Landover Baptist Church
Encyclopedia
The Landover Baptist Church is a fictional Baptist
church
based in the fictional town of Freehold, Iowa
. The Landover Baptist web site and its associated Landoverbaptist.net Forum are a satire
of fundamentalist Christianity
and the Religious Right
in the United States
.
in 1993 after being expelled from Liberty University
(founded by Jerry Falwell
) in 1989 for producing a satirical radio show which Liberty's administration found offensive. Harper frequently appears at atheist conventions playing the character of "Pastor Deacon Fred Smith". The website is owned by a company called Americhrist, Ltd.
churches
and Biblical literalism
.
The fictitious church grants all authority to its Pastor, previously Ben Ebeneezer Smith, then upon his death to his brother Deacon Fred Smith, and as of June 2010 Pastor Harry Harkwell resulting from a "coup", in accordance with its spurious interpretation of Romans 13. However, Deacon Fred was "restored" to his Pastor position after a "reconciliation" during Glenn Beck
's Restoring Honor Rally
. The church has an elaborate fine system inspired by Jerry Falwell's system at Liberty University.
The church supposedly owns well over 1000 acres (404.7 ha) in Freehold. The church claims to have twenty-eight paid pastor
s, 412 full time staff members, eleven fully equipped chapels, seven sanctuaries, a 100,000 seat amphitheater, twelve television studios, two radio stations, an academy, a university, two gated communities, twenty-seven developments, three office parks, as well as a shopping mall, amusement park, golf course, retirement community, foundation, fire and police department, circus camp, resort center, retreat center, and a number of fitness centers, swimming pools, hot springs, and cemeteries.
Landover claims to have obtained a "permanent injunction
" against all "unsaved" persons, prohibiting them from being within ten miles of the Landover property as well as forbidding them to enter Landover's website.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church
Local church
A local church is a Christian congregation of members and clergy.Local church may also refer to:* Local churches , a Christian group based on the teachings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, and associated with the Living Stream Ministry publishing house.* Parish church, a local church united with...
based in the fictional town of Freehold, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. The Landover Baptist web site and its associated Landoverbaptist.net Forum are a satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
of fundamentalist Christianity
Fundamentalist Christianity
Christian fundamentalism, also known as Fundamentalist Christianity, or Fundamentalism, arose out of British and American Protestantism in the late 19th century and early 20th century among evangelical Christians...
and the Religious Right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Origin
The site was created by Chris Harper, who obtained his Master's Degree in English Literature from George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
in 1993 after being expelled from Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
(founded by Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
) in 1989 for producing a satirical radio show which Liberty's administration found offensive. Harper frequently appears at atheist conventions playing the character of "Pastor Deacon Fred Smith". The website is owned by a company called Americhrist, Ltd.
Description
The fictional Landover Baptist Church is a parody of fundamentalist, Independent BaptistIndependent Baptist
Independent Baptist churches are Christian churches generally holding to conservative Baptist beliefs. They are characterized by being independent from the authority of denominations or similar bodies. Members of such churches comprised three percent of the United States adult population according...
churches
Church Body
A local church is a Christian religious organization that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by pastors or lay leaders, and, in nations where this is permissible, often seek seek non-profit corporate status...
and Biblical literalism
Biblical literalism
Biblical literalism is the interpretation or translation of the explicit and primary sense of words in the Bible. A literal Biblical interpretation is associated with the fundamentalist and evangelical hermeneutical approach to Scripture, and is used almost exclusively by conservative Christians...
.
The fictitious church grants all authority to its Pastor, previously Ben Ebeneezer Smith, then upon his death to his brother Deacon Fred Smith, and as of June 2010 Pastor Harry Harkwell resulting from a "coup", in accordance with its spurious interpretation of Romans 13. However, Deacon Fred was "restored" to his Pastor position after a "reconciliation" during Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
's Restoring Honor Rally
Restoring Honor rally
The Restoring Honor rally was held on August 28, 2010 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and was organized by Glenn Beck to "restore honor in America" and to raise funds for the non-profit Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Billed as a "celebration of America's heroes and heritage,"...
. The church has an elaborate fine system inspired by Jerry Falwell's system at Liberty University.
The church supposedly owns well over 1000 acres (404.7 ha) in Freehold. The church claims to have twenty-eight paid pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
s, 412 full time staff members, eleven fully equipped chapels, seven sanctuaries, a 100,000 seat amphitheater, twelve television studios, two radio stations, an academy, a university, two gated communities, twenty-seven developments, three office parks, as well as a shopping mall, amusement park, golf course, retirement community, foundation, fire and police department, circus camp, resort center, retreat center, and a number of fitness centers, swimming pools, hot springs, and cemeteries.
Landover claims to have obtained a "permanent injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
" against all "unsaved" persons, prohibiting them from being within ten miles of the Landover property as well as forbidding them to enter Landover's website.