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Peter Hammond and Christian Reconstuctionism in Africa

Richard Bartholomew	print page
Sat Dec 02, 2006 at 06:54:51 AM EST

World Net Daily is currently promoting a book on Christians and guns:

What would you do if armed terrorists broke into your church and starting attacking your friends with automatic weapons in the middle of a worship service?
Would you be prepared to defend yourself and other innocents?
...There is one man in the world who can address these questions with first-hand experience.
His name is Charl van Wyck - a South African who was faced with just such a shocking scenario.
...In "Shooting Back: The Right and Duty of Self-Defense," van Wyk makes a biblical, Christian case for individuals arming themselves with guns, and does so more persuasively than perhaps any other author because he found himself in a church attacked by terrorists.

This was the 1993 St. James Church Massacre, in which eleven people were killed and 58 wounded in a church in Kenilworth.

Van Wyck is a long-time sidekick of evangelist Peter Hammond - he's the Deputy Director of Hammond's Frontline Fellowship, the Director of his African Christian Action, and a missionary with his In Touch Mission International organisation. Van Wyck's book was originally published in 2001 by Christian Liberty Books, which is mostly a platform for Hammond.

Hammond and his ministries have a controversial history, and his perspective is one of belligerent fundamentalism, anti-Communism and anti-Islamicism. Here's a taster from the African Christian Action Newsletter:

When the President of South Africa calls for "an African Renaissance", what exactly does he mean? Is he calling us to the humanism of the European Renaissance that culminated in the French Revolution and the Soviet Gulags? Or is he merely desiring a return to the pre-Christian Paganism and Animism that afflicted Africa prior to the spread of the Gospel?
...We want God to bless South Africa. However, we cannot expect God to bless a nation which is in rebellion to His Laws.
...The consequences that flow from Atheism, Evolutionism, situation ethics and other cardinal tenants of humanism are very tangible and very tragic: euthanasia, abortion, gun control, humanistic education in state schools, concentration camps, massacres and marxist tyranny.
...The other choice before us is for a Biblical Reformation. The Bible contains the Law of God, the absolute and unchanging principles by which all areas of life must be governed. History records that where nations are built upon the principles of God's Word, true freedom and justice flourishes.

Naturally, Hammond has links with the hard-core Christian dominionists of the Chalcedon Foundation.

Hammond is British, but he served in the South African National "Defence Force" in the 1980s. An essay by Jeffrey Marishane (1) has some background:

...Foremost among such [right-wing Chrisitan] groups is Frontline Fellowship, formerly known as the Motorbike Mission. Formed in 1981 as a prayer fellowship within SADF ranks, Frontline Fellowship is led by its founder, Peter Christopher Hammond...and is one of the groups affiliated with [United Christian Action].

The UCA is an umbrella body for several Christian groups, and at that time was headed by Ed Cain, who was also associated with Fred Shaw's Christian League of Southern Africa. CLSA was named as a secret beneficiary of state funding by Eschel Rhoodie before his death in 1993, although Hammond rejects similar accusations against the UCA ("The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa, Volume two, Chapter six is entitled 'Special Investigation into Secret State Funding'. It deals exhaustively with the former government's secret projects, naming the projects of the defence force, foreign affairs, the police, national intelligence and the education department. Nowhere does United Christian Action appear.").

Frontline Fellowship at this time was particularly concerned with "persecuted churches in Mozambique, Angola and the Cape Verde Islands"; critics charged that it was a front for the deployment of South African military men in Southern Africa under the guise of being "missionaries", and in October 1988 Hammond and some associates were detained for a week in Mozambique.

This was exactly a year after an arrest in Zambia; this undated essay by Brian M. Abshire has some details, which I'll quote at length:

Peter Hammond, South African missionary to the persecuted church and director of Frontline Fellowship, recently briefed me on one of the most exciting developments in central Africa, the Christian Reconstruction of Zambia.
...In October 1987, Peter Hammond and three other Frontline Fellowship missionaries, experienced first hand the hospitality of this Marxist miracle when they were arrested for bringing Bibles into the country...They were finally confined in Lusaka Central Prison, the maximum security facility...
... What Peter and his colleagues did not realize was that they were sharing their cells with the next government of Zambia! During the following weeks of Bible study, prayer and vigorous discussions in the prison, they were able to teach Biblical principles of government to the very men God would raise up after He deposed the Marxists; the future vice-president of Zambia - General Godfrey Miyanda - and a few cells away, Frederick Chiluba, the future Christian President of Zambia.
...The first freely elected President, Frederick Chiluba, promptly testified to the saving power of Christ and called for a day of prayer. At a simple ceremony in December 1991, the new President publicly confessed the national sins of witchcraft and corruption and committed Zambia to becoming a Christian nation! When he was asked if he intended writing a new Constitution, Chiluba replied that he didn't have to. It was already written - the Bible. He held up the Bible to the full view of the world press.
... They distributed tens of thousands of Christian Reconstructionist booklets, tracts, Bibles and Christian books in prisons, government departments, schools and churches throughout Zambia. They then launched a "Salt Shakers" ministry, small groups committed to prayer, strategy and action throughout Zambia. They presented Christian Reconstructionist, pro-life, pro-family, messages on national radio and TV, in schools and churches. Zambia Christian Action was launched under the leadership of Pastor John Jere. Frontline also held Biblical Worldview Seminars in Ndola and Lusaka, took part in delegations to the various government departments and presented copies of Reformed and Reconstructionist books to the vice-president...

Pastor John Jere, incidentally, now runs a church which is part of the Every Nation neo-Pentecostal organization; we discussed this grouping on Talk to Action here. There's no space here to discuss Chiluba and Zambia as a "Christian nation"; I would advise all those interested to read Paul Gifford's book African Christianity: Its Public Role. The "Biblical Worldview Seminars" (BWS) have become a particular strategy used in by Hammond and his team in various African countries, along with the wide distribution of his book Biblical Principles for Africa.

Hammond has maintained a public profile in the post-Cold War world; his many books have been praised by the likes of Joseph Farah and D. James Kennedy. One publication, however, became the focus of a free-speech debate in 2002:

At the end of January, the newly released book The Pink Agenda became the first non-pornographic book since 1994 to be lobbied for banning. Written with the underlying Biblical belief that the homosexual lifestyle is wrong in God's eyes, author Christine McCafferty, along with Peter Hammond, wrote The Pink Agenda in an attempt to engage South African society in an open debate concerning what they outline in the book to be a homosexual agenda in South Africa....After the book's publication there was an immediate and outraged response from the Gay and Lesbian Equality Project, saying the book "instills hatred" and is "the worst homophobic hate speech ever published in South Africa." Claiming that the book "instills hatred" is of course a direct plea to consider The Pink Agenda as one of the few types of speech that is specifically not protected in our constitution...The book was brought up for review by the Film and Publications Board at the end of January, with their final ruling being that the book should be sold with an adults-only age restriction. Those under 18 would not be allowed to read it since it promotes a viewpoint, and draws conclusions from research, that are considered, as one reviewer put it, "close to constituting hate speech."

Hammond and Van Wyk's newsletter claimed that this was "homo-fascism", and that the legalisation of sodomy was just one of many "privileges for perverts".

A few months later, Hammond was arrested in the Sudan while giving a "Biblical Worldview Seminar"; WND reported:

Rebel forces in southern Sudan detained an Anglican bishop and a missionary on charges of "treason and insurrection," according to a U.S.-based evangelical Protestant group.
... Rev. Peter Hammond, director of Frontline Fellowship, and Bishop Bullen Dolli of the Episcopal Church of Sudan were arrested Saturday in Yei Province by the Public Security Office of the SPLM, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement... Kristi Messick, ITMI administrator of African affairs, told WorldNetDaily she believes the arrests were made by junior officers of the SPLA, against the wishes of senior officials.

That's probably the case; the SPLA has no problem in principle with foreign missionaries, and I blogged a while back on the case of Sam Childers, a pastor from Florida who is also an SPLA commander. Hammond was released a few days later, and he claims the incident was a conspiracy orchestrated by Khartoum.

Last year, Hammond was arrested yet again - this time in South Africa, and in circumstances not lacking in bathos:

Controversial Christian evangelist Peter Hammond confirmed on Wednesday that he has been charged with assault following what he said was a Halloween "accident" with a paintball gun.
... He said his family -- he has a wife and four children -- do not approve of Halloween, which they see as an "occult holiday celebrating human sacrifice, witches and goblins".
His children had wanted to do a "counter-Halloween", and he had agreed to drive two of them around to "do paintballing" on trick-or-treating youngsters on October 31.
... He said his 10-year-old son initially paintballed some youngsters who appeared to have just strewn rubbish across the road as a Halloween prank, shooting low and from a distance, and then called out to another child, asking whether he was a trick-or-treater.
The boy came over to the car, saw the paintball gun, swore at Hammond's son and tried to pull it out of his hands.
The gun went off, and Hammond drove away.

The victim apparently hurt his jaw.

*
(1) Jeffrey Marishane, "The Religious Right and Low-Intensity Conflict in Southern Africa", in Jan P. Nederveen Pieterse (ed.), Christianity and Hegemony, New York and Oxford: Berg, 1992, pp.59-119

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Peter Hammond and Christian Reconstuctionism in Africa | 37 comments (37 topical, 0 hidden)

Jeffrey Marishane (none / 0)

Does anyone know what happened to him? In 1990 he published a book, Profit and Power: The American Religious Right and Foreign Policy (Amsterdam University Press), but he doesn't appear to have been research active since.

by Richard Bartholomew on Sat Dec 02, 2006 at 07:05:22 AM EST

Armed attacks on churches is not that rare! (none / 0)

Ask Native Americans.

Violent interruptions of ceremonies have happened many times before, and are expected to happen again. Indeed, attacks may again be increasing, as I've heard of more attacks lately than in the recent past.

Sometimes the violence is purely of a spiritual and verbal nature (disruption of OUR churches). Often it is physical, ranging from physical attacks clear up to gunfire.

Dominionists are often to blame, but the more violent attacks generally come from hate groups.

In the southeast, the Klan is in a quandary. They don't like gun control, but they would love to see us disarmed and helpless. We also would be one of the first groups disarmed, through political actions that were taken in the past (we were wrongly labeled a "potential terrorist threat"). Note that our experience is that police forces also tend to NOT protect Native Americans when we ARE attacked (sometimes they are WITH the attackers [Klan]).

This is why we fear gun control.

It does bother me that calls for the right to self defense would be linked to a hate group leader. I suspect him of wanting to be able to force his ideas on others, instead of being able to just defend himself. But any action to disarm people like him is likely to have unintended and negative consequences on people who just want to be left alone by the bigots and fundies.

by ArchaeoBob on Sat Dec 02, 2006 at 12:51:05 PM EST

Dr Peter Hammond (none / 0)

Re: Dr Peter Hammond Dr Peter Hammond of Frontline Missionaries, based in SA and in the USA ...A dangerous man.... whose "Christian" mission needs to be stopped asap ... for the sake of peace for all. What Dr Peter Hammond says about Mandela, animals and abortion and many other issues, is true. But he fabricates and embellishes on other topics. Particularly the bible. I put it to you that this man knows God only intellectually and not personally. (And I am being kind here). My issue with Dr Hammond is his severe hate for all humans who do not fit his ("Gods") idea of what a perfect human should be and his apostasy of God's Word which he reads with only his intellect and not with his spirit also. I do believe that he could have become a wonderful human, were he not so deeply led and influenced by his closest consort, who has no heart, and by his eternally bottomless ego. Dr Hammond has tons of energy, is a friendly man, a memory to be proud of, an animal lover, loves his country, is helpful, and is such a capable man, a go-getter, a doer, has so much potential, but is driven by the need to be famous, to leave a legacy at all costs. Too easily influenced by the wrong people. Not able to differentiate truth from fiction at times. For the most part he speaks truths, but not all the time. Such a pity. It is time to stop him. For someone who once admired this man, it is not easy for me, but it must be done, for the sake of world peace. I feel Dr Hammond is a danger to peace in society and uses his mission as a front, perhaps not as a "veteran soldier" or "pro-apartheid concern", but perhaps more likely as a way to make a living, and enjoy doing it, however this is just my gut feeling. Livingstone, the famous historical missionary, is more important to Dr Hammond, than God or God's Word. By all means be a fireball for truths, but then do it for ALL truths, do not pick and choose, and do not spread hate for the innocents, so publicly, and with such enormous vitriol whom he will train his young impressionable missionaries in training, to hate also.. He claims that God hates all humans and that no human is good, and he will quote the bible out of context, to prove this. Hammond hates all of the following: 1 Even saved Christians, whom he will train his young impressionable missionaries in training, to hate also. 2 All Muslims, even moderate Muslims, whom he will train his young impressionable missionaries in training, to hate also. 3 All Jews, whom he will train his young impressionable missionaries in training, to hate also. 4 All people whose identity is not heterosexual, whom he will train his young impressionable missionaries in training, to hate also. You don't win people over by showing disdain, you will them over with love. Genuine love. This the man doesn't get. Dr Peter Hammond criticizes social media, which is his number one medium, besides books, documentaries and movies which he uses to spread his hate. He is a highly intelligent man, and knows how to protect his own reputation and interests on all media platforms, thus is very careful and polite on social media, but I know this man's heart well. As far as God is concerned, it's our hearts / intentions / agenda's which matter most. In this way he is rather unintelligent and gullible, himself believing each and every possible propaganda online, not knowing how to filter truth from the lies, and certainly not trying to do so. This also makes him very dangerous. Dr Hammond has for far too long now, supported his family and his concerns by training new apostate missionaries, year in and year out, who go into the world to teach lies and hate among the truths. In this way I find the man who is Dr Peter Hammond, utterly dangerous to this world. I believe deep down Hammond had certain good intentions, I once was a bit of a fan of his works, until I got to learn all about this man Hammond. His religious beliefs are skewed. He misrepresents God. It's blasphemy and I hate that. But even worse than that his heart is too full of hate for the humans that God loves. Even for saved Christians. He claims that God hates man, yet if God hated man, then why would God have made man. Nope, Hammond is preaching many bible apostasies. He is an apostate of note. Has no love for anyone but himself. I believe God is angry with him also for taking certain bits of world history and changing it. That's EXACTLY what the ANC and affiliates within our country are doing. I don't believe in stooping down to that level. Hammond reads everything, kudo's to him for that, however, he believes that the oldest possible history books, are truths carved in stone. Hammond hates Muslims, all Muslims also, with a passion - so much so, that he denies genocides committed on them. THAT is changing history. One thing to deny it, another thing to preach it to all and sundry using every possible media outlet available to him. THAT right there, is pure evil. That's like these nutters who try to say that stepping foot on the moon never happened. Muslims are human too, with human feelings. They mourn also when Daesh beheads their loved ones. While Jews were very much involved with helping the Commies to take our country South Africa from us, I am intelligent enough to know that not all Jews, or all of Israel must thus be blamed for what a few maggots did, and still do (think Ronnie Kasrils, and his London Recruits who are marketing their propaganda books and movies from the UK, as I write). While Daesh ( ISIS/L) is evil, I am intelligent enough to know that not all Muslims are evil, many are darn good. My best friend who went to school with me was Muslim. Wonderful human being, then and now. Perhaps far better person than I can ever be. Dr Peter Hammond preaches that God says "NOBODY is good", and he will quote verses from the bible out of context to prove this. BY COMPARISON, to God, is the given, the inference, so obvious to all, even to a child, in those passages, that it was left out, and you don't have to be smart, or adult, to catch that. Alas, this simple truth has gone right over the head of Dr Peter Hammond. Why, you may ask? - Because he has to save souls for God. He / his students, have to thus convince SAVED persons ALSO, that they are not yet saved, so that they can constantly practice what they were taught about how to convert, on everyone. So that they can constantly feel "holy" themselves. (Remember, they believe that if they are not holy, they will go to hell). They will argue, insult, lie about and attack saved persons also, until they are blue in the face, just to try to convince a saved person that they are not saved - Frankly, it can't get more evil than that. And this is the reason why I am writing this, to try and stop this insanity, to try to stop this man. His prodigies, missionaries under his training, believe that a saved Christian does not love God if he has any sin in him. Yet Hammond's prodigies, as well as everyone in the world automatically, buy default, because of the fall of Adam, has sin in them. This God knew, Adam was given free will, and God thus sent Christ to die, to stand in for us, to pay the ultimate price for our sins. I don't want to preach, but this video explains well what I mean, Hovind has got it right, Comfort has got it wrong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbxbxSciuV8 Dr Peter Hammond is thus teaching the same heresy which Ray Comfort is teaching, and this is misleading Gods people. God teaches us to "love your neighbour as you love yourself", God teaches to "love your enemy", both these teachings Dr Peter Hammond has not yet understood at all, whatsoever, and is training missionary youths his evil version of what God meant when he taught us such things. Nobody can teach this self-styled missionary anything. He is unteachable. But wants to teach lies. Wants to be heard, but doesn't want to listen. His pride and ego force him to steadfastly maintain and defend his religious/ bible misconceptions, in order to save face. In order to never have to contradict himself or admit that he was wrong about scripture. As a missionary trainer he no doubt believes that that would be suicide for his business, (training new missionaries), should he admit that he was teaching heresy. He has not got it in him to admit that he is deliberately twisting Gods words, in order to justify all the hate he has within him for his fellow man. Dr Kent Hovind is not perfect, but at least he has admitted and backtracked whenever he has learned something he didn't understand before in the bible. He has publicly corrected himself and taught the new lessons he has learned to those who want to learn something. Hovind himself is teachable, humble in that way. Hammond and Comfort are not, they feel that saving face is more important than truths. And go on deceiving... probably millions or more by now ... The people whom you associate with can be an asset or a hindrance to your spiritual growth. In Hammond's case it is a total hindrance. The hate in his heart comes from his closest association. He has not figured this out yet. I don't think he ever will. Unless Hammond is able to humble his heart, he may never see the afterlife. It's haters that God spits out. He preaches this: "God doesn't hate the sin alone within the sinner and not the sinner also - God sends the sinner to hell, not the sin, thus God hates the sinner" - Now on face value that sounds like a perfectly plausible, intelligent thing to say, rather witty too, right? Hammond, like Comfort, whom he will not question, produces verses from the bible out of context, to back up this absurd teaching. But a true Christian knows better, because a true Christian knows the bible, as well as God's heart, because a true Christian has a personal relationship with God - Knows that God's number one trait is love. Were this not so, God would never have said, "Love your enemy", and God would not have created such a beautiful universe, with such painstaking love and creativity and engineering. The hand, the way it moves and it's completely unique fingerprints, as just one tiny example of Gods amazing engineering. I said I didn't want to preach. I just have. Apologies. Hammond, unless he repents, the way he demands all others to, and humbles himself, faces the fact that his knowledge of the bible and of true history is wanting, will continue to cause discord and hate on this earth, will continue to train his young missionaries to go out into the four corners of the world and do as he does. Spread half-truths, (to be fair, among the many truths he also spreads), lies and hate. What a tragedy! He will not see heaven, the Kingdom, if he goes on this way ... God DOES hate also - He hates deliberate lies most - especially from men of the "cloth".

by Truths on Mon Jan 23, 2017 at 05:12:25 AM EST