WATCH: Jinger Duggar Vuolo’s Talk With Kirk Cameron Sparks Controversy

The Duggar family of TLC reality show fame has been back in the spotlight a lot lately. First, Jinger Duggar Vuolo published book about breaking free from her family’s fundamentalist brand of Christianity. The book buzz was still happening when Jill Duggar Dillard made waves with her appearance on the Amazon documentary Shiny Happy People, exposing the abusive nature of their upbringing and the sect that dictated it. The documentary, which digs deeper into the Duggar family’s deep connections with Bill Gothard’s Institute of Basic Life Principles, is officially Amazon’s most successful documentary debut ever.

All that to say, interest in the Duggar family continues to run high, and probably always will. None of them can do anything remotely public without catching some controversy, and Jinger Duggar Vuolo’s recent appearance on Kirk Cameron’s TBN TV show “Takeaways” proves that to be true.

 

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Cameron, the much-beloved star of the 80s sitcom Growing Pains, has long been a staunch Christian and hasn’t been shy about speaking out about his beliefs. But in recent years, he has become more outspoken in an extreme way. He’s also ventured into more political avenues such as anti-mask protesting during the COVID-19 pandemic and engaging in the “drag queen story hour” culture wars, among others. He’s even gone so far as to suggest that God sent hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017 as punishment for the people living in the areas it hit, quoting the book of Job to justify that opinion.

Cameron’s TBN show started in 2021, and according to the network, it’s purpose is to “discuss pressing issues Christians are facing with compassionate, well-informed guests, in order to find actionable takeaways that everyone can use throughout life to bring more of Heaven to Earth.” With that description, I can certainly understand why Jinger Vuolo appeared on the show to discuss her book, Becoming Free Indeed. I would agree that breaking out of legalism-based fundamentalism that encourages and enables abuse as described in the Shiny Happy People documentary is a “pressing issue” that Christians are facing, and from what I have read and seen, Vuolo definitely addresses it compassionately.

In a preview clip of the episode, Jinger says she’s come to know the “loveliness of Christ,” and now knows God as a “loving Heavenly Father.”

“I’m not trying to work my way to God, even though I never would have said that, it almost played out that way,” Jinger says of her formative years in the IBLP. “Trying to do all this stuff to feel right, to make myself pleasing to God. But now I know…His righteousness is mine now in Christ.”

Many of Vuolo’s fans, however, don’t see Cameron himself as compassionate, and they said so on Vuolo’s instagram post about her appearance on Takeaways.

Vuolo posted: “I enjoyed sitting down with @kirkcameronofficial on @takeawaysontbn to talk about Finding Freedom In Christ. Our conversation airs tonight, June 19th, @ 9PM ET on TBN!”

The comments on her post rolled in quickly, and they were a very mixed bag. While some simply encouraged her with comments like, “So thankful that you have found freedom and so proud that you are reaching back to help those who need to learn the truth and find freedom,” quite a few others focused on their disappointment that she appeared with Kirk Cameron.

“Not Kirk Cameron for the Love of God. #runJinger” said one. Another commenter added, “Jinger your words are beautiful and I hope they speak to Kirk who does not always share Christ’s love unconditionally as you do.” A third fan said, “I like and respect Jinger. I used to respect Kirk Cameron but when he started trashing public schools, and aligning himself with extreme right winged groups, I pretty much lost respect. Especially when God calls us to love everyone. Disappointed by this.”

Other commenters defended Cameron, saying things like, “I love how several people said Kirk Cameron is hateful yet not one person could give a single example.”

As of this writing, there are about 730 comments on the post, so I could go on all day, but you get the idea! With Kirk Cameron and the Duggars being controversial in general (I haven’t even mentioned Josh Duggar’s sexual abuse of his sisters and subsequent conviction and imprisonment for child pornography!), I am sure neither will be out of the headlines for long.

No matter which outlet she chooses to spread the word, I am glad Jinger is speaking out about leaving a sect of Christianity that emphasizes legalism and uses fear to ensure “complete obedience” as detailed in “Shiny, Happy People.” (Which, full disclosure, I loved the documentary. I had to take a semester of IBLP teachings at my Christian high school and I knew at the time that is was not good, and am glad the exposé about this false gospel is spreading!)

What do you think about Kirk Cameron? Do you want him to keep being a culture warrior, or focus more on using his platform to simply spread the Gospel?