Evangelicals were credited for showing up en masse to vote for President Donald Trump, but it appears a fairly large group of evangelical pastors and leaders are now voicing their displeasure with Trump’s immigration ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, as well as his more sweeping pause on the Syrian refugee program.
In fact, 100 well-known pastors and authors are included in a full-page ad slated to be published by The Washington Post — an open letter to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that is being spearheaded by World Relief, a U.S.-based organization that works to place and assist refugees, CNN reported.
Many of the signatories are well-known names who don’t regularly meander into the political arena. Among them: author Ann Voskamp, Pastor Timothy Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals and David Curry of Open Doors USA. See a portion of the ad below:
The text of the letter notes that security is certainly important, but that compassion is a guiding principle that these pastors and authors adhere to. The pause on refugees coming from these countries, they argue, is problematic from a theological perspective.
“Our care for the oppressed and suffering is rooted in the call of Jesus to ‘love our neighbor as we love ourselves.’ In the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus makes it clear that our ‘neighbor’ includes the stranger and anyone fleeing persecution and violence, regardless of their faith or country,” the letter reads.
The text continues, “Compassion and security can coexist, as they have for decades. For the persecuted and suffering, every day matters; every delay is a crushing blow to hope.”
In addition to the 100 signatories, hundreds of others have signed on in support of the letter. Read more about it here.
While some evangelicals are speaking out against it, others — like Franklin Graham — support the executive order. Additionally, some Muslims and Syrian Christians also agree with the president on the measure.
(H/T: CNN)
—
Other Must-Read Stories:
– Bible Study Group Saves Woman From Attempted Kidnapping by Masked Men — Here are the Details
– Atheists Target School District After Pastor Publicly Prays for Seriously Injured Football Player
– ‘We All Need Faith and Hope’: Reba McEntire Brings the Gospel to the ‘Today’ Show in a Big Way