The Orphan Market · Episode 7 of 10 · 40 min
God's Mandate: Evangelicals and the Orphan Theology
In the 2000s American evangelical leaders recast adoption as a Biblical mandate, building an orphan-care movement just as international adoption began to decline. Champions saw the gospel in action; critics argued the movement became a demand engine that pressured fragile supply systems and overlooked corruption. Its largest agency eventually left international adoption.
Who's who
- Russell MooreSouthern Baptist theologian; author of Adopted for Life
- Jedd MedefindLed the Christian Alliance for Orphans from 2009
- Rick WarrenSaddleback Church pastor who hosted the 2012 summit
- Kay WarrenSaddleback Church leader who helped set a goal of placing the world's orphans in families
- Dan CruverTheologian and organizer of Together for Adoption
- Kathryn Joyce+3 more episodesJournalist; author of The Child Catchers and leading critic
- David M. SmolinLaw professor who critiques orphan theology's use of Scripture
Where it happens
- Little Rock, Arkansas, United StatesSite of the first Orphan Summit in 2004
- Saddleback Church, California, United StatesHost of the 2012 Christian Alliance for Orphans summit
- Liberia+2 more episodesImposed an emergency adoption moratorium in 2009
Timeline
- 2004The first Orphan Summit gathers 29 leaders in Little Rock.
- 2007The Christian Alliance for Orphans is incorporated.
- 2009Adopted for Life is published and the Southern Baptist Convention adopts an adoption resolution.
- 2012The Christian Alliance for Orphans holds its summit at Saddleback Church.
- 2013Kathryn Joyce publishes The Child Catchers, drawing evangelical rebuttals.
- January 2020Bethany Christian Services announces it will end international adoption.
Still debated
Whether there was an orphan crisis is disputed, since the big statistics lump together children with no parents and those with living family. Scholars also disagree on whether orphan theology is ancient doctrine or a modern construction, how representative the scandals were, and why Bethany really changed course.
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