International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation Volume 8 2025 114
Chapter 19.6–9 refers to the “marriage of the Lamb, and
his wife hath made herself ready” by wearing “fine linen,
clean and white,” which “is the righteousness of saints.”
Those “called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb”
are blessed. In verses 21:2, 9–10, John the Revelator
described seeing “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband.” He said that an angel then
took him away in the spirit to show him “the bride, the
Lamb’s wife…and shewed me that great city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God”.
Christian bridal theology is a multifaceted concept
that various Christian denominations and sects
understand and interpret differently however, its
central message remains the same: a Christian marriage
is a sacred covenant ordained by God, which reflects
the mystical marriage between Jesus and Christians.
Some denominations, sects, and organizations (such
as those in the Christian Patriarchy Movement)16 apply
an abusive interpretation of Paul’s writings on the
marriage relationship that requires wives to wholly and
unquestionably submit to their husbands. However, few
have perverted the biblical concept of bridal theology
quite like David Berg did in his unique doctrinal
writings on the subject.
David Berg’s Perversion of Biblical Bridal Theology
In the 1960s, an inter-denominational charismatic
movement within mainstream Protestant and Catholic
churches spread to various nondenominational
churches and contributed to the development of the
Jesus People movement.17
2
In the late 1960s and early
1970s, Jesus People groups formed throughout the
U.S. and elsewhere, including the Children of God in
1968, which was originally called Teens For Christ.
David Berg (1919-1994), a former evangelical pastor
in the Christian and Missionary Alliance, used his
four teenage children to proselytize on the beaches of
California and soon realized that the hippie generation
was ripe for recruitment with his radical message of
16 Kathryn Joyce, Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy
Movement. (Boston: Beacon Press, 2009).
17 Julia Duin, “Pentecostalism from soup to nuts: A (near) complete
history of this movement in America”, Get Religion, February 2, 2023, https://
www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2023/1/30/pentecostalism-from-soup-to-
nuts-a-near-complete-history-of-this-movement-in-america
dropping out of society to serve Jesus.18
1
The Children of God, later known as The Family,
quickly spread throughout the U.S. and soon had
thousands of members in communes worldwide. David
Berg believed he was the final, end-time prophet,
fulfilling Old Testament prophecies that refer to a king
named David living in the last days before the second
coming of Christ.19
2
He predicted that Jesus would return
in 1993.20
3
Almost from the beginning, Berg remained
isolated from his followers and communicated with
them via letters, referred to as the Mo Letters, after his
biblical alias, Moses.
For about the first five years, Children of God members
were forbidden to date each other or have any sexual
contact of any kind outside of marriage (a union that
required a leader’s approval). In 1972, Berg wrote:
“The rules of the revolution are strict…Defile
not the temple of the Holy Ghost—no smoking
or smooching other than ‘greeting one another
with a holy kiss’—and absolutely no dating
without permission. Betrothals only for staff
members after months of service and ready to
go on their own with Team approval.”21
4
However, unknown to all but his inner circle, Berg had
been living a sexually promiscuous lifestyle behind
the scenes for years while imposing those strict sexual
rules on most of his followers. Soon after forming the
Children of God, Berg had several young lovers among
his retinue, to whom he referred as his wives. He
favoured his secretary, Karen Zerby (b. 1946) known to
members as Maria.22As
5
the transcriber of his sermons
and prophecies, she was a conduit to his followers and
remained his constant companion. In effect, she became
the co-leader and took control of The Family when Berg
died in 1994.
18 XFamily. “David Berg,” accessed January 14, 2025. https://www.
xfamily.org/index.php/David_Berg. For a brief history of the Children of
God from 1968–early 1982, see David E. Van Zandt, Living in the Children of
God. (Princeton: Princeton University Press), 30–55.
19
2
Ez 37:21, 24 Jer 30:9, 24 Hos 3:5 (KJV).
20 David Berg, “ML 0156: Revolutionary Sex,” ExFamily.org, accessed
January 14, 2025. http://www.exfamily.org/pubs/ml/b4/ml0156.shtml.
21 David Berg, “ML 0000S.” ExFamily.org, accessed January 14, 2025.
http://www.exfamily.org/pubs/ml/b4/ml0000S.shtml.
22 XFamily, “Karen Zerby,” accessed January 14, 2025. https://www.
xfamily.org/index.php/Karen_Zerby.
Chapter 19.6–9 refers to the “marriage of the Lamb, and
his wife hath made herself ready” by wearing “fine linen,
clean and white,” which “is the righteousness of saints.”
Those “called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb”
are blessed. In verses 21:2, 9–10, John the Revelator
described seeing “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband.” He said that an angel then
took him away in the spirit to show him “the bride, the
Lamb’s wife…and shewed me that great city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God”.
Christian bridal theology is a multifaceted concept
that various Christian denominations and sects
understand and interpret differently however, its
central message remains the same: a Christian marriage
is a sacred covenant ordained by God, which reflects
the mystical marriage between Jesus and Christians.
Some denominations, sects, and organizations (such
as those in the Christian Patriarchy Movement)16 apply
an abusive interpretation of Paul’s writings on the
marriage relationship that requires wives to wholly and
unquestionably submit to their husbands. However, few
have perverted the biblical concept of bridal theology
quite like David Berg did in his unique doctrinal
writings on the subject.
David Berg’s Perversion of Biblical Bridal Theology
In the 1960s, an inter-denominational charismatic
movement within mainstream Protestant and Catholic
churches spread to various nondenominational
churches and contributed to the development of the
Jesus People movement.17
2
In the late 1960s and early
1970s, Jesus People groups formed throughout the
U.S. and elsewhere, including the Children of God in
1968, which was originally called Teens For Christ.
David Berg (1919-1994), a former evangelical pastor
in the Christian and Missionary Alliance, used his
four teenage children to proselytize on the beaches of
California and soon realized that the hippie generation
was ripe for recruitment with his radical message of
16 Kathryn Joyce, Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy
Movement. (Boston: Beacon Press, 2009).
17 Julia Duin, “Pentecostalism from soup to nuts: A (near) complete
history of this movement in America”, Get Religion, February 2, 2023, https://
www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2023/1/30/pentecostalism-from-soup-to-
nuts-a-near-complete-history-of-this-movement-in-america
dropping out of society to serve Jesus.18
1
The Children of God, later known as The Family,
quickly spread throughout the U.S. and soon had
thousands of members in communes worldwide. David
Berg believed he was the final, end-time prophet,
fulfilling Old Testament prophecies that refer to a king
named David living in the last days before the second
coming of Christ.19
2
He predicted that Jesus would return
in 1993.20
3
Almost from the beginning, Berg remained
isolated from his followers and communicated with
them via letters, referred to as the Mo Letters, after his
biblical alias, Moses.
For about the first five years, Children of God members
were forbidden to date each other or have any sexual
contact of any kind outside of marriage (a union that
required a leader’s approval). In 1972, Berg wrote:
“The rules of the revolution are strict…Defile
not the temple of the Holy Ghost—no smoking
or smooching other than ‘greeting one another
with a holy kiss’—and absolutely no dating
without permission. Betrothals only for staff
members after months of service and ready to
go on their own with Team approval.”21
4
However, unknown to all but his inner circle, Berg had
been living a sexually promiscuous lifestyle behind
the scenes for years while imposing those strict sexual
rules on most of his followers. Soon after forming the
Children of God, Berg had several young lovers among
his retinue, to whom he referred as his wives. He
favoured his secretary, Karen Zerby (b. 1946) known to
members as Maria.22As
5
the transcriber of his sermons
and prophecies, she was a conduit to his followers and
remained his constant companion. In effect, she became
the co-leader and took control of The Family when Berg
died in 1994.
18 XFamily. “David Berg,” accessed January 14, 2025. https://www.
xfamily.org/index.php/David_Berg. For a brief history of the Children of
God from 1968–early 1982, see David E. Van Zandt, Living in the Children of
God. (Princeton: Princeton University Press), 30–55.
19
2
Ez 37:21, 24 Jer 30:9, 24 Hos 3:5 (KJV).
20 David Berg, “ML 0156: Revolutionary Sex,” ExFamily.org, accessed
January 14, 2025. http://www.exfamily.org/pubs/ml/b4/ml0156.shtml.
21 David Berg, “ML 0000S.” ExFamily.org, accessed January 14, 2025.
http://www.exfamily.org/pubs/ml/b4/ml0000S.shtml.
22 XFamily, “Karen Zerby,” accessed January 14, 2025. https://www.
xfamily.org/index.php/Karen_Zerby.
