{"id":6559,"date":"2019-01-03T14:31:27","date_gmt":"2019-01-03T19:31:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/susanwright\/?p=6559"},"modified":"2019-01-03T14:31:27","modified_gmt":"2019-01-03T19:31:27","slug":"southern-baptist-minister-blasts-evangelical-leaders-like-jerry-falwell-jr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/susanwright\/2019\/01\/southern-baptist-minister-blasts-evangelical-leaders-like-jerry-falwell-jr\/","title":{"rendered":"Southern Baptist Minister Blasts Evangelical “Leaders” Like Jerry Falwell Jr"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I\u2019ve made it no secret that I\u2019m deeply disappointed in the American Christian church body, these days.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sickened by those who twist the Word of God to promote their liberal worldview, rather than reflect the truth of God.<\/p>\n

There is no salvation in their efforts, because they operate under a corrupted, false theology.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m equally sickened by a large portion of the evangelical community that have put a profane, unrepentant man \u2013 Donald Trump \u2013 on a holy pedestal and in spite of his continued abusiveness and cruelty, call him \u201cGod\u2019s man.\u201d<\/p>\n

They are in error, and what they do weakens their witness to a dying world.<\/p>\n

This is where I get the usual suspects from both camps tossing the term \u201cself-righteous\u201d my way.<\/em><\/p>\n

Trust me. This is not self-righteousness. That would require that I not be aware that I mess up, every single day. I struggle with my own flesh. I stumble over my anger.<\/p>\n

I address those issues with the Holy Spirit daily.<\/p>\n

Lord, I\u2019m sorry. Just help me do better today than I did yesterday. Keep making me into who I\u2019m supposed to be. <\/em><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t make excuses, but I have the surety of my salvation, and a Father God Who knows my heart. You can believe I\u2019m working on that plank in my eye.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, fear of being called out has hobbled the efforts of many Christians to do their duty of holding the church body accountable for their actions.<\/p>\n

That being said, I would direct you back to the piece I wrote yesterday, addressing the absolutely stunning lack of Biblical knowledge or grace so openly on display from an assumed \u201cevangelical leader,\u201d Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n

Falwell was highlighted in an interview with The Washington Post. He embarrassed us all.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a shame that Falwell is who those who don\u2019t know any better will look at as the example of what the evangelical belief system is.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s more a deacon in the House of MAGA, than the House of God.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a High Sparrow in the Temple of Trump.<\/p>\n

Where are the other church leaders to call this man out?<\/p>\n

Well, I\u2019m happy to say that at least one Southern Baptist pastor has stepped up, and he has called out Falwell\u2019s disturbing views on faith, the world, and Trump.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s called him out, given historical examples of reasons for concern, and rightly condemned Jerry Falwell, Jr for what he has promoted.<\/p>\n

Alan Cross, a Southern Baptist minister from Montgomery, Alabama, was just as stunned by Falwell\u2019s words as I was.<\/p>\n

On Twitter, he remarked<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis interview. Wow. Most Evangelical \u2018leaders\u2019\u00a0won\u2019t say a word about this. But, Falwell\u2019s clearly articulated \u2018Two Kingdoms\u2019\u00a0theology needs heavy critique. It\u2019s the SAME approach German Lutherans took as Hitler rose to power,\u201d Cross tweeted, alongside a link to the article titled \u201cJerry Falwell Jr. can\u2019t imagine Trump \u2018doing anything that\u2019s not good for the country.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now, before you go citing Godwin\u2019s law, Cross is not calling anyone a Nazi. He is, however, making a point.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to know how the German Lutheran church comprising 80-90% of all Germans collapsed into subversion to tyranny, Falwell lays it out the blueprint perfectly,\u201d Cross continued. \u201cHitler advocated for \u201cpositive Christianity\u201d rather than a prophetic Christianity. Support the state as it advances its own interests and the state will leave you alone. Except, the state demands loyalty. Falwell\u2019s position is disaster for the church in a democratic republic.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pastor concluded: \u201cNone of this is to say that Trump is Hitler or Falwell is promoting Nazi ideology. Not at all. Rather, this is about how history teaches us about the way subversion happens. Falwell lays the groundwork for church capitulation to the state. He should be vigorously critiqued.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He\u2019s not wrong.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlanLCross\/status\/1080159097331372032<\/p>\n

In particular, he points to Falwell\u2019s ridiculous assertion that to reject Trump is \u201cimmoral.\u201d<\/p>\n

In suggesting all Christians should support Trump, Falwell further fell into his error:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may be immoral for them not to support him because he\u2019s got African American employment to record highs, Hispanic employment to record highs,\u201d the lawyer and university administrator said. \u201cThey need to look at what the president did for the poor.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That\u2019s not how morality works.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlanLCross\/status\/1080159757011427329<\/p>\n

In fact, according to Falwell, there is absolutely nothing Trump could do to lose his support.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Jesus said we\u2019re all sinners, he really meant all of us, everybody. I don\u2019t think you can choose a president based on their personal behavior because even if you choose the one that you think is the most decent,\u201d he said. \u201cYou choose a president based on what their policies are. That\u2019s why I don\u2019t think it\u2019s hypocritical.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

No, ideally, you do both. Policies should be what draws you to a politician, certainly, but character matters.<\/p>\n

If a person has a long and very public history of being the worst type of person, that matters. If his life has been highlighted by multiple adulterous affairs, bankruptcies, scandals, and lawsuits \u2013 often because of his deceptive and crooked business or personal dealings \u2013 this person\u2019s character is rotten.<\/p>\n

If others have been harmed by this person\u2019s immoral character and deceitfulness, such as the wives who trusted him to be faithful, or creditors and small businesses that lose out because they\u2019ve been cheated out of their pay, then how can anyone trust him?<\/p>\n

If a person\u2019s entire life is made up of lies and backstabbing, you\u2019re not going to be able to trust him in any other area, even if you appreciate his stated policies.<\/p>\n

This is what Falwell and his ilk miss.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m just glad to see someone else from the evangelical wing of Christianity speaking up.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve made it no secret that I\u2019m deeply disappointed in the American Christian church body, these days. I\u2019m sickened by those who twist the Word of God to promote their liberal worldview, rather than reflect the truth of God. There is no salvation in their efforts, because they operate under a corrupted, false theology. I\u2019m […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3473,"featured_media":6571,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[41,1026,1576],"class_list":["post-6559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-donald-trump","tag-jerry-falwell-jr","tag-southern-baptist"],"yoast_head":"\nSouthern Baptist Minister Blasts Evangelical "Leaders" Like Jerry Falwell Jr<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jerry Falwell, Jr's insane pro-Trump rhetoric was not missed for what it was, by at least one evangelical pastor.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/susanwright\/2019\/01\/southern-baptist-minister-blasts-evangelical-leaders-like-jerry-falwell-jr\/\" \/>\n<meta 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