Draft:Operation Reconquista

Operation Reconquista is an operation to return conservative Christians to mainline Protestant denominations. Started by the Presbyterian youtuber Richard Ackerman, who goes by Redeemed Zoomer, the operation has since expanded to multiple different denominations.

Background

Mainline Christianity in the United States began to shift toward liberalism in the 1920s. Episcopal, United Methodist, and Congregationalist denominations started this liberal shift. Continuing to the 1960s, the civil rights movement contributed to many churches to begin to be involved politically. This caused increased support, not just for civil rights, but the Nuclear Freeze movement, and the Vietnam War protests. However, churches were beginning to loose members of the congregation. Even though there was a decline in the church attendance, the political involvement continued. Gay rights was a central liberal point, with the UCC beginning to ordain LGBTQ+ ministers in 1972. The ELCA began to ordain females beginning in 1970.

To respond to these liberal changes, many conservative congregations began to split off. The PCA split from the PCUS in 1973 for liberal theological reasons. Even after the merger of the PCUS and UPCUSA in 1983, the newly formed PCA did not merge. They wanted to stay with the doctrinal standards of the historical Presbyterian confessions.

Overtime, the PCUSA, the result of the aforementioned merger, only became more liberal. Female ordination began in 1965, and the ordination of members of the LGBTQ+ community started in 2011. Continued, while after the start of Operation Reconquista, the controversial Olympia Overture was passed. This forced presbyteries to ask regarding an individuals beliefs about trans-gender issues during the process of ordination.

Goals

The goal of the operation is to take liberal congregations and bring them to traditional reformed practices. The organization also seeks to educate laity on theological issues. Under the name Presbyterians for the Kingdom, a non-profit activist organization was created, mainly to spearhead the Presbyterian part of the operation. The goals are as follows:

• "Leading young people to Christ by getting them involved in faithful PCUSA churches"
• "Building up lasting Christian communities within the PCUSA that are dedicated to Biblical faithfulness and sound doctrine"
• "Educating PCUSA members on Biblical, Confessional Reformed theology"
• "Advocating for biblical doctrine and practice within the PCUSA"
• "Calling the PCUSA to repentance and renewal"

Reconquista operations in other denominations follow the same general goals as Presbyterians for the Kingdom, but with there own respective denomination.