Editing Christian Identity (section)

== Hard versus soft Identity ==
While most public and scholarly attention to Christian Identity focuses on the concern for possible criminal violence,{{Sfn|Burlein|2002|pp=33, 42}} Swedish historian [[Mattias Gardell]] points out in ''Gods of the Blood'' that there are two strains of Christian Identity, which he categorizes as ''hardcore'' and ''soft'' Identity.{{Sfn|Gardell|2003|p=118}} Similarly, David Brannan, writing in ''[[Terrorism and Political Violence]]'', has called these two variations ''repentant'' and ''rebellious'' Identity.{{Sfn|Brannan|1999|pp=110-111}} Certain events during the 1980s and 1990s brought a more violent strain of Identity into public attention, contributing to the crystallization of these two schools of thought.{{Sfn|Gardell|2003|p=118}} Gardell sees a likelihood of polarization continuing, thus resulting in two separate Aryan Israel religions.{{Sfn|Gardell|2003|p=119}} [[Jeffrey Kaplan (academic)|Jeffrey Kaplan]] argues that Christian Identity represents revolution within the religious tradition of Christianity, but, using [[Dan Gayman]]'s [[Church of Israel]] as an example, suggests that the typical pattern follows that of earlier [[Millenarianism|millenarian]] movements in which the dominant motif is societal withdrawal rather than revolutionary violence.  The outbursts of violence, per Kaplan, are not the norm and are relatively short.{{Sfn|Kaplan|2016|p=117}}

=== Hard or rebellious Identity ===
Although most Identitarians have lived within the dominant culture, some Christian Identity groups on the fringe of the movement have been associated with revolutionary violence.{{Sfn|Kaplan|2000|p=53}} According to the [[Center on Terrorism, Extremism and Counterterrorism]], "Christian Identity has developed a deep [[accelerationist]] current as a result of an active desire among CI adherents to expedite the Battle of Armageddon."{{Sfn|middlebury.edu|2024}}  [[James Mason (neo-Nazi)|James Mason]], the inspirational leader of the [[Accelerationism|accelerationist]] "[[Siege (Mason book)|siege culture]]", was at one time a Christian Identity minister.{{Sfn|Sunshine|2024|p=303}} Leaders in this strain of Identity have included Richard Girnt Butler, [[James Wickstrom]], 11th Hour Remnant Messenger, and Kingdom Identity Ministries.{{Sfn|Gardell|2003|p=119}} 

[[Tax evasion|Tax resister]] and militia movement organizer [[Gordon Kahl]] had connections to the Christian Identity movement.{{Sfn|Barkun|2014|pp=206, 222}} His death in a 1983 shootout with federal authorities made him the first martyr of the [[Posse Comitatus (organization)|Posse Comitatus]].{{Sfn|Balleck|2018|p=175}} [[The Order (white supremacist group)|The Order]], whose main objective was to start a white supremacist revolution against the United States, was almost entirely made up of individuals who were associated with various Christian Identity groups.{{Sfn|Barkun|2014|pp=229–231}} [[Robert Jay Mathews|Bob Mathews]], the founder of The Order, is also considered a martyr in the movement.{{Sfn|Balleck|2018|p=210}}

[[Robert G. Millar|Robert Millar]]'s Elohim City, a [[White nationalism|white separatist]] community in [[Oklahoma]] which is associated with Christian Identity, is also associated with several violent acts. [[Chevie Kehoe]] spent time there following the Mueller family murders.{{Sfn|Atkins|2011|pp=157–158}} [[Timothy McVeigh]] called the compound prior to the [[Oklahoma City bombing]] and he is linked to community resident [[Andreas Strassmeir]]. [[Richard Snell (criminal)|Richard Wayne Snell]] is buried there. [[Aryan Republican Army|Midwest Bank bandit]] Kevin McCarthy was a resident.{{Sfn|Wexler|2015|p=298}}

The [[Ozarks]]-based compound of [[The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord]] was the site of an FBI raid, which ultimately ended without shots fired as the result of CSA member Kerry Noble negotiating a surrender by CSA leader [[James Ellison (white supremacist)|James Ellison]].{{Sfn|Kaplan|2000|pp=107–108}}

Within Christian Identity circles, the [[Phineas Priesthood]] is made up of individuals who have committed a "Phineas action"; a term used to reference a higher law as opposed to rejection of law itself.{{Sfn|Davis|2010|p=92}} This term is broadly used in reference to murders of [[Interracial marriage in the United States|interracial couples]], murders of [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|same-sex couples]], antisemitic acts, and violent acts against members of other non-white ethnic groups.<ref name="splc">{{cite web |title=Phineas Priesthood |url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/phineas-priesthood |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221010016/https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/phineas-priesthood |website=[[Southern Poverty Law Center]] |archive-date=2016-02-21 |access-date=2016-01-06}}</ref> According to Houston-area writer John Craig, mass shooter [[Larry Gene Ashbrook]] had ties to the Phineas Priesthood.{{Sfn|The Los Angeles Times|1999}} [[Byron De La Beckwith]], the assassin of [[NAACP]] and [[Civil rights movement]] leader [[Medgar Evers]], was also linked to the Phineas Priesthood.{{Sfn|The News and Advance|1991}} Immediately prior to entering prison, De La Beckwith was [[Ordination|ordained]] as a minister in the Temple Memorial Baptist Church, a Christian Identity congregation in [[Knoxville, Tennessee]] by Reverend [[Buddy Tucker|Dewey "Buddy" Tucker]].{{Sfn|Lloyd|1995}}

=== Soft or repentant Identity ===
Soft Identity sees the concept of serpent seed theology as allegory. It dismisses National Socialism as secular diversion and ungodly occultism. It further rejects the vigilante concept of the Phineas Priesthood adopted by hardcore Identity, seeing it as misguided.  The claim is that while they should be prepared for the final battle, the start button for the battle should be left to God, thus rejecting an accelerationist belief.{{Sfn|Gardell|2003|p=118}}

Although they are not considered pacifists, leaders within "soft" Identity reject the violence of the more militant side, complaining that it has resulted in all of Identity being "painted with the same brush, thereby transforming Identity into an icon of evil in the public mind".{{Sfn|Gardell|2003|p=118}}  Leaders within this strain have sought to distance themselves from more militant strains by rejecting the "Identity" label and adopting terms like "Kingdom Israel" or "Covenant People".{{Sfn|Gardell|2003|p=118}} The soft Identity school includes Pete Peters, Ted Weiland, [[Gordon Mohr|Jack Mohr]], and [[Dan Gayman]].{{Sfn|Gardell|2003|p=119}}  

Brannan points out that most academic writing on Gayman focuses on the ideology of the greater Identity movement, glossing over his theology, as an agenda-driven polemic; further stating that although Gayman's theology is problematic, overstating the position and lumping all Identity together is dangerous.{{Sfn|Brannan|1999|p=110}} Gayman takes a traditional view of [[Romans 13]] and rejects the militia movement as illegitimate, drawing a firm distinction between repentant Identity and the rebellious forms.{{Sfn|Brannan|1999|p=111}} Brannan concludes that repentant Identity has a more coherent presentation of theology, despite its academic or scholastic flaws. Thus, it is more theologically driven than the ideologically driven rebellious Identity.{{Sfn|Brannan|1999|p=115}}