Vision Forum
{{short description|Former evangelical Christian organization based in San Antonio, Texas}}
{{for|the art organization|Vision Forum (art organisation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}}
{{Christianity and gender|orgs}}
Vision Forum was an evangelical Christian organization based in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1998; its president was Doug Phillips, son of U.S. Constitution Party leader Howard Phillips. Vision Forum Ministries was a 501(c) non-profit organization which was closed by its board of directors in November 2013 after Doug Phillips' confession of marital infidelity and allegations of sexual abuse.{{cite web |author-link=Julie Ingersoll |last=Ingersoll |first=Julie |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-ingersoll/doug-phillips-biblical-patriarchy_b_5151442.html |title=Doug Phillips' Biblical Patriarchy Scandal Moves to the Courts |work=Huffington Post |date=June 17, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://www.visionforumministries.org/issues/news_and_reports/the_closing_of_vision_forum_mi.aspx |title=The Closing of Vision Forum Ministries |website=Vision Forum}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/11/infidelity-scandal-just-shuttered-major-biblical-patriarchy-organization/355143/ |title=An Infidelity Scandal Just Shuttered a Major 'Biblical Patriarchy' Organization |author=Abby Ohlheiser |date=November 11, 2013 |website=The Atlantic}} The associated commercial operation, called Vision Forum, Inc., continued to operate until January 2014, when it was announced that it too was shutting down operations. Vision Forum advocated for biblical patriarchy, creationism, homeschooling, Family Integrated Churches, and Quiverfull beliefs.
Events
The organization sponsored the Christian Filmmakers Academy and the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.{{cite news |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/9940/christian-filmmakers-to-discuss-replacement-industry-for-hollywood |title=Christian filmmakers to discuss replacement industry for Hollywood |date=July 23, 2007 |website=Catholic News Agency |access-date=January 24, 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://christianpost.com/Entertainment/Events/2009/01/over-700-students-to-converge-ahead-of-top-christian-film-fest-04/index.html |title=Over 700 Students to Converge Ahead of Top Christian Film Fest |last=Kimball |first=Josh |date=January 4, 2009 |work=The Christian Post |access-date=March 18, 2009}}
In 2007, the group organized an alternative celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, saying that the official celebration did not give enough emphasis to the Christian perspective of the settlers.{{cite news |last=Geroux |first=Bill |title=An alternative Jamestown fete: Christian group says it wants to shine more light on role of God |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |date=April 11, 2007 |url=https://richmond.com/news/an-alternative-jamestown-fete/article_cb81ffaf-0850-5801-8d85-94b46c77fe78.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230427215533/https://richmond.com/news/an-alternative-jamestown-fete/article_cb81ffaf-0850-5801-8d85-94b46c77fe78.html |archive-date=April 27, 2023 |access-date=April 27, 2023}}
''Jonathan Park''
Jonathan Park is a radio drama series created by Pat and Sandy Roy at the Institute for Creation Research in the late 1990s that was later produced by Vision Forum Ministries.{{cite web |url=https://www.audiotheatrecentral.com/2014/01/vision-forum-is-shutting-down.html |title=Vision Forum, Owners of the Jonathan Park Audio Drama Series, Is Shutting Down |work=Audio Theatre Central |date=January 14, 2014 |access-date=April 27, 2023 |author=J.D. Sutter}} The storyline revolves around the lives and families of fictional characters Dr. Kendall Park and Jim Brenan as they build a creation museum.{{cite web |url=http://www.jonathanpark.com/pages/faqs |title=Jonathan Park FAQs from official Web site |access-date=April 27, 2023}}
After Vision Forum folded, ownership of the Jonathan Park series was transferred to CreationWorks, a ministry founded by series creators Pat and Sandy Roy. One album was released under that banner in 2014 before the series was acquired by Wise King Media in 2016.{{cite web |url=https://addb.porchlightfamilymedia.com/series-productions/jonathan-park |title=Family Friendly Audio Drama Database – Jonathan Park |access-date=December 21, 2023}}
=Albums=
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 1: Jonathan Park: The Adventure Begins |isbn=1-929241-85-2 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 2: Jonathan Park: No Looking Back |isbn=1-929241-87-9 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 3: Jonathan Park: The Winds of Change |isbn=0-9755263-6-7 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 4: Jonathan Park: The Hunt for Beowulf |isbn=0-9787559-1-X }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 5: Jonathan Park: The Explorer's Society |isbn=0-9787559-6-0 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 6: Jonathan Park: The Journey Never Taken |isbn=1-933431-84-9 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 7: Jonathan Park: The Voyage Beyond |isbn=1-933431-86-5 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 8: Jonathan Park: The Copper Scroll |isbn=1-937460-15-0 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 9: Jonathan Park: The Whispering Sphinx |isbn=1-937460-62-2 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Volume 10: Jonathan Park: The Journey Home |isbn=978-1-941510-28-5 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Jonathan Park Goes to the Zoo |isbn=1-934554-28-6 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Jonathan Park Goes to the Aquarium |isbn=1-934554-29-4 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Jonathan Park Goes to the Galapagos |isbn=978-1-933431-74-1 }}
- {{cite AV media |title=Jonathan Park Goes to the Amazon |isbn=0-982945-26-4 }}
Criticism
Vision Forum was criticized for holding views that were demeaning of women and viewed them as property. Don and Joy Veinot of Midwest Christian Outreach interpreted Vision Forum's statement on "The Tenets of Biblical Patriarchy"{{cite web |url=http://www.visionforumministries.org/home/about/biblical_patriarchy.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305040250/http://www.visionforumministries.org/home/about/biblical_patriarchy.aspx |title=The Tenets of Biblical Patriarchy |website=Vision Forum |archive-date=March 5, 2010 |url-status=dead}} to imply that "women really cannot be trusted as decision makers" and "unless a daughter marries, she functionally remains pretty much the property of the father until he dies."{{harvnb |Veinot |Veinot |2007 |p=4}} – emphasis original.
Similar criticisms were voiced when a lawsuit was filed against Doug Phillips and Vision Forum by a woman who had worked as the Phillips family's nanny. Her suit alleged that Phillips had sexually abused her for years.{{cite web |url=http://extras.mysanantonio.com/pdf/2014CI05999.pdf |title=Lawsuit}} Phillips acknowledged an "inappropriate relationship" but denied all charges of sexual abuse, calling them "sensationalist and suggesting that they are motivated by a desire for financial gain."
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite journal |first1=L. L. (Don) |last1=Veinot |first2=Joy |last2=Veinot |title=The Cult of Character |journal=Midwest Christian Outreach Journal |url=http://www.midwestoutreach.org/Pdf%20Journals/2007/spring_2007.pdf |date=Spring 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219030311/http://www.midwestoutreach.org/Pdf%20Journals/2007/spring_2007.pdf |archive-date=February 19, 2009 }}
External links
- [http://www.visionforumministries.org/ Vision Forum Ministries] – non-profit organization
Category:Alternative education organizations
Category:Christian organizations based in the United States
Category:Calvinist organizations established in the 20th century
Category:Christian organizations established in 1998