Christian Dominion / Seven Mountains Mandate (7MM)
Christian dominionism, or dominion theology, is a group of far-right Christian political ideologies that calls for Christians to exert control and influence over political, cultural, and societal aspects of life. Proponents believe it is a biblical mandate to govern a nation based on their interpretation of biblical law that interpret the Genesis 1:28 passage "have dominion over" as a mandate for Christians to take control of secular society and government. Dominionists believe that Christians should rule over all political and cultural aspects of life based on their understanding of biblical law, and they reject the separation of church and state.
Dominionism is rooted in a postmillennialist eschatology, the belief that Christians must establish a righteous society before Christ's second coming. This contrasts sharply with the premillennial eschatology of dispensationalism, a popular view among many American evangelicals. Dispensationalists believe that society will progressively decline until Christ's return, and the church's mission is to evangelize, not to take political control.
The ideology is closely linked with the rise of Christian nationalism and the Christian right, with a focus on implementing Christian values into law and policy. Though full adherents are a minority, dominionist ideas have become more visible in mainstream politics and have influenced policies within the Christian right. Public figures associated with dominionism have faced scrutiny over their stance on the separation of church and state.
The notion that the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation and that its government must be brought back from its secularist deviance and re-aligned with its true Christian identity has persisted since the early 1800s. According to survey results reported by Paul Djupe, director of the Data for Political Research program at Denison University, 41 percent of American Christians—55 percent of evangelicals—agreed with the mandate in January 2024. This is a dramatic increase from the 30 percent who agreed just a little under a year earlier in March 2023.
In The Great Controversy (1911), Ellen G. White reminded readers of “the evil results, so often witnessed in the history of the church from the days of Constantine to the present, of attempting to build up the church by the aid of the state, of appealing to the secular power in support of the gospel of Him who declared: ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ John 18:36” (pg. 297).
Christian dominionism is an umbrella term with various forms, including Christian Reconstructionism and Kingdom Now Theology. Dominionism advocates for Christians to take control of political and cultural institutions to create a Christian social order. The goal is to perfect society before Christ's return, a postmillennialist view that differs from traditional end-times beliefs.
Adherents believe that biblical law, or the Ten Commandments, should serve as the foundation of American law. The specific extent to which Old Testament laws should be applied varies among different groups. A central tenet is the rejection of the separation of church and state, with some dominionists seeking to replace democratic institutions with a theocratic system.
The movement to install a populist strongman in the White House with a game plan for enforcing right-wing policies and catering to evangelical Christians started well before Donald Trump’s first candidacy. This network of leaders and believers emerged only three decades ago but now yields colossal influence, galvanizing support for Trump and far-right leaders around the world. For decades, a well-funded network of religious and political operatives has been quietly working to dismantle democracy and replace it with Christian theocracy. Their strategy? The seven mountains mandate — a plan to gain control of seven key pillars of American society and reshape the nation:
- Education
- Government
- Religion
- Family
- Business
- Media
- Entertainment
This movement is driven by prophetic memes like the Seven Mountains Mandate, the Appeal to Heaven flag, the Cyrus Anointing and Trump's spiritual advisor Paula White's call for "angelic reinforcements". The movement is driven by prosperity preachers, extremist politicians, and right-wing power brokers who laid the groundwork for Trump’s presidency and is now advancing its agenda under his second administration. From local school board elections to billion-dollar megachurches, this multipronged effort is reshaping the country in ways most Americans don’t even realize.
Charlie Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) — the nation’s preeminent conservative youth organization — made 7MM the central organizing element of the Trump era. In a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 2020, Kirk stated that for the first time in its history, the U.S. had a president who “understands the seven mountains of cultural influence.”
Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918) was the major exponent of the Social Gospel movement of the early twentieth century. In his book Christianizing the Social Order (1912), Rauschenbusch identified family, church, education, and even politics as partially christianized, albeit “backslidden” in varying degrees. Francis Schaeffer, whose books and film series on the history of western culture titled How Shall We Then Live? provided evangelicals with an intellectual basis for concern about society’s present condition.
The modern dominionist movement gained momentum in the United States in the 1960s with the Christian Reconstructionism movement, founded by Rousas John Rushdoony. This movement advocated for applying strict Old Testament laws to modern society. It promotes the establishment of a theocratic government and has influenced the homeschooling movement. Although full adherents to the most extreme forms of dominionism are few, the ideology has influenced a wider swath of the Christian Right. This includes Christian nationalists who advocate for integrating Christian values into public policy, believing the U.S. should reflect its Christian foundations.
Lance Wallnau, a radio evangelist and pastor of a charismatic church, changeed the metaphor from seven spheres into seven mountains. The Apostolic Restoration Movement (ARM) is a networked organizational paradigmthat evolved from Pentecostal/Charismatic churches that started to believe that the timefor the restoration of the apostolic government of the church had arrived. Through the vast nondenominational New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) charismatic network, headed by C. Peter Wagner, the Seven Mountains Mandate went viral — a “prophetic meme” for the digital age as Matthew Taylor put it in his book The Violent Take It By Force.
One proponent argued "We must be kingdom minded, kingdom oriented, and kingdom initiated! Far too long have we surrendered to an antichrist spirit that comes in many forms, and been conditioned to “stay in our own lane “. It’s time for Kingdom warriors to arise as the remnant Ekklesia to reclaim territory that was created and given for Sons of God to occupy until King Yahushua returns."
Critics argue that dominionism and its associated movements pose a threat to democratic principles and individual rights. Opponents note that dominionism promotes a vision of religious supremacy, which does not respect the equality of other religions or other versions of Christianity. Some critics contend that the movement's goal is to "cleanse the public sphere of people who are not like them," which includes opposing abortion, same-sex marriage, and secular education. Journalists and scholars have expressed concern that the term "dominionist" is sometimes used to create a paranoid, "us versus them" mentality.
Dominionist ideas continue to influence political discourse, with some politicians embracing the ideology. For instance, some scholars and analysts have pointed to Ted Cruz as an example of a politician whose worldview is consistent with dominionism, and figures like Kari Lake and Ron DeSantis have used rhetoric that resonates with these ideas. The Southern Poverty Law Center has noted that the movement's anti-democratic vision would fundamentally alter the American experiment if realized.
Secular criticisms of dominionism focus on its political goals and its potential for undermining democratic principles, religious freedom, and human rights. Critics from a non-religious standpoint view it as a form of Christian nationalism that seeks to impose a specific, intolerant religious ideology on all of society.
Dominionists reject the separation of church and state, viewing it as an anti-Christian concept. Secular critics argue this is a direct attack on the constitutional foundation of the United States, particularly the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion. By pushing to replace secular law with their interpretation of "biblical law," dominionists promote a vision of a nation for Christians only. This inherently threatens the equal rights and status of religious minorities and the nonreligious. Critics warn that in a diverse society, establishing the dominance of one religious group is "corrosive of democracy".
Research has found that those who strongly endorse Christian nationalism often demonstrate anti-democratic attitudes, including support for leaders who bend rules and a lower commitment to principles like universal suffrage. Critics contend that this focus on power and control, often in the name of a specific religious agenda, can lead to authoritarian practices.
Dominionist ideology promotes a strict, traditionalist social hierarchy. This worldview often targets LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive freedom as threats to "God's order," leading to attacks on marginalized communities. Critics note that women may be relegated to traditional domestic roles. Dominionists, particularly Christian Reconstructionists, seek to implement Old Testament judicial laws into civil law, which could include harsh penalties. Secular critics highlight that this would extend capital punishment for crimes such as blasphemy and adultery, undermining modern standards of justice and human rights.
Dominionist ideas, such as the "Seven Mountains Mandate," promote taking control of education and media to align with their ideology. Critics see this as an effort to promote censorship and ban books, replacing an inclusive curriculum with a narrow, "whitewashed" version of history and a single religious perspective.
Dominionism operates from a position of religious superiority, believing that non-Christians must be brought into submission. This creates an exclusionary and intolerant social environment and, as history has shown, can lead to violence against minority groups. The dominionist mindset can foster a severe "us vs. them" attitude toward anyone who doesn't share their beliefs. This can demonize and vilify opponents as "secular humanists" or even "demonically possessed," creating a hostile and polarized society.
Secular critics argue that the dominionist goal of imposing a single religious vision onto society fundamentally rejects the principles of pluralism and diversity that are crucial for social cohesion in a modern, multicultural society. This can lead to increased conflict, as seen in the broader context of Christian nationalism.
Dominionist ideology stands in contrast to other common Christian doctrines, such as dispensationalism, which holds that society will get progressively worse until Christ's return. Dominionists, by contrast, believe Christians must first create a Christian society before Jesus will come again. Dominionists interpret the command in Genesis 1:28 to "have dominion over" the earth as a mandate for Christians to take political control of secular society. However, many biblical scholars and theologians argue that this verse primarily refers to humanity's role as stewards of creation, responsible for caring for and cultivating the natural world and its creatures.
Some critics emphasize that the Fall of Man in Genesis 3 fundamentally altered humanity's relationship with creation and God. They argue that any "dominion" humanity had was corrupted, and it is God, not humans, who ultimately will restore all things. Putting humans at the center of this restoration effort, as dominionism does, is viewed as a form of hubris.
Many Christian traditions emphasize the spiritual, eternal reality of salvation, contrasting it with the temporary nature of earthly existence. Critics argue that dominionism places too much emphasis on temporal, worldly matters like politics and social control, distracting from the core Christian message of spiritual redemption and eternal life.
Especially in its Christian Reconstructionist form, dominionism advocatesr enforcing Old Testament Mosaic laws on modern society. This "theonomy" is criticized for potentially reintroducing a system of legalism that the New Testament contrasts with salvation by grace through faith in Christ. Critics argue that the focus shifts from a loving relationship with God to an emphasis on external obedience to an exhaustive list of regulations. Some critics argue that the dominionist focus on "taking dominion" can subtly shift the focus of salvation towards works and legal obedience rather than faith.
The Gospel prioritizes loving one's neighbor and even one's enemies, while dominionism's vision of forcing others to live under biblical law clashes with this ethos. Jesus's Sermon on the Mount prioritizes meekness, mercy, and peacemaking over the use of force or domination. Many critics argue that the dominionist goal of world conquest is a material and carnal one that runs counter to the spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom. True Christian victory, they argue, is not a worldly takeover but the redemption of souls through the gospel.
When on trial, Jesus explicitly stated to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). Theologians critical of dominionism point to this verse as clear evidence that Jesus's mission was not to establish an earthly political empire. Instead, his kingdom is a spiritual reality, defined by repentance and God's sovereign rule in the hearts of believers.
The Gospels depict Jesus consistently rejecting worldly power structures and instead prioritizing servant leadership. In Matthew 20:25-28, Jesus tells his disciples, "whoever would be great among you must be your servant". This stands in direct contrast to the dominionist drive for political and cultural control, which many critics see as an embrace of the very "lording over" that Jesus condemned.
At the start of his ministry, Jesus rejected Satan's temptation to be given "all the kingdoms of the world" (Matthew 4:8-10). For many theologians, this episode clearly demonstrates that Christians should not seek to conquer worldly power, a path that Jesus himself refused.
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