Lieutenant Colonel John Eidsmoe, a retired colonel in the United States Air Force and the Mississippi State Guard, is making waves. He’s a central figure in the neo-Confederate movement and has worked as an ordained pastor in Notasulga, Alabama. Eidsmoe serves at a Presbyterian church and has been cited as a formative influence on Republican politician Michele Bachmann, particularly during her time as a research assistant at Oral Roberts University where Eidsmoe was a professor.
Community members and leaders within the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS)—Asmus’s denomination—have expressed anger and disbelief at his connections to neo-Confederate groups. He now sits on the board of Lutherans for Life, a Recognized Service Organization. Many defenders maintain that his opinions are deeply contrary to teachings of the church. They worry that his position could further legitimize far-right ideas within religious spaces.
Eidsmoe’s withdrawal from addressing a Tea Party rally in Wausau, Wisconsin ended up being a firestorm, in part because he had turned his back on the Tea Party. Reporters highlighted his record of associating with organizations that included the League of the South and the Council of Concerned Citizens. He is an outspoken apologist for the Confederacy and its monuments. This position has prompted outrage and concern from both secular and religious leaders, including members of his own faith.
Connections to Neo-Confederate Groups
Eidsmoe’s long history of entanglement with neo-Confederate organizations is well-known. He has spoken at numerous events hosted by organizations that advocate for Confederate heritage, expressing views that align with their ideologies. In a long 2019 essay published by the neo-Confederate Abbeville Institute, he lavished affection on politicians like Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy, and John C. Calhoun. He has dismissed slavery as a central issue driving secession.
“We object to judging the South on slavery alone, when there was so much good about the South as well. And those good things are what soldiers fought and died for.” – John Eidsmoe
Eidsmoe has doubled down on his extreme position from the start. He says taking down Confederate symbols is indicative of the left’s broader anti-history agenda to “rewrite history.” He argues that this movement risks dramatically changing America’s constitutional underpinnings as imagined by her Founding Fathers.
In the interest of full disclosure, Eidsmoe issued a disclaimer about all of his stated affiliations. He repeated the importance of not calling himself an LCMS pastor. He stated, “I wouldn’t say there’s really any relationship with the Missouri Synod. I did speak once for Lutheran Classical College but only as a guest speaker.”
Reactions from the Lutheran Community
The LCMS’s response to Eidsmoe’s controversial ties has been tepid. It was plain as day as LCMS’ managing director of editorial and theological content, Rev. Roy S. Askins’ unequivocal assertion. He claimed further that Eidsmoe is not an LCMS pastor and not a member of any LCMS congregation. This important distinction is key to protecting the church’s prophetic witness from creeping ideologies that may otherwise compromise its teachings.
In particular, Matthew Harrison, the president of the LCMS, recognized issues of race and ideology that were pluralistic inside the church. He remarked on the importance of recognizing diverse ethnicities that comprise its congregation:
“A few on our far edges say untoward things about race, failing to take into account the beautiful message of the N.T. that ‘God is no respecter of persons.’”
Warnings about Eidsmoe’s impact have come from the church’s own ranks. Joshua Salzberg, a member of an LCMS church and co-founder of Lutherans for Racial Justice, warned that unchecked neo-Confederate figures could pave the way for further far-right influences in LCMS spaces:
“When neo-Confederate figures go unchecked in LCMS spaces, it opens the door for more far right voices to gain influence.”
Salzberg said he is most hopeful about increasing accountability for seminaries and other church leaders regarding ideologies that are at odds with LCMS doctrine. He stated,
“My hope is that there would be at least as much energy for reckoning with Neo-confederate views that contradict the teachings of The LCMS as there is for other views that brush up against the Synod’s doctrine.”
Broader Implications and Future Outlook
Eidsmoe’s ties lead to grave implications. They spotlight the existential threat posed by far-right ideologies as they invade long-standing, credible religious organizations. Jeff Tischauser, a senior research analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), noted that while groups like the Council of Concerned Citizens may be losing influence, they still attract violent racists who can be further radicalized:
“While the group’s influence is waning, and while its influence even within the white power movement is minimal, the CCC can still attract violent racists who the group further radicalizes.”
Salzberg emphasized the need for education on identifying white supremacist ideology in all forms:
“As a grassroots organization, Lutherans for Racial Justice hopes to help educate the church on these topics so that we’re better prepared to recognize white supremacist ideology in all its forms.”