The Dublin International Christian Church has targeted students at Trinity to join their strict religious movement, according to a spokesperson for Trinity College Dublin.
The last contact from students concerned about the group took place in February, according to Students’ Union Welfare Officer Hamza Bana.
A spokesperson for the college stated: “We have been made aware of instances of this group approaching students. Our approach is to ask them to leave campus.”
“Additionally, the Secretary of the University has written to the International Dublin Church of Christ (ICC) and asked them not to come onto campus and solicit our students. However, we have also warned (and will continue to warn) incoming students about the ICC at UG (undergraduate), PGT and PGR Orientation.”
There have been reports of the group at Trinity in 1999, which prompted mass College emails warning students of the group’s intentions.
The church uses a variety of techniques to attract new members – a number of which do not make any initial reference to Christianity.
The church is known for hosting social gatherings marketed as “Mental Resilience” or “Women’s Empowerment” seminars, but which instead act as an introduction to the group’s religious beliefs and teachings. The inclusive, smiling images used to promote these events are a crucial aspect of the church’s plan to encourage seminar attendees to get more involved, joining Bible study sessions and other activities.
While church-organised and affiliated events such as Bible studies are standard practice for many religious groups, what sets the Dublin ICC apart from many others is the controversy surrounding some of their practices and beliefs.
The church encourages a code of conduct that prohibits members from consuming alcohol, drugs, and some forms of entertainment.
Members are also encouraged to make a ‘tithe’ of 10% of their annual income to the church, in addition to other donations throughout the year.
Additionally, several former church members have recalled emotional distress from their time in not only the Dublin branch, but within the global international Christian Church. New converts were instructed to prioritise their new “spiritual community” by cutting ties with friends and family.
The church also has extremely hardline stances against abortion, the LGBTQ+ community, and Islam, which has unsurprisingly drawn sharp criticism from many members of the public. Its current leader, Luke Snow, has also been heavily criticised for saying its members’ houses should serve as “wife factories”.
As a result of such distressing interactions, some former members have filed lawsuits against the organisation – in one, filed in California in October 2024, a former member described it as a “money-making enterprise”, utilising “psychological manipulation, tight control, and hierarchical “discipleship” structure”.
A handful of universities in Australia and New Zealand have also taken steps to limit the group’s access to campus facilities, though enforcement has been inconsistent. Students and advocacy groups have called for greater awareness and vigilance to protect students from potentially harmful influences.
The Dublin International Christian Church did not respond to The University Times request for comment.
