In a recent confirmation
hearing of an executive branch nominee, two U.S. senators implied that those who
believe Jesus is the only way to salvation are “Islamophobic” and not fit for
public office.
Background:
Last year, a controversy
erupted when a political science professor at Wheaton College decided to wear a hijab during Advent in solidarity with
Muslims. In a post on Facebook, Larycia
Hawkins wrote, “I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like
me, a Christian, are people of the book. And as Pope Francis stated last week, we
worship the same God.”
Many Christians disagreed
with her claim, including Wheaton alum Russell Vought. In an article
for the conservative website The
Resurgent, Vought pushed back against a defense of Hawkins made by
theologian John Stackhouse. “Having a
deficient (e.g., nontrinitarian) theology of God,” Stackhouse said, “does not
mean you are not in actual prayerful and faithful relationship with God.” To this claim Vought responded, “Muslims do
not simply have a deficient theology. They
do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand
condemned.”
This April, President
Trump nominated Vought to serve as deputy director of the Office of Management
and Budget. Vought’s Senate confirmation
hearing was held June 7th. At 1:26 p.m.
EDT, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sent a statement about Vought’s
confirmation hearing in which they quoted his remarks in The Resurgent article and said:
“Religious freedom is such a
fundamental liberty that the framers of our Constitution enshrined it in the
First Amendment. That’s why it’s so
disturbing that Trump continues to pack his administration with appointees like
Russell Vought, whose views threaten that very freedom.
“Trump’s nominee for this
powerful position that helps decide how federal money is spent has claimed that
‘Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know God because they have
rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned.’
“We know that diversity is one of
our nation’s greatest strengths, and it is vitally important that Americans
have confidence that their public servants will serve our entire nation in good
faith. That’s why we will watch Vought
closely and press to ensure that those helping decide how public money is spent
and the government is managed understand the vital importance of
nondiscrimination.”
An hour later, in what
appears to be a coordinated action with the ACLU, Independent Senator Bernie
Sanders of Vermont grilled Vought on the quote during his nomination hearing. “In my view, the statement made by Mr. Vought
is indefensible, it is hateful, it is Islamophobic, and it is an insult to over
a billion Muslims throughout the world,” said Sanders. “This country, since its inception, has
struggled, sometimes with great pain, to overcome discrimination of all forms …
we must not go backwards.”
During his questioning of
the candidate the socialist Sanders read the quote and asked Vought, “Do you
believe that statement is Islamophobic?”
Vought responded that he did not, that he was a Christian who based his
principles on his faith, and that the statement was made in defense of Wheaton
College’s statement of faith about the centrality of Jesus Christ for salvation. Before Vought could finish responding,
Sanders cut him off and asked whether Muslims stand condemned. Vought reiterated that he was a Christian,
whereupon Sanders interrupted him again to ask if Jews stand condemned. For the third time Vought pointed out that he
was a Christian and once again Sanders interrupted the nominee’s answer. Sanders began yelling at Vought, saying, “I
understand you are a Christian. But this
country is made up of people who are not just [sic], I understand that
Christianity is the majority religion. But
there are other people who have different religions in this country and around
the world. In your judgment, do you
think that people who are not Christians are going to be condemned?” Ten seconds into his answer, Sanders interrupted
Vought once again to ask if the statement that “they do not know God” is
respectful of other religions. After
answering, Sanders said, “I would simply say, Mr. Chairman, that this nominee
is really not someone who is what this country is supposed to be about.”
A few minutes later, Democrat
Senator Christopher Van Hollen Jr. of Maryland quoted from Vought’s article and
said, “I think it is irrefutable that these kinds of comments suggest to a
whole lot of Americans that, number one … you are condemning people of all
faiths. I’m a Christian, but part of
being a Christian in my view is recognizing that there are lots of ways that
people can pursue their God … It’s your comments that suggest a violation of
the public trust in what will be a very important position.”
Within the span of six
minutes, two U.S. Senators — Sanders and Van Hollen — shamed their constituents
and the rest of the United States by establishing a new religious test for
government officials.
In response to Sanders’s
comments, The Gospel Coalition council member and Ethics and Religious Liberty
Commission president Russell Moore said:
“Senator Sanders’ comments are breathtakingly audacious and
shockingly ignorant — both of the Constitution and of basic Christian doctrine.
Even if one were to excuse Senator
Sanders for not realizing that all Christians of every age have insisted that
faith in Jesus Christ is the only pathway to salvation, it is inconceivable
that Senator Sanders would cite religious beliefs as disqualifying an
individual for public office in defiance of the United States Constitution. No religious test shall ever be required of
those seeking public office. While no
one expects Senator Sanders to be a theologian, we should expect far more from
an elected official who has taken an oath to support and defend the
Constitution.”
Listen: We should not be surprised
when such anti-Christian bias is expressed by groups like the ACLU. That organization has spent decades
undermining the liberties of religious Americans. But it’s unacceptable to have our own
representatives in the Senate claim that Christians “violate the public trust”
when we make the true claim that in rejecting Jesus “those of other faiths
stand condemned.” This display of
anti-Christian bias for partisan political purposes has the potential to set a
dangerous precedent and must not be allowed to stand. The remarks made by Sanders and Van Hollen
should be repudiated by every American who values religious freedom and opposes
religious tests for government office.
Rev.
Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor,
Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
No comments:
Post a Comment