Christian Nationalism — The Infrastructure of Power | Something Doesn't Feel Right
Ongoing Investigation

Christian Nationalism:The Infrastructure of Power

Mapping documented relationships among theology, advocacy organizations, legal institutions, political training, policy networks, and presidential-transition infrastructure.
LIVING RESEARCH FILE    LAST REVIEWED · AUGUST 9, 2026    SOMETHING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT
15
Organizations / Movements
6
Key Figures
5
Network Layers
1
Living Research File
How to read this tracker: inclusion documents a public organizational relationship, shared personnel, coalition participation, institutional role, or historically relevant ideological connection. It does not establish secret coordination, control, criminal conduct, or agreement among every entity listed. Contested allegations and watchdog designations are attributed.
Organizations, Movements & Infrastructure
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Christian Reconstructionism
Associated with R.J. Rushdoony · developed in the mid-20th century
A theological current associated especially with R.J. Rushdoony that argued civil law should be shaped by biblical law. Its ideas influenced parts of the American Christian right, particularly through debates over education, family authority, and the role of government.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Homeschool advocacy · conservative Christian political thought
EDITORIAL NOTE
This tracker treats Reconstructionism as one intellectual strand within the broader Christian-right ecosystem — not as a doctrine shared by every organization listed here.
Source trail: Britannica — Christian Reconstructionism
THEOLOGICAL / ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK
Seven Mountain Mandate / Dominionism
Popularized in charismatic Christian networks
A framework encouraging Christians to influence seven spheres of society: government, education, media, arts and entertainment, family, religion, and business. It appears in some Christian nationalist and charismatic political networks, but it is not a formal doctrine of Project 2025.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Charismatic political networks · Christian nationalism research
EDITORIAL NOTE
Influence should be documented organization by organization; the existence of shared rhetoric does not establish centralized coordination.
Source trail: Religion & Politics — Seven Mountains overview
THEOLOGICAL / FAMILY MOVEMENT
Quiverfull Movement
Pronatalist conservative-Christian movement
A decentralized religious movement that encourages large families and generally opposes contraception, often invoking Psalm 127's imagery of children as arrows. The Duggar family became one of its best-known public examples.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Homeschooling · conservative Christian family movements
EDITORIAL NOTE
Quiverfull is decentralized; it should not be treated as a single organization with a formal command structure.
Source trail: Encyclopedia.com — Quiverfull movement
UMBRELLA / MEMBERSHIP NETWORK
Council for National Policy
Founded 1981
A private conservative membership organization that brings together political activists, donors, religious-right leaders, policy professionals, and organizational executives. Publicly released membership and meeting records have documented overlap with many institutions in the broader conservative movement.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Heritage Foundation · religious-right organizations · conservative political networks
EDITORIAL NOTE
CNP overlap is evidence of a network relationship; it is not, by itself, proof that CNP directs the actions of member organizations or public officials.
Source trail: Council for National Policy — official site
POLICY / THINK TANK
The Heritage Foundation
Founded 1973 · organizer of Project 2025
A Washington conservative think tank that organized Project 2025. Heritage described the project as a four-part presidential-transition effort centered on a policy agenda, personnel recruitment, training, and an implementation playbook.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Project 2025 · Mandate for Leadership · conservative policy network
EDITORIAL NOTE
By February 2024, Heritage said Project 2025 had reached 100 coalition partners.
Source trail: Heritage — Project 2025 reached 100 coalition partners · Mandate for Leadership
RELIGIOUS / EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION
Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP)
Founded by Bill Gothard
A conservative Christian ministry built around teachings on family authority, relationships, character, and religious education. Its Advanced Training Institute homeschool program became closely associated with families including the Duggars. Founder Bill Gothard resigned from leadership in 2014 amid allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse; he has denied wrongdoing.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Advanced Training Institute · Bill Gothard · Duggar family
EDITORIAL NOTE
Because allegations involving IBLP and Gothard are contested, this tracker distinguishes documented organizational teachings and affiliations from allegations and legal findings.
Source trail: IBLP — official site
LEGAL / EDUCATION ADVOCACY
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
Founded 1983 by Michael Farris and Michael Smith
A national legal and advocacy organization focused on homeschooling. HSLDA has also operated civic-engagement, training, and policy programs. Co-founder Michael Farris later founded Patrick Henry College and served as president, CEO, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Michael Farris · Patrick Henry College · Generation Joshua
EDITORIAL NOTE
HSLDA's role is best understood as legal and policy infrastructure for the homeschool movement rather than as evidence that homeschool families share a single political agenda.
Source trail: HSLDA — official site
ADVOCACY / POLICY
Family Research Council
Washington, D.C. · led by Tony Perkins
A conservative Christian advocacy organization focused on abortion, sexuality and gender, religious liberty, and family policy. FRC participated in the Project 2025 coalition. The Southern Poverty Law Center designates FRC an anti-LGBTQ hate group; FRC rejects that characterization.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Project 2025 · Heritage Foundation · Tony Perkins
EDITORIAL NOTE
The disputed watchdog designation is attributed rather than presented as an uncontested description.
Source trail: Family Research Council — official site · Heritage — Project 2025 coalition
LEGAL ADVOCACY
Alliance Defending Freedom
Founded 1994
A conservative Christian legal advocacy organization that litigates religious-liberty, free-speech, abortion, and LGBTQ-related cases in the United States and internationally. Michael Farris served as ADF's president, CEO, and general counsel from 2017 to 2022. The Southern Poverty Law Center designates ADF an anti-LGBTQ hate group; ADF rejects that characterization.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Michael Farris · Supreme Court litigation · conservative legal network
EDITORIAL NOTE
ADF's litigation record is documented separately from disputed ideological labels applied by outside organizations.
Source trail: Alliance Defending Freedom — official site
MEDIA / ADVOCACY
Focus on the Family
Founded 1977 by James Dobson
A large Christian media and advocacy organization founded by psychologist James Dobson. Its programming and policy work have focused on marriage, parenting, abortion, sexuality, religious liberty, and family policy.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
James Dobson · Family Research Council · conservative Christian media
EDITORIAL NOTE
Focus on the Family helped build a durable national communications infrastructure for conservative Christian politics.
Source trail: Focus on the Family — official site
EDUCATION / IBLP PROGRAM
Advanced Training Institute (ATI)
IBLP homeschool program
IBLP's homeschool program, used by families including the Duggars. ATI materials integrated religious instruction, character training, and IBLP's broader authority framework into home education.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
IBLP · Bill Gothard · homeschool movement
EDITORIAL NOTE
Historical ATI materials are relevant to understanding how IBLP teachings were transmitted within families and homeschool communities.
Source trail: IBLP — education resources
CIVIC / POLITICAL TRAINING
Generation Joshua
HSLDA youth program · founded 2003
A youth civic-engagement and political-training program launched by HSLDA. Participants took part in government simulations, voter outreach, campaign activity, and leadership training. HSLDA's own 2025 materials identify Jeremiah Lorrig as having served as Generation Joshua director until 2025.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
HSLDA · Michael Farris · homeschool civic engagement
EDITORIAL NOTE
The program illustrates how legal advocacy, homeschooling, and political training overlapped institutionally within HSLDA.
Source trail: HSLDA — Jeremiah Lorrig profile
EDUCATION / LEADERSHIP PIPELINE
Patrick Henry College
Founded 2000 by Michael Farris · Purcellville, Virginia
A Christian liberal-arts college founded by Michael Farris with a strong emphasis on government, law, classical education, and public service. Alumni have worked in government, political organizations, law, and media.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Michael Farris · HSLDA · conservative legal and political careers
EDITORIAL NOTE
The college is relevant to this network as a training institution; alumni employment does not establish institutional direction of their later work.
Source trail: Patrick Henry College — official site
PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION PROJECT
Project 2025
Launched 2022 by Heritage Foundation
A Heritage-led conservative presidential-transition project organized around a policy manual, personnel database, training academy, and implementation planning. Heritage said the coalition grew to 100 partner organizations by February 2024.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Heritage Foundation · coalition partners · Mandate for Leadership
EDITORIAL NOTE
Project 2025 is a documented coalition and transition project; implementation of any individual proposal should be tracked separately rather than inferred from similarity alone.
Source trail: Heritage — Project 2025 overview · Mandate for Leadership
LEGAL MEMBERSHIP NETWORK
Federalist Society
Founded 1982
A conservative and libertarian legal membership organization with chapters across law schools and the legal profession. Its network has been influential in Republican judicial selection, but the organization states that it does not take positions on legal or policy issues.
NETWORK
CONNECTED TO
Conservative legal network · judicial selection debates
EDITORIAL NOTE
The Federalist Society should be distinguished from outside political and philanthropic organizations associated with people in its broader network.
Source trail: Federalist Society — official site
Key Figures
IBLP founder

Bill Gothard

Founded IBLP and developed the ministry's authority, family, and education teachings. He resigned from IBLP leadership in 2014 amid allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse; he has denied wrongdoing.

Connected to: IBLP · ATI
HSLDA co-founder · Patrick Henry College founder · former ADF president

Michael Farris

A central figure connecting homeschool legal advocacy, Christian higher education, civic training, and conservative legal advocacy. He co-founded HSLDA, founded Patrick Henry College, and led Alliance Defending Freedom from 2017 to 2022.

Connected to: HSLDA · PHC · ADF
Focus on the Family founder

James Dobson

Psychologist and Christian media leader who founded Focus on the Family and helped build national conservative-Christian communications and advocacy infrastructure.

Connected to: Focus on the Family · FRC
Family Research Council president

Tony Perkins

Has led the Family Research Council since 2003 after serving in the Louisiana legislature. FRC participated in the Project 2025 coalition under his leadership.

Connected to: FRC · Project 2025
Heritage Foundation president

Kevin Roberts

President of The Heritage Foundation and a prominent public advocate for Project 2025 and Heritage's broader conservative governing agenda.

Connected to: Heritage · Project 2025
Director, Office of Management and Budget

Russell Vought

The White House identifies Vought as the 44th Director of OMB. He previously served in OMB during Trump's first term and was a major Project 2025 contributor before returning to government.

Connected to: OMB · Project 2025 · Center for Renewing America
Source & methods note: This version was rebuilt for publication safety and Squarespace reliability on August 9, 2026. Dynamic client-side rendering and the former Analyst interface were removed. Current-role and Project 2025 structure claims were reviewed against current public or organizational sources; older historical relationships are phrased conservatively where primary documentation is limited. This remains a living journalism database and should be updated when roles, litigation, or institutional relationships materially change.