Douglas Winston Phillips (born 1965) is an American Christian author, speaker, attorney, and homeschooling advocate who was once president of the now-defunct Vision Forum Ministries until he resigned due to an inappropriate relationship and allegations of sexual abuse.[1][2] He advocates biblical patriarchy, young earth creationism, homeschooling, the Quiverfull movement, and the family integrated church.[3] He also worked for six years as a lawyer for the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).[4]
Doug Phillips | |
|---|---|
| Born | Douglas Winston Phillips |
| Occupation(s) | President of Vision Forum, writer, attorney, videographer |
| Spouse | Beall Phillips |
| Children | 8 |
Personal life
editPhillips was born into a Christian family with Jewish heritage.[5] His father was Constitution Party founder Howard Phillips and his mother was Margaret "Peggy" Phillips (née Blanchard).[6] Phillips is the eldest of six children: his younger siblings being Amanda (b. 1966), Brad (b. 1968), Jennifer (b. 1974), Alexandra (b. 1978), and Samuel Joshua (b. 1986).
Phillips and his wife Beall met at college, where Doug Phillips ran a Christian newspaper and Beall ran a ministry to unwed mothers called Alternatives to Abortion.[6] Beall Phillips was herself adopted.[6] Together, Doug and Beall Phillips have eight children: Joshua, Justice, Liberty, Jubilee, Faith Evangeline, Honor, Providence and Virginia.[7][6]
Films
editPhillips is the founder of the defunct San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.[8] Phillips produced a documentary The League of Grateful Sons in 2004 about the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima.[9] In 2009, Phillips led "a team of scientists and investigators, including John D. Morris, president of the Institute for Creation Research" to the Galápagos Islands for the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's life, and produced a documentary entitled The Mysterious Islands.[10][11]
Criticism
editPhillips' teachings have been criticized as promoting a biblical worldview that is considered by some to be oppressive to women and girls. In 2014, Michael Farris, the chairman and cofounder of the Home School Legal Defense Association, criticized the biblical patriarchy beliefs of his former HSLDA colleague Doug Phillips, and said he regrets not speaking out against him sooner. He said,
He was teaching that girls should never go to college. …I started a college where half the student body is female and PHC just elected a woman student as the president of the student body. He was teaching that girls should basically stay in their father's home until marriage. I sent my oldest daughter off to Cedarville University and my second daughter off to Romania as a missionary. I thought my actions would speak louder than his words. I wish I had used words too.[4]
Resignation, sexual abuse allegations
editPhillips resigned as president of Vision Forum on October 30, 2013 after acknowledging a "lengthy… relationship with a woman" which was "inappropriately affectionate and romantic."[12][13] On November 11, 2013, Vision Forum Ministries' board of directors discontinued operations citing "serious sins" which prompted Phillips' resignation.[14] According to The Christian Post, Vision Forum, Inc., Phillips' for-profit business, "appeared to have a liquidation sale" in December 2013.[15]
On April 15, 2014, the Phillips family's ex-nanny filed a lawsuit against Phillips and Vision Forum, alleging that she had suffered years of sexual abuse at the hands of Doug Phillips. Phillips denied the abuse charges, according to Julie Ingersoll, "calling them sensationalist and suggesting that they are motivated by a desire for financial gain."[2]
On November 17, 2014, Phillips was excommunicated from Boerne Christian Assembly, the church that he founded.[16] Phillips had left the church in July.[17]
Books
editHe has written or edited the following books (published by his own company Vision Forum):
- The Bible Lessons of John Quincy Adams for His Son (2000) Vision Forum ISBN 1-929241-22-4
- The Letters and Lessons of Teddy Roosevelt for His Sons (2001) Vision Forum ISBN 1-929241-32-1
- Robert Lewis Dabney: The Prophet Speaks (2003) Vision Forum ISBN 1-929241-41-0
- Poems for Patriarchs (2003) Poems for Patriarchs Vision Forum ISBN 1-929241-45-3
- The Birkenhead Drill (2004) Vision Forum ISBN 1-929241-46-1
- The Little Boy Down the Road: Short Stories & Essays on the Beauty of Family Life (2008) Vision Forum ISBN 1-934554-34-0
References
edit- ^ Marcotte, Amanda (2014-04-16). "Woman Sues Christian Right Leader Douglas Phillips for Alleged Sexual, Mental Abuse". Slate. Graham Holdings Company. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
- ^ a b Ingersoll, Julie (17 April 2014). "Doug Phillips' Biblical Patriarchy Scandal Moves to the Courts". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ Barrick, Audrey (December 13, 2009). "Embrace Christianity as total world and life view, ministry leaders say". Christian Post. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ a b Lee, Morgan (April 16, 2014). "Head of the Home School Legal Defense Association Blasts Doug Phillips' Biblical Patriarchy Practices". Christian Post. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Profile of Howard Phillips". Issues 2000.
- ^ a b c d "About the President". Vision Forum Ministries. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
- ^ Campbell, Nancy (2003). Be Fruitfull and Multiply. San Antonio: Vision Forum. ISBN 0-9724173-5-4.
- ^ Weddle Irons Kendra; Springer Mock Melanie (2015). If Eve Only Knew: Freeing Yourself from Biblical Womanhood and Becoming All God Means for You to Be. Chalice Press. ISBN 978-0-82721670-9.
- ^ Wendy Griffith (May 19, 2006). Doug Phillips Documentary on Iwo Jima. CBN Newswatch. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
- ^ Yonke, David (October 31, 2009). "Video disputes Darwin". The Blade. Toledo.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Wooding, Gregg (November 18, 2009). "More than 2,500 to Attend Tampa Premiere of 'The Mysterious Islands' – a New Film Shot on the Galapagos Islands Which Challenges Darwin". Christian News Wire (Press release). Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ Phillips, Doug. "Statement of Resignation". Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^ Phillips, Doug. "Clarification on Resignation". Archived from the original on 15 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ Phillips, Doug. "The Closing of Vision Forum Ministries". Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ Lee, Morgan, Doug Phillips' Former Church Disappointed with His Disobedient Departure as Elder Who Confessed Affair, Christian post, 11 July 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- ^ Horn, Jeff; Fry, David (November 17, 2014). "Update Regarding Doug Phillips". Boerne Christian assembly. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
- ^ Dean, Jamie (July 8, 2014). "Doug Phillips leaves the church he founded". World mag.