There are hundreds of professors of theology and world religions that would strongly disagree with the June 15 guest column by Tom Daniel, “Op-eds mislabel Charis family as ‘cults.’” Cult-like groups like Charis can have many claim on their behalf that they are not cult-like, but that does not mean those claims are accurate or appropriate. As a graduate of a seminary with many hours of theological and biblical education and subsequently many hours of continuing education, a university-level professor of world religions and religious values in modern literature myself, I have deep and serious disagreements with that column.

First, the writer is a teacher in one of the most conservative religious colleges in America, which means he has a specific perspective not shared by most mainline Christian professors in seminaries and other colleges and universities, both religious and secular.

Second, he claims Christianity has five non-negotiable beliefs about Jesus, not even one of which Jesus ever said about himself, which means his claim is simply not true for literally millions of Christians. While the writer is free to believe whatever he chooses about Christianity, he is not free to claim it as the non-negotiable belief for every other Christian. That he claims Charis accepts and teaches those five beliefs does not mean it is not a cult-like group.

Third, Charis has claimed it has one leader, and it is understood that this one leader makes all essential decisions without any board of directors that can contradict or change those decisions. There is no outside group to whom he reports or who can provide any supervisory guidance or difference of direction. There is no denominational entity that provides guidelines for how the church is to function or operate within specific rules and regulations of the denomination’s constitution and accepted methods of operation. The reality of such authoritarian, one-person leadership is that almost as soon as any leader goes solo with a religious group the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of problems and abuse in significant proportions.

Fourth, Charis has exhibited cult-like aspects from its very beginning. It is not transparent in its financial situation, which means no one from outside can ever look at all the financial reports and records of income and outflow. All students are required to pay their tuition costs before even being admitted and this has caused financial burdens on many of them, resulting in their use of local food pantry facilities, with some of those claiming they essentially use up all available food for others in need. It also means they are often living in overcrowded housing situations. Many mainline denominations will show their financial records — other than who donates what by name of donor — to anyone who wants to know their financial realities. Charis will not do so. As is true with virtually all cult-like groups getting as much money as is possible is a primary activity, and the salaries reported in other articles for the leader and his spouse suggest this is true for Charis.

Fifth, Charis has promised to abide by agreements with the city of Woodland Park and then ignored those promises. That began nearly at the beginning, in terms of promised housing to be constructed for its students, and not more building of facilities before those housing units. That did not happen. Now they seek to change their agreement with other construction so as to avoid what they promised to pay the city.

Sixth, Charis’s leader has publicly stated that Charis wants to rule as many local government institutions as is possible, whether that be the school board, city council or county commissioners. Such attempts are often typical of cult-like groups. It also claims it wants to “take back America,” which includes opposing all LGBTQ+ rights, and teach only its own prescribed curriculum in all schools, which includes a very narrow and distorted perspective of what is the authentic history of the USA. They are also known to demand male dominance in marriages. With Sheriff Mikesell listed on Charis’s “persons of influence list” connected to Charis, why would they ever report abuse to the county sheriff officers?

Yes, there are appropriate reasons to suggest that Charis is a cult-like group.

Rodney Noel Saunders is a retired United Methodist pastor. He resides in Florissant.

Rodney Noel Saunders