Conservative Christians collectively cower from reconquering their leftward-bound denominations. That’s according to Redeemed Zoomer, the online nom de guerre of Presbyterian YouTuber Richard Ackerman who recently faced off with Gavin Ortlund, a Baptist pastor and founder of Truth Unites, in a May 28 “respectful clash” on Ortlund’s YouTube channel.
Redeemed Zoomer, an influential figure in Operation Reconquista, warned that modern Protestants and evangelicals are too willing to break away from mainline churches. Specifically, he argued that Christians are only justified in leaving a church if they are either formally excommunicated or violently persecuted by that church.
In one of the most controversial moments of the video, Redeemed Zoomer stated that he would still attend a mainline congregation that denied the bodily resurrection of Christ if there were no other mainline congregations nearby. He maintained that conservative Christians must stay loyal to mainline denominations, even if it means fighting rampant heresies and liberalism from within.
Redeemed Zoomer allowed that attending a non-mainline church may be a necessary evil to preserve some congregants’ faith, but he considered it undesirable nonetheless.
“It’s a concession I make to people who are weak in their faith, basically. I wouldn’t go [away from the mainline]. I would go [to the mainline] no matter how liberal it gets,” the advocate of Reconquista insisted.
Redeemed Zoomer’s arguments stem from his broader critique of evangelicalism, which he defined as “non-institutional Christianity.” Instead, he advocated for theological conservatives to reclaim mainline denominations, which have not split illegitimately from their institutions. He listed the seven mainline churches as the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Reformed Church in America, United Church of Christ, and American Baptist Churches (USA).
In contrast, Ortlund disputed Redeemed Zoomer’s narrow allowance for church splits. Ortlund argued that Christians may leave mainline churches if that church abandons the Gospel, even if formal excommunication or violent persecution are not present. When a congregation departs from the Gospel, Ortlund contended that it ceases to be a true church. Ortlund posed the question from 2 Corinthians 6:14, “What fellowship has light with darkness?”
Ortlund pushed back against Redeemed Zoomer’s language of “cowardice” when describing conservatives who voluntarily leave heretical congregations. Ortlund worried that such language was unwise, unhelpful, and untethered to on-the-ground pastoral experience.
“Sometimes the best way to deploy our lives for God’s Kingdom is departing an unfaithful institution,” Ortlund advised.
In response, Redeemed Zoomer pointed out that Old Testament believers did not separate from Israel or the Temple until after the stoning of Stephen, despite the paganism that sometimes dominated that institution. Additionally, he argued that the Apostle Paul never disfellowshipped churches addressed in the epistles, regardless of the heresies embraced. On this point, Ortlund cited Revelation 2-3, which uses the imagery of removing a church’s lampstand to show that a church’s status as a true church may be revoked.
Ortlund also took issue with Redeemed Zoomer’s disapproval of evangelicalism, disputing his definition, noting that evangelicals outside the U.S. have created thriving institutions and are responsible for the fastest-growing Christian communities outside the West. The Baptist pastor agreed that American evangelicalism often neglects its history and global connections, but he maintained that evangelicalism involves specific theological distinctives rather than mere anti-institutionalism.
Central to Ortlund and Redeemed Zoomer’s discussion was the question of how conservative Christians should engage a post-Christian world. For Redeemed Zoomer, conservatives should concentrate their efforts on retaking historically conservative institutions instead of constructing entirely new institutions. Ortlund agreed that reclaiming liberal-drifting institutions should be a priority, but he also argued that conservatives’ strategy should include building new institutions.
As Ortlund was quick to emphasize, he and Redeemed Zoomer agree more than they disagree. Both see the dangers of abandoning historically conservative institutions. Both agree on the goals pursued by conservatives, even if they disagree about the methods.
Their disagreements expose the inner turmoil many theological conservatives face when deciding whether to leave or to weather the storm in increasingly heretical and liberal institutions. Both Ortlund and Redeemed Zoomer’s arguments raise questions worth contemplating in a post-Christian culture.
More from IRD:
Reconquering Mainline Protestantism? (interview)
Reconquering Mainline Protestantism? (article)
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