The Second Coming Christ Controversy: More Leaders Speak Out
The eventual plan, to create a massive online distance learning program to compete with Liberty University's, never quite materialized (though it was part of Olivet's stated plan in acquiring Bethany University, a recently closed Assemblies of God school in Scotts Valley, California, which it later abandoned before attempting to buy Glorieta).
Edmond, meanwhile, pursued both his bachelor's degree and his M.Div. at Olivet (he lived most of the time in Singapore), and spoke at his graduation ceremony in 2011.
Edmond and Susan also confirmed what other sources have told CT: Before 2006, it was common for those who had confessed to send a letter of their confession to Jang. CT has independently obtained a document which, although it is not addressed to Jang, otherwise appears to be just such a written confession. (To protect the confidentiality of its source, CT was asked not to quote from the document directly.) The writer, a current employee of a Jang-associated organization, refers to Jang as "Christ" more than a dozen times in this document. The writer also describes being encouraged in this belief by other members, and—like other accounts by former members—indicates that the final confession came after a Bible study leader asked who Jang was. Edmond echoes the language of this document when he says his initial view of Jang was "very primitive. I simply believed that Jang is Christ." He said he believed Jang was God, but acknowledged that this belief went further than the lessons that indicated Jang was Christ.
The community's end-times theology, which Edmond said took him years to understand more deeply, now troubles him. But he's also troubled by what he says is the community's teachings that lying can be righteous.
Six years ago, Edmond said, he traveled to New York for the Sumer School Mission Training for members of Apostolos Campus Ministry, a college group that Olivet's leaders say has provided most of its students (the organization has since been renamed Apostolos Missions). Near the end of the month-long training, he said, Borah Lin singled out him and two others for private sessions.
"During those private sessions, Borah Lin preached to us about the 45-year work of Christ; three of which have already been completed by Jesus, leaving 42 more years of work to be finished by David Jang," he said. "She also compared Jang to Abraham and his followers to Sarah in the account in the Bible where Sarah, to protect Abraham, lied to the Egyptians that he is only her brother, not her husband."
In lessons outside the mission training, Edmond said, Bible study teachers pointed to Rahab the prostitute as an example of righteous lying.
"They have encouraged lying and deception in cases that they judge to be urgent or critical, especially when people are judged as dealing with the incorrect motive. They take this from the Scripture itself, when Proverbs says 'Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.' They apply this to people who do not understand the great things they are doing for the Lord." Telling the truth, Edmond says he was repeatedly taught, takes too long when time is urgent.
Edmond's concerns are shared by other former members who spoke with CT. One said:
A Fractured and Beautiful Faith
Streaming This Weekend, May 24, 2013
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Jason Lee
Richard, Common sense would point out that everyone in this whole article agree the man never said he is Christ, Anonymous, Edmond, CT, CP, Followers etc... Read what Christianity Today wrote carefully. This is not even an article but a story seems. Christianity Today insinuates Jang as Christ but admit not a single person herd himself say anything even close to such. I'm reading what Christianity Today's former editor said regarding Edmonds own theory on CP: "Jang glorifies all Three Persons of the Godhead in his prayers and offers every prayer to God in the name of Jesus Christ. It would be irrational for Jang, if he indeed believed himself to be Christ, to pray in that name," wrote Edmond. CT's former editor said to Olsen that if Edmond was in fact the author of these contradictory accounts then he "is gravely disoriented or extremely pressured as there are too many internal contradictions." Richard, There is always two sides to any story, you just can't rely on one.
Richard Cameron
Where is David Jang? If he's been misunderstood all he needs to do is to come out and say, 'I am not the first Christ, the 2nd Christ or any Christ.' If he won't come out and say that then orthodox christians should have nothing to do with him.
Steve Decker
Almost incomprehensible writing in at least two of the responders, not surprisingly they are not happy with CT. That being said, what is the big deal? Pastor Jang, his press outlets and the officers of his organizations can state/post "David Jang is not Jesus Christ in any way, shape or form, he is not God in any way shape or form" and is a Christ-follower like the rest of us. Ends the debate. He and they are free to lie about it, if they feel it is necessary. Inaccuracy about the condition of your Christianity never stopped the likes of Jim Bakker and many other public-eye Christians that build large business organizations (e.g. TBN). All that would have to be dealt with then is the massive amounts of money and control that Jang-connected organizations seem to be able to wield and the everyday deceptions that make 'owners' of publications out of followers. Second Coming Christ? Most Christians are perplexed at the title, much less the tortured theology behind the title.