Promise Keepers
A Christian men’s movement and parachurch organization founded in 1990 that grew rapidly from about 4,200 men in 1991 to 1.2 million by 1996. It blended evangelical religiosity with masculine identity formation, and while operationally embedded in the Religious Right it projected ideological openness, drawing criticism from both the Left and the conservative Right over its contradictory models of manhood and use of “servant leadership” rhetoric.
Claims that use this term
- Promise Keepers grew from 4,200 men in 1991 to 1.2 million by 1996.
- Promise Keepers was operationally embedded in the Religious Right while projecting ideological openness
- Promise Keepers was simultaneously criticized by both Left and conservative Right
- Promise Keepers contained contradictory models of manhood that coexisted in creative tension
- Servant leadership rhetoric obscured a reassertion of male authority in Promise Keepers
- Promise Keepers blended militaristic and sports rhetoric within a conservative political agenda