Dr. Ligon Duncan is taking heat online for recent comments he made about the “Moscow mood”—a reference to Pastor Douglas Wilson‘s methods for engaging culture—as well as his remarks on abortion abolitionism. Duncan, who is chancellor and CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS), made his comments on a recent episode of the “Room for Nuance” podcast.
“We have a culture in a part of evangelicalism right now that is desensitized to its own spirit of mocking and slander,” Duncan said in a conversation with Sean DeMars, lead pastor of 6th Ave Community Church in Decatur, Alabama. “Mocking and slander is not a Christian way of dealing with anything.”
Ligon Duncan, Kevin DeYoung and Douglas Wilson
In addition to being CEO and chancellor of RTS, Dr. Ligon Duncan is John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at the seminary, a licensed preacher, co-founder of Together for the Gospel, and the author of numerous books. He also sits on the boards of The Gospel Coalition (TGC) and The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
During the March 7 episode of the “Room for Nuance” podcast, Duncan and DeMars discussed Duncan’s journey to becoming a Christian, the state of evangelicalism during the past five years, Tim Keller‘s legacy, and whether believers should abandon complementarianism for patriarchy—among other topics.
About 35 minutes into the conversation, DeMars said he had a question for Duncan that was not intended to be “click bait-y.” The pastor said that he has been pondering what young men need in discipleship, and he was wondering what Duncan’s thoughts were on the so-called “Moscow mood.”
“I think Kevin [DeYoung] did a service to us writing on that,” Duncan replied. “I think Kevin realized that he was going to take a lot of incoming on that.”
On Nov. 27, Dr. Kevin DeYoung, senior pastor of Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, North Carolina, published an article titled, “On Culture War, Doug Wilson, and the Moscow Mood.” DeYoung is associate professor of systematic theology at RTS and is on the council for TGC. In his article, DeYoung offered his views on Douglas Wilson, pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho.
Wilson is a controversial figure for reasons including his views on race, his church’s desire to make Moscow a “Christian town,” his expression of complementarianism, and how his church has handled allegations of sexual abuse.
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Some have also criticized the pastor for his posture toward engaging culture, as well as for his use of vulgar language, both areas to which DeYoung drew attention as problematic.
