Sons of Patriarchy

From Mars Hill to Moscow: A Conversation with Mike Cosper of Christianity Today

Nov 8, 2025
Mike Cosper, a journalist from Christianity Today and the voice behind The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, dives deep into the complexities of church ideology and abuse. He discusses how ideologies like Christian nationalism infiltrate congregations, comparing figures like Mark Driscoll and Doug Wilson. Cosper explores the implications of his new book, The Church in Dark Times, linking current cultural challenges to historical narratives. He highlights paths toward healthier faith practices, urging leaders to focus on the gospel over rigid ideologies.
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INSIGHT

How Power Concentration Corrupts Churches

  • When churches concentrate governing power in a small executive team, spiritual abuse and authoritarianism can follow quickly.
  • Mike Cosper links this to totalitarian dynamics where a state of emergency justifies permanent power concentration.
ANECDOTE

Elder Excommunicated Over Polity Dissent

  • Cosper recounts an elder who opposed Mars Hill's polity change and was publicly humiliated, fired, and excommunicated.
  • That case became a turning point showing how dissent was crushed to protect centralized authority.
INSIGHT

Banality Of Evil Explains Church Abuse

  • Hannah Arendt's idea of the 'banality of evil' helps explain how ordinary people enable destructive systems with clichés and slogans.
  • Cosper uses Arendt to show ideology makes abuse feel normal and bureaucratically justified.
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