Duggar Family News: Which Duggar Kids Have Publicly Denounced the IBLP?
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar raised their 19 children inside the IBLP, a controversial ultra-conservative Christian ministry. When the Duggars first rose to fame in the early 2000s, mainstream society knew little about the IBLP. The ministry has since been exposed as a “cult-like” religious movement. While plenty of Duggars still seem to adhere to the church’s rules, some adult Duggar kids have publicly separated themselves from the ministry. These Duggars are no longer a part of the IBLP.
Jill Dillard and Derick Dillard denounced the ministry
Jill Dillard and Derick Dillard never subscribed to the IBLP’s teaching. Derick was raised religiously but not within the IBLP. The couple forged their own religious path after they married in 2014.
While Jill and Derick began speaking out against Jim Bob Duggar in 2020, they only truly delved into their thoughts on the IBLP in 2023. This year, Jill appeared in Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets. The Amazon docuseries pulled the curtain back on the IBLP’s abusive practices. In her non-fiction offering, Counting the Cost, she dug further into her life and journey away from the Duggars.
Jinger Vuolo spoke out against Bill Gothard and the IBLP in her memoir
Jinger Vuolo was the first Duggar daughter to move away from Arkansas. She’s one of only two Duggars to leave the state. A lot changed once she left her parents’ Springdale compound. After marrying Jeremy Vuolo in 2016, Jinger began examining her belief system.
In her memoir, Becoming Free Indeed, Jinger denounced the IBLP and its teachings. The book walks readers through Jinger’s journey out of the conservative ministry. More recently, Jinger appeared on Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown and discussed how she disentangled herself from her religious fear. Bialik and Vuolo seemed to agree that Jinger might have dealt with religious OCD as a child and young adult.
Joy-Anna Forsyth and Austin Forsyth publicly separated themselves from the ministry more recently
Joy-Anna Forsyth and Austin Forsyth have not followed the IBLP’s teaching during their marriage. Joy and Austin were both raised inside the ministry. Duggar family followers assumed they were still active within the IBLP for that reason. As it turns out, they are not ministry members and haven’t been for a long time.
In a recent YouTube video, Joy and Austin revealed that they discussed how they would incorporate religion into their marriage before they got engaged. They decided they would not follow the IBLP at that point. Joy and Austin married in 2017.
