Voddie Tharon Baucham, Jr. (born March 11, 1969) is an American pastor, author, and educator. He serves as Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia.[1]
In March 2022, Baucham confirmed that he had been asked to accept a nomination for president of the Southern Baptist Convention, but noted that as an overseas missionary, he was not sure if he was eligible.[8]
Baucham is an adherent of biblical patriarchy. He outlined his views on the subject in his 2009 book What He Must Be: ...If He Wants to Marry My Daughter, though preferring the phrase "gospel patriarchy".[12] Baucham criticized Sarah Palin's vice presidential candidacy in 2008, on the basis that women serve best at home.[13][14]
Baucham is also a supporter of the Stay-at-home daughter movement.[15] He appeared in Vision Forum's 2007 documentary Return of the Daughters, in which he said that America is suffering an "epidemic of unprotected women."[16]
Baucham and his wife have homeschooled their children, and he has spoken against Christians sending their children to public schools.[17][18] In his 2007 book, Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God, Baucham argued that parents (especially fathers) can and should disciple their children through family worship and through attending family integrated churches.[19][20]
Baucham rejects critical race theory in favor of what he calls "biblical justice", and sees it as a religious movement, with its own cosmology, saints, liturgy, and law.[21] Baucham's 2021 book Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism's Looming Catastrophe outlines his criticisms of the movement.[22] In Fault Lines he argues that Critical Theory and its subsets, Critical Race Theory-Intersectionality and Critical Social Justice are grounded in Western Marxism, the public social justice conversation is perpetuating misinformation, and is incompatible with Christianity as a competing worldview.[23] In August 2021, Baucham was accused of plagiarizing parts of the book and falsifying a quote he attributed to Richard Delgado, an early researcher of critical race theory.[24] The publisher, Salem Books, rejected the plagiarism claim, saying it was merely a matter of style, while Delgado denied making such a quotation.[25]
In February 2021, Baucham experienced heart failure and had to travel to the Mayo Clinic Florida for treatment. A GoFundMe campaign for his medical expenses raised more than a million dollars.[29]