Confronting the New Apostolic Reformation: On Conspiratorial Demonology in Christian Nationalist Schools

• In Event: Race, Religion, and Policy

Abstract

In this paper, the author discusses the presence of conspiracy theories in New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) schools, a subsection of the broader Christian nationalist movement. This study is situated in America’s political moment: the exponential growth of K-12 public-subsidy voucher programs and the recent emergence of religious charter schools. The author first draws connections between NAR demonology and conspiracy theories both in the United States and abroad. Then, the author explores the troubling consequences of what is referred to as “conspiratorial demonology” and associated practices targeting LGBTQ students in NAR-associated schools. As religious schools may increasingly receive public funding, the paper concludes with implications for education policy.

Author

• Jonathon E. Sawyer, University of Colorado - Boulder