Christianity Today published a recent article in review of Jinger’s book.  There is the usual broad brush acceptance of moral sin for Bill and direct link with Josh Duggar, her brother.  She openly calls him a “false prophet” which is bold and consequential.  The risks of calling a work of God to be in fact from Satan are substantial, linked with the “unpardonable sin”, whatever that is (Matthew 12).  She stands before God to answer for all of this.

They also acknowledge that her husband is a “Reformed Theologian”.  This is worth another look as it figures heavily into what turned Jinger into the person she is today in opposition to Bill.  “Sovereignty” as taught by the Calvinists believes that we have no ability to will or to do God’s pleasure.  If we do, it is because He sovereignty willed it.  She learned this from her brother-in-law and then her future husband Jeremy.  She speaks of the relief from discovering that she is not responsible for her life in the final analysis.  Our fate, heaven, hell, and all of the twists and turns of life are in the final analysis a divinely controlled tapestry. [The image above of the coin toss in reference to her citing Proverbs 16:31 in support, that God controls every coin toss, every “lot”.]

“Responsibility”, on the other hand, is one of the seven Universal Principles as Bill teaches them.  He believes that much of what is called “mental illness” is varying degrees of personal irresponsibility.  God lays much more at our feet than we realize, and shouldering that God-given responsibility with the grace He gives – while bowing to His sovereignty – is key to long term success.  The effectiveness of his counseling, testimonies we see weekly if not daily even 50 years later, stands in support.

Here was a response we wrote:

“Josh Duggar was convicted of child pornography.  Bill Gothard was sued for $8.5 million by 17 plaintiffs, one of which was Emily Anderson, quoted in the article, spearheaded by 4 legal firms, including a prominent personal injury firm based in Chicago.  In the end the plaintiffs initial attorney was kicked off the case for malfeasance, the most prominent plaintiffs dropped out rather than submit interrogatories under oath, and the rest walked away before depositions.  Ask Emily why.  It was not because of the ‘statute of limitations’ as they claimed, because Judge Popejoy overtly declared that their claims could be tried on the merits if the allegations were as claimed.  Why she walked away from the $500K she was claiming, why she never refiled as was her right. 

It is a crime against the Lord to continue to try to accuse Bill of sexual improprieties.  Bill had to go, and any means was fair game.  He did NOT do it.

As for Jinger, her awakening came, from her own testimony, the moment she embraced the “Sovereignty of God”, hallmark of Reformed Theology, also commonly called Calvinism.  These are her words from the book:

“But until I started to focus on God when I read my Bible I didn’t have category for God’s sovereignty.  I hadn’t truly understood what these verses were saying; I am not in charge of my life.”

Yes, everything about Bill Gothard is focused on personal responsibility.  Yes, a sovereign God has made us responsible in our lives.  There are many problems that are the direct consequence of unwise choices we have made.  Becoming a fatalist does give relief from that burden, but it is also a lie, criminal in taking Christians out of the direct fight we were designed for.  Let alone the crime of believing that the lost were so predestinated by a loving God.

Getting rid of Bill Gothard and the fear of God that he creatively taught the understanding of was a key goal of the Enemy before ushering the final onslaught we are all now enduring.  God will hold us all personally responsible for our part in making that happen.”