Douglas Wilson’s rise from pastor in Moscow, Idaho to a recognized voice near the halls of power isn’t a mystery; it’s the predictable result when a man tells hard truths about culture and faith that too many Washington elites refuse to voice. The Wall Street Journal’s sit-down with Wilson captured how his network, influence, and rhetorical clarity have vaulted him into conversations previously dominated by technocrats and coastal pundits. Conservatives should stop pretending serious religious thinkers don’t belong in the public square — Wilson’s emergence proves those voices are exactly what the country needs.
Critics love to paint his movement as some shadowy takeover, but the visible facts are simple: Christ Church opened a Washington outpost this summer to serve believers working in government, and prominent conservatives, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have affinity with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. That proximity to officials has alarmed the establishment media, which would rather smear faith-driven conservatives than wrestle with the reality that millions of Americans want a moral renewal. If serving congregants in the capital is now a scandal, then our national conversation has been turned upside down by partisan outrage.
Yes, Wilson uses blunt language about restoring Christian norms and about gender roles, immigration, and public morality — and conservatives should be honest about it rather than cave when the press shouts “fringe.” Those positions reflect an unapologetic, old-guard Christian view that believes law and culture ought to flow from a moral foundation, not from transient progressive fashions. To call these convictions a threat to democracy is either dishonest or willfully ignorant; people who love God and country are not the enemies of freedom.
The predictable chorus from the commentariat accuses Wilson of wanting a theocracy, citing extreme-sounding quotes and historical missteps. But the right has a duty to defend the plain truth: advocating Christian-influenced public life is not the same as rejecting the constitutional order. Wilson himself frames his project as evangelistic and civic, not violent, and millions of Americans want public policy that reflects natural law and common sense rather than social engineering. Conservatives who cower at caricatures will only cede ground to a left that never stops pushing.
We must also be clear-eyed about legitimate concerns: past controversies tied to Wilson and his network — from harsh rhetoric to disputed historical takes — deserve scrutiny and accountability when warranted. But the reflexive attempt by elites to disqualify any faith-based political actor as “dangerous” reveals a double standard: radical secular ideologies are celebrated, while traditional beliefs are policed. Patriots who want a strong, moral America should demand fairness, not cancel culture.
At heart this fight is about whether America will keep pretending religion is a private hobby or finally allow Christians to participate openly in shaping law and culture without being smeared. The answer should be obvious to hardworking Americans: a nation that forgets its moral bearings is a nation on the path to decline, and ordinary citizens have every right to elect leaders who reflect their convictions. If that makes the media uncomfortable, so be it — real change has never been polite, and conservatives shouldn’t apologize for organizing around faith and patriotism.
