fear of being canceled by church community or the culture causes people to stay. Intimidation is also used. Also, isolationism is used to give people a taste of what cancellation will feel like. Ministry ops, community, etc. are taken away for season to get them back in line.

12. Within reformed evangelicalism, leaders are above both the Law & moral code others are held to. In cults we see this when a leader has multiple wives. In reformed Evangelicalism, it’s cover-ups of abuse, defending abusers & their enablers; all based on gifting & influence.

13.
-elitism-
Cults need their members to feel special, elite even. They do this thru presenting dogma as hidden knowledge only revealed to them. Reformed theology is treated this way. Those who know it are praised as being enlightened & those who aren’t are pitied & side-eyed.

14. Along w/ all this comes a key components of a cult: Cults seek to sever whatever ties an individual has to their family or community. Reformed evangelicalism has done this to black & brown members by indoctrinating them in white supremacy & turning them on their communities.

15. It has also done this to women by developing a worldview of feminist and womanhood that perpetuates their oppression, even under abuse. As cults do, any minority or woman who challenges the cultic paradigms become enemy #1 & must be discredited at all costs.

16. Much of the hostility & vitriol you see on social media coming from those in the reformed evangelicalism camp is as such b/c the people are part of a cult & their aggression is their response to teaching & indoctrination they’ve received in that cult.

17. Many people, including myself, need to repent for being a part of the cult of reformed evangelicalism. I confess that I was part of this at large & as a lay leader of a cultic church. I enabled & perpetuated it as one indoctrinated. God, forgive me.

18. Finally, and I want to make this clear, when I say “reformed evangelicalism” I am not talking about the precious doctrines of grace, but rather Thea culture that has used them. Please don’t try & take this thread & weaponize it in your own personal theological vendetta.