Lawsuits and Leadership: What’s Beneath the Surface at AiG?

I’m copying over (with permission) two FB posts in the order I encountered them, and following with a link to the author’s (Riley Barton) blog post of the same title. The first is a mini-history of AiG, the second some commentary, then the blog post going into greater detail.

From the conclusion:

The AiG–CMI schism is not simply a regrettable episode in ministry history—it is a mirror. It reflects what can happen when theological certitude is accompanied by institutional insulation, and when spiritual authority is exercised without spiritual accountability. Ministries that prioritize branding over brotherhood, image over integrity, may produce polished presentations of Scripture while quietly eroding the very virtues they profess to defend.

The Mini-History, Source: FB1

[Commentary, Source: FB2]

And finally the blog post.

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I apologize for the disjointed presentation, but I didn’t find the mini-history or commentary in the blog post itself. Any errors in how this is presented are mine.

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Well! It is very obvious that Ken Ham is toxic.

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The culture at AiG (and I would suspect at the other “high-profile ministries” mentioned) would appear to be fairly close to typical Right-wing authoritarianism – “a set of attitudes, describing somebody who is highly submissive to their authority figures, acts aggressively in the name of said authorities, and is conformist in thought and behavior.”

So…who’s gonna take over? My money’s on the AiG Canada guy. Calvin Smith? I think that’s it. I bet he’s next in line, since Bodie and Martin didn’t shake out.

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No mention of Martin Iles? His apparent anointment as Ham’s successor followed by his stepping down is the most recent sign of a power struggle at AiG.

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Thank you for that very helpful timeline. I thought I understood the history of AIG relatively well but for me there was more to learn. And I had no idea that there was a Ham family shrine and that it had been updated and moved to a more prominent location. I wonder if the cardboard cutout of Ken Ham can be purchased at the gift shop or ordered online. (The parody potential is enormous. I have visions of a special version of it at a seafood restaurant where the text balloon over it says, “Try our Filet O’ Great Fish Sandwich.”)

But taking it all in, I began to seriously wonder if you have the impression that my chances of being appointed the next CEO at Answers in Genesis are low. (Maybe I shouldn’t even bother to apply.) That said, I do think that I would make a good cardboard cutout. For that matter, I often get mistaken for one.

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I predict Ham will leave no clear successor, leaving it to the family to decide, which leads to (sooner than later) a split into two or more organizations.

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Alas. It is the Curse of Ham.

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