International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation Volume 8 2025 110
David Berg’s Perversion of Biblical Bridal Theology in the Children of God /
The Family
Perry Bulwer, B.A., LL.B.
Abstract: In this article, I examine the religious concept of mystical marriage between God and believers in the
context of biblical bridal theology. I discuss its scriptural basis in the Old and New Testaments and their doctrinal
disputes. I then describe how David Berg, the self-declared end-time prophet and founder of the notorious
Children of God, twisted those scriptures to formulate his perverted version of Christian bridal theology. I
present the chronology of sexual doctrines in the Children of God, later known as The Family. I show how
Berg gradually began to groom his followers to accept extra-biblical sexual doctrines that led to total sexual
permissiveness based on his antinomian belief that Christians were no longer bound by Mosaic or secular laws
governing certain sexual relationships. Those doctrines led to the widespread break-up of marriages and families
and the sexual exploitation and abuse of women and children. I end with a discussion of how difficult it is for
religious trauma survivors to find therapists knowledgeable about spiritual abuse and indicate that Christian-
related abuse, as occurred in the Children of God, has significant similarities with forms of domestic abuse.
Keywords: Children of God The Family International bridal theology religious trauma spiritual abuse child
abuse sexual abuse domestic abuse mental health therapy
Introduction
Mystical marriage, also known as spiritual or divine
marriage, is a metaphorical representation of the
relationship between God and devout believers in God.
The concept is found in various religious traditions.
In Hinduism, mystical marriage is represented by the
concept of Ardhanarishvara, a composite androgynous
form of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. This form
represents the union of the masculine and feminine
aspects of the divine and the realization of the ultimate
unity of things—the self (atman) connected with the
universal (Brahman). The idea of mystical marriage
is also present in the bhakti yoga tradition, in which
the devotee seeks to unite with the divine through
devotion, love, and surrender. In the Islamic mystical
beliefs and practices of Sufism, mystical marriage is
represented by the dual concepts of fana (annihilation
of the self) and baqa (the merging of the soul with the
divine). It is characterized by a deep spiritual intimacy,
love, and union with God, often described using the
metaphor of the lover and the beloved.
In Christianity, mystical marriage is often associated
with the writings of medieval mystics such as Bernard
of Clairvaux (1090–1153), Hildegard of Bingen (1098–
1179), Clare of Assisi (1194–1253), and Teresa of Ávila
(1515–1582). They and others described mystical
marriage as the highest level of union between the
human soul and God, where the soul deeply desires
and experiences a profound intimacy with the divine.
Many of them used the romantic, sensual, and even
erotic language of lovers when describing their spiritual
relationship with God.
In this article, I examine mystical marriage, or bridal
theology, as presented in the Bible and discuss various
interpretations and doctrinal disputes over those
scriptures. I then examine how David Berg (founder
of the notorious Children of God [COG]) perverted
those scriptures when formulating his extreme sexual
doctrines, which led to the widespread break-up of
marriages and families and the sexual exploitation and
abuse of women and children.
Bridal theology in the New Testament is generally
seen as a metaphor for the spiritual marriage between
Christ and Christians. A related metaphor expresses
the relationship between believers and God as that
of father and children. Also, many consider the body
of believers to be a familial relationship. Therefore, I
conclude that religious trauma related to Christian
DOI:https://doi.org/10.54208/1000/0008/007
David Berg’s Perversion of Biblical Bridal Theology in the Children of God /
The Family
Perry Bulwer, B.A., LL.B.
Abstract: In this article, I examine the religious concept of mystical marriage between God and believers in the
context of biblical bridal theology. I discuss its scriptural basis in the Old and New Testaments and their doctrinal
disputes. I then describe how David Berg, the self-declared end-time prophet and founder of the notorious
Children of God, twisted those scriptures to formulate his perverted version of Christian bridal theology. I
present the chronology of sexual doctrines in the Children of God, later known as The Family. I show how
Berg gradually began to groom his followers to accept extra-biblical sexual doctrines that led to total sexual
permissiveness based on his antinomian belief that Christians were no longer bound by Mosaic or secular laws
governing certain sexual relationships. Those doctrines led to the widespread break-up of marriages and families
and the sexual exploitation and abuse of women and children. I end with a discussion of how difficult it is for
religious trauma survivors to find therapists knowledgeable about spiritual abuse and indicate that Christian-
related abuse, as occurred in the Children of God, has significant similarities with forms of domestic abuse.
Keywords: Children of God The Family International bridal theology religious trauma spiritual abuse child
abuse sexual abuse domestic abuse mental health therapy
Introduction
Mystical marriage, also known as spiritual or divine
marriage, is a metaphorical representation of the
relationship between God and devout believers in God.
The concept is found in various religious traditions.
In Hinduism, mystical marriage is represented by the
concept of Ardhanarishvara, a composite androgynous
form of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. This form
represents the union of the masculine and feminine
aspects of the divine and the realization of the ultimate
unity of things—the self (atman) connected with the
universal (Brahman). The idea of mystical marriage
is also present in the bhakti yoga tradition, in which
the devotee seeks to unite with the divine through
devotion, love, and surrender. In the Islamic mystical
beliefs and practices of Sufism, mystical marriage is
represented by the dual concepts of fana (annihilation
of the self) and baqa (the merging of the soul with the
divine). It is characterized by a deep spiritual intimacy,
love, and union with God, often described using the
metaphor of the lover and the beloved.
In Christianity, mystical marriage is often associated
with the writings of medieval mystics such as Bernard
of Clairvaux (1090–1153), Hildegard of Bingen (1098–
1179), Clare of Assisi (1194–1253), and Teresa of Ávila
(1515–1582). They and others described mystical
marriage as the highest level of union between the
human soul and God, where the soul deeply desires
and experiences a profound intimacy with the divine.
Many of them used the romantic, sensual, and even
erotic language of lovers when describing their spiritual
relationship with God.
In this article, I examine mystical marriage, or bridal
theology, as presented in the Bible and discuss various
interpretations and doctrinal disputes over those
scriptures. I then examine how David Berg (founder
of the notorious Children of God [COG]) perverted
those scriptures when formulating his extreme sexual
doctrines, which led to the widespread break-up of
marriages and families and the sexual exploitation and
abuse of women and children.
Bridal theology in the New Testament is generally
seen as a metaphor for the spiritual marriage between
Christ and Christians. A related metaphor expresses
the relationship between believers and God as that
of father and children. Also, many consider the body
of believers to be a familial relationship. Therefore, I
conclude that religious trauma related to Christian
DOI:https://doi.org/10.54208/1000/0008/007
