Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, sparked controversy this week by stating that Christians are “unfaithful” if they “vote wrongly.” Mohler is a staunch Republican, and many interpreted the comments as condemning Christians who vote Democrat.
“We have a responsibility to make certain that Christians understand the stewardship of the vote, which means the discipleship of the vote, which means the urgency of the vote, the treasure of the vote,” Mohler said. “And they need to understand that insofar as they do not vote, or they vote wrongly, they are unfaithful because the vote is a powerful stewardship.”
The comments were made Wednesday at the Family Research Council’s Pray Vote Stand Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, and sparked strong backlash.
“Here we have a sitting president of an sbc (Southern Baptist Convention) seminary who is emphatically saying to vote ‘wrongly’ matters to God,” tweeted prominent Texas Pastor Dwight McKissic. “Voting ‘wrongly’ to Mohler means voting Dem. God is not a Dem or Republican. To imply that voting exclusively Republican is God’s choice defies Jhn. 18:36”
In a follow-up tweet, McKissic said Mohler had also “categorized 90% of African Americans as non-Christians. This statement places the SBC in opposition to Black Christians. Painful & shameful.”
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Mohler is saying if you don’t vote Republican, you aren’t a Christian. He just categorized 90% of African Americans as non-Christians. This statement places the SBC in opposition to Black Christians. Painful & shameful. https://t.co/dsw9GBO8fn
— Dwight McKissic (@pastordmack) September 15, 2022
Expressing a similar view was popular author and historian, Beth Allison Barr. She tweeted: “Because I thought being a Christian was about Jesus. Who knew it was actually about voting Republican.”
Because I thought being a Christian was about Jesus. Who knew it was actually about voting Republican.
— Beth Allison Barr, PhD (@bethallisonbarr) September 16, 2022
Likewise, Scott Coley, a philosophy professor at Mount St. Mary’s University, tweeted: Either evangelical gatekeepers have lost the ability to distinguish their own opinions from the will of God, or they’re aware that they have no actual argument to make and so they’ve resorted to claiming that we should share their opinions because God says so.”
Mohler responded to the backlash boldly.
“If you are offended that I encourage Christians to vote FOR candidates who defend the unborn and support the integrity of marriage and to vote AGAINST candidates who support abortion and subvert marriage, that has been my message for my entire adult life,” he tweeted.
Mohler directed people to his website and added, “It’s not like the argument is in secret code. I am confident the vast majority of Southern Baptist agree.”
More than 2,100 people liked Mohler’s tweet.
It’s all there on the record in written form for you to read. Better make a strong cup of coffee, there are a few million words. I direct you to https://t.co/Frg6grY0D6. It’s not like the argument is in secret code. I am confident the vast majority of Southern Baptists agree. 2/2
— Albert Mohler (@albertmohler) September 15, 2022
“More importantly God agrees,” responded Robert Bortins, CEO of the homeschool education company Classical Conversations,” in support of Mohler.
More importantly God agrees
— Refining Rhetoric (@TheRobertBshow) September 16, 2022
Similarly, John Kuykendall, pastor of a Baptist church in Missouri, tweeted, “Keep standing. Those who are offended deserve to be so.”
But others took exception.
“To be clear . . . I renounce his statement and I believe that a fair segment of the SBC joins me,” tweeted Dave Miller, an SBC pastor from Sioux City, Iowa. “We are saved by grace, not by voting GOP. . .”
Pastor Joel A. Bowman Sr., a Black pastor whose church recently left the SBC, tweeted that Mohler had “doubled down on his belief that the bulk of Black Christians are ‘unfaithful’ because they vote for Democrats. . . . (T)he SBC is not a very safe place for Black people.”
Bowman added in a follow-up tweet, “When the seminary presidents are willing to oppose what they deem to be ‘critical race theorists,’ rather than racists like Donald Trump as well as Christian nationalism, that tells me it’s not safe.”
When the seminary presidents are willing to oppose what they deem to be “critical race theorists,” rather than racists like Donald Trump as well as Christian nationalism, that tells me it’s not safe. In fact, Mohler has embraced these.
— Joel A. Bowman, Sr. (@JoelABowmanSr) September 16, 2022
Some pointed out that in 2016, Mohler argued that support for Donald Trump was “the Great Evangelical Embarrassment,” stating: “How could ‘family values voters’ support a man who had, among other things, stated openly that no man’s wife was safe with him in the room?”
Yet, in 2020, Mohler changed his position and announced he’d vote for Trump. He also stated he’d exclusively vote for Republican presidential candidates from now on.
“In retrospect, I made my vote of minimal importance,” Mohler said. “I don’t intend to do that in 2020. There’s a bit of regret in that.”
In addition to heading Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Mohler also is editor of WORLD Opinions.
Earlier this week, former longtime WORLD editor Marvin Olasky accused the magazine of becoming partisan and compromising its news coverage with potential “pay-to-play editorial favoritism.”
Mohler ended his message Thursday by stating that Americans will know “greater joy” when they have “righteous laws.” This, he said, depends on voters voting the correct way.
“We need the right voters showing up with the right convictions at the right time to vote the right way, in order that our children and our children’s children may inherit this grand constitutional experiment, which I believe under the providence of God is unprecedented in human history,” Mohler said.
Albert Mohler – Pray Vote Stand Summit – Sept. 14, 2022
Julie Roys is a veteran investigative reporter and founder of The Roys Report. Before that, she hosted a national talk show on the Moody Radio Network, called Up for Debate. She’s also worked as a TV reporter for a CBS affiliate, a newswriter for WGN-TV and Fox News Chicago, and has published articles in numerous periodicals.
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80 Responses
I applaud Rev. Moehler for speaking up on this issue.
We should support candidates who uphold the biblical values closest to the heart of Jesus Christ.
Let me cut to the chase here and make a bold statement.
“I cannot support or vote for candidates that support killing unborn children!”
“Yes, the poor matter but not at the expense of killing unborn babies or supporting sexual immorality!”
Here’s an observation: Of the last 15 or so articles posted to this site, most of them have somewhere between 0 and 10 comments, but the two articles dealing with partisan politics both have forty to fifty-some comments.
As Christians, we are told to be wise. This means voting for candidates who uphold the values we support. Perhaps we should examine what our values actually are. For example, is free speech more important than protecting young children from sexual perversion? Apparently, some “Christians” believe Queer Story Hour in our libraries is okay because, after all, …free speech, don’t ya know.
I believe God loves children and wants them protected from Satan’s influence. This means I will support candidates who oppose transgender adults reading to little ones in our country’s libraries.
Dr. Mohler has made a valid point.
What are the values closest to God’s heart? Neither party is without major sin.
Thou shall have no other gods. Republicans are calling Trump “Orange Jesus”! He called Christians fools. All of us aren’t. Thou shall not commit adultery. He cheated on all three wives. We heard about his sexual liaison with a porn star and endured both talking about his genitals. We heard him admit to assaulting women. Thou shall not steal. He’s banned from having a charity because he stole the money. He defrauded banks, students, family, and the government out of money, and cheats on his taxes. The classified documents aren’t his either. Thou shall not bear false witness. They ‘ve lost count of his lies. He’s still lying about the election. Thou shall not commit murder. Yeah well, he incited a riot where murder was a goal.
On top of it, daily, people who worked with him are saying he is uninformed, uneducated, and unfit to be in office – bigly.
Hypocrisy is the reason these topics get so much activity. The gall to question the faith of Christians who find it unthinkable to vote for or align themselves with a party that wants us to be led by such an immoral man – in the name of God- is reprehensible, and offensive.
The day the government forces us to have abortions, commit sexual sins, or attend drag queen story time, I, for one, will change my mind and my vote.
Do you consider Dr. Martin Luther King to be an immoral man? How about Biden? Or JFK?
What you have failed to recognize is that God can use all kinds of people for His glory. He has a particular interest in sinners…
Beware. You seem to think it is okay to pass judgment on others. It isn’t.
Cynthia,
We agree it is not ok to “pass judgment.” Now, get the log out of your eye. This whole conversation began with misjudgment. I will not have my walk with God questioned, manipulated, or invalidated, regardless of who is making the attempt.
No! you, Cynthia, have failed to recognized God can use all kinds of people for his glory. So, start praying for duly, legitimately elected, by a lot, President Joe Biden.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only
love can do that.” MLK
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country?” JFK
“Grab ’em by the p—y. You can do anything.” DJT
If you are seriously comparing the immorality of Donald Trump to Martin Luther King and John F Kennedy, then that is an election Trump actually won- bigly.
https://www.historyhit.com/a-detailed-list-of-jfks-affairs/
https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/love-life-of-martin-luther-king-jr-193f19db839
JFK and MLK were almost pathological in the number of women they bedded. There was something seriously wrong with those men, especially MLK, who risked his entire movement by the extent of his adulteries. Trump is bad, but more normal. You’re being unfair comparing quotes to conduct. Trump has some nice quotes too.
What you say may be true. Yet I never heard that Martin Luther King or John F. Kennedy were accused of rape. Nor did I ever hear that that they were accused of barging into women’s and teenage girls’ dressing rooms. I never read about or saw pictures of them hanging out with the likes of Jeffery Epstein. I never heard of them encouraging violence in their speeches nor encouraging a coup against the United States of America. I never heard them praising communist and other dictators. I never heard them praise leaders for being “strong men”.
Strongmen: powerful, influential political figures who exercise leadership and control by force.
Even though John K Kennedy came from a privileged background he served heroically in the Second World War. Trump got a deferment for bone spurs.
Nor did they ever steal classified documents.
Eric,
Why not compare Trump to a professing Christian like Barak Obama, who lived a Christian life for us all to see?
Or Congressmen and pastors John Lewis and Elijah Cummings?
Yes, I realize they are all Democrats. But does that change the fact that they are Christians?
Debra –
You are spot on – and there are receipts to back you up. Enough with the whataboutism and deflections. That is inserting moral relativism, which is unBiblical and does not change ONE WORD you wrote.
And as Trump claimed to be a Christian during his 2016 campaign, it is in line with scripture to judge him accordingly. And yes, same for any other person – Democrat, Republican, or independent – who also claims to be a Christian. The hypocrisy I see is that Christian conservatives are ARMED AND READY to judge Democrats, liberals and progressives who are professing Christians (Biden, Pelosi, Obama, Clinton, etc), but start downplaying (“he only hurt some feelings”), deflecting (“what about ? so do you support them?!”), justfying (“but what about his policies!”), and piously spouting Christianese (“thou shalt not judge”, “his sin is between him and God”, “it is not my place to judge”, “God uses sinners to accomplish His will” and “we are all sinners”) when it comes turning that SAME lens to Republicans who are professing Christians.
It makes us as believers ALL look like foolish hypocrites. IMO, for the world to start taking us seriously again, we need to humbly admit and repent of our doublemindedness and political idolatry and get back to the Bible.
Marin and Debra:
Romans 3:23:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
God sent His son, Jesus, to seek and to save the lost. He does not weigh sins differently. For Him, all sin is sin. Marin, I believe you mentioned this previously. It is wrong to say, “His/her sin is worse than his/her sin…” I believe that is exactly what you did, Debra. You quoted MLK and JFK and compared their quotes to President Trump’s.
God judges all sin equally. He hates all of it. What you seem to have trouble grasping, I believe, is that you hate President Trump. Hatred often skews our judgment and makes our emotions take over.
You should not be offended by truth. If I have offended you by speaking the truth, there is nothing I can do to help you. If I have offended you by supporting President Trump’s policies, there is nothing I can do to help you. You will have to wrestle with these issues in your own minds and reach your own conclusions. For me, I will look to the Bible for answers.
Cynthia,
The only truth you have revealed is that you are just like Donald Trump. The people in your life have to deal with that, I don’t.
Bully: You replied to my comment, and continue to do so, not the other way around.
Projection: You accused me of being judgmental, now you’re saying I hate Trump,
without anything to base that on. However, those are accusations an actual
judgmental person would make.
Divisive: I believe in the sovereignty of God, so it doesn’t matter to me how people
vote. This whole controversy is about an attempt to malign Christians who
are voting they way they choose to without intimidation. You continue to
do so.
Conman: Your admonitions to me are for someone who would ask, “Is it two
Corinthians?” Wrong mark, Cynthia. I am not Biblically illiterate, by any
means; nor do I need to be spiritually educated – by you.
Childish: I do not hate Trump, nor anyone else. I revere God. It is that simple.
Thank you Marin.
I have been saying “ditto” and “amen” to your comments. I work with foster kids too. Thank you for your dedication to them.
The world seemed to be unified in heartbreak over George Floyd’s death. John MacArthur cruelly thought that was the time to repudiate calls for social justice. Al Mohler refused to take part and was fired from Ligonier. Double heartbreak! Maybe he’s trying to redeem himself with the old gang.
I especially liked what you said about “moral superiority.” Pharisees and Sadducees indeed! I am proud to be on the opposite team from the likes of kinky Jerry Farwell Jr.
The joke is on them. God is close to the broken hearted and “HE” is no respecter of persons.
It is time to pray and obey – like never before.
Love and blessings
Debra:
The Pharisees kept records of sin. Jesus offended them when he hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors.
Be careful. If Jesus can forgive anyone, he can certainly forgive Donald Trump for all the sins you have listed for him.
Cynthia,
I don’t know what your church believes regarding God’s plan for salvation, but most Christian churches teach that “all have sinned and come short” of salvation and that “there are none righteousness, no not one.”
Trump has repeatedly stated that he has never asked God for forgiveness. He says he does not need to because he is “such an honorable man.” When pressed on the subject he says that if he does something wrong, he tries to do better “but I don’t bring God into that.”
How does a person at your church become a Christian without the confession of sin or “bringing God into it”?
Hello Greg,
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
We don’t fall short of salvation, as you suggested. Salvation is for everyone who confesses and believes:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world, through him, might be saved.” John 3: 16 & 17.
Are you asking if Trump is a born-again Christian? No, I don’t believe he is. His version of “Christian” is likely not the one found in the Bible. Calling oneself a “Christian” does not mean one is actually a Christian.
Does this help?
Cynthia,
I’m glad we can agree on whether or not Trump is a Christian.
But it goes deeper than that. Does it bother you that his “Christian” base does not object when he encourages violence against his enemies? Or that they don’t object when people bring a golden calf Trump statue to CPAC so attendees can get pictures? Or when he tear gasses street protesters so he can get a photo op of him holding a Bible in front of a church?
Does it bother you that his son Eric claims that “nobody has done more for Christianity than Donald Trump”? Or when Don Jr. claims that acting like Jesus and turning the other cheek “will never get us anywhere”?
His people are holding “Save America” rallies around the nation in evangelical churches, organized by convicts like Roger Stone, Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn. They show Messianic imagery likening Trump to Jesus Christ. They are giving away this book claiming Donald Trump is the Son of Man- The Christ.
Do you think there is a problem?
President Donald J. Trump, The Son of Man – The Christ Hardcover – January 28, 2022
by Helgard Müller (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/President-Donald-Trump-Son-Man/dp/1977249752
Cynthia, it looks like there was a problem with the posting or order of the comments when I asked why you didn’t answer Greg’s question.
Now I see the following.
“Are you asking if Trump is a born-again Christian? No, I don’t believe he is. His version of “Christian” is likely not the one found in the Bible. Calling oneself a “Christian” does not mean one is actually a Christian.” I thought sure I read a reply where you only stated far right talking points.
I apologize for my comment assuming you didn’t answer his question.
Cynthia –
Please just make sure you show the same grace and say the things about President Biden.
Romans 3:23 applies to him too. Jesus can forgive him too.
I admit I just don’t see you show the same grace towards Democrats. That’s hypocrisy.
That’s the issue.
Marin,
When have I ever said anything about Democrats? I have (as far as I can remember) just discussed policies. I prefer controlled borders to open borders, pro-life to abortion, low crime to high crime, and absolutely NO queer story hours for little children.
President Biden is our president. God tells us to pray for our leaders. He did not specify we only pray for the ones we like, did he?
Cynthia
I notice that you did not answer Greg’s question:
How does a person at your church become a Christian without the confession of sin or “bringing God into it”?
Why did you avoid it and concentrate on far right talking points?
Reasoning will never make a man correct an opinion, which by reasoning he never acquired.
—Jonathon Swift
Cynthia, I didn’t make this clear regarding my Swift quote. I am referring to your political not your religious views.
Cynthia –
You prove my point. You say nothing about the condescending attitudes, labeling and name-calling of Democrats, but when the same is done towards a Republican, you defend with all the “gracious Christianese” language (“we are all sinners”) and deflecting (“do you believe the same about ___?”). Why is that?
You’re smart. You know you don’t have to directly say anything about Democrats for your intent come across clearly. I believe you are silent when these things are said about Democrats on purpose. Even if you pray for Biden, what does it matter if you sit idly by and don’t publicly extend the same grace that you do for Trump?
MOST people on all sides of the aisle want controlled borders (Obama actually deported more immigrants than Trump did), lower crime (who wants high crime?), age-appropriate discussions on sexual orientation and the like (it’s foolish to leave kids to learn about this on their own), and despise the notion of even having to get an abortion (including women who have had them). We are all just disagreeing on the causes and solutions of these issues – and the role the government should (or should not) play in them.
What? An evangelical fat cat carrying water for the GOP? Recruiting to a political party by threatening thier free consciounce with Gods rejection? Who would have dreamed!?
After all, no TRUE Scotsman would ever vote for a democrat.
Oh well. Now that I know who I have no choice but to vote for, all I have to figure out now is whether I should be aligning with the Saducees or the Pharisees. Perhaps Al Mohler can tell me?
There are so many issues relating to Donald’s unfitness for office. On the Howard Stern show he said the following.
“Well, I’ll tell you the funniest is that I’ll go backstage before a show, and everyone’s getting dressed and ready and everything else, and you know, no men are anywhere. And I’m allowed to go in because I’m the owner of the pageant and therefore I’m inspecting it. You know, I’m inspecting, I want to make sure that everything is good.
You know, the dresses. ‘Is everyone okay?’ You know, they’re standing there with no clothes. ‘Is everybody okay?’ And you see these incredible looking women, and so, I sort of get away with things like that. But no, I’ve been very good.”
He was also accused of doing the same thing at Miss Teenage pageants.
Trump: “Why do I have to repent, why do I have to ask for forgiveness if [I’m] not making mistakes?”
Mohler is not wrong, but not quite right. There are plenty of Republicans who are every bit as reprobate as nearly all Democrats. Vote, but vote your conscience as a Christian for a moral candidate.
(I could NOT vote for Romney/Ryan in 2012, despite my extreme distaste for Obama. I voted for a “blacker” candidate as a write-in, Alan Keyes.)
“There are plenty of Republicans who are every bit as reprobate as nearly all Democrats.”
Definition of reprobate
1a : morally corrupt : DEPRAVED
b : foreordained to damnation
Keith, if that is what you really think I feel very sad for you.
Greg,
In my opinion, it is NEVER wise to elevate human beings. If Republicans (and others) are doing that with President Trump, they will likely find themselves in dangerous territory with God:
“Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me” comes to mind…
That said, some of your comments regarding Trump just aren’t true. You somehow, somewhere along the way, believed lies touted by the media. Here is just one example:
…”Or when he tear gasses street protesters so he can get a photo op of him holding a Bible in front of a church?” It has long since been debunked (even by media sources) that President Trump tear-gassed street protesters without cause. All protesters were warned to leave the area three times and refused. Frankly, I would have tear-gassed them too to get them out of there. They asked for what they got. Regarding the “photo op,” had it been scripted, the Bible would have been held correctly. President Trump was illustrating the damage done (again by protestors) to a very old, historic church. A Bible was a perfectly appropriate backdrop for touting following the law.
Hopefully, we can agree that President Trump is not, and never was, and never will be, some kind of God.
He is a fallen human being who was used by God to expose some of the most corrupt government actions I have ever seen in my lifetime.
Cynthia,
I think you missed the point.
Can you imagine Jesus sending out his disciples to rough up people who were interfering with his Sermon On the Mount selfie?
What kind of person does this kind of thing?
Cynthia, you wrote.
“He is a fallen human being who was used by God to expose some of the most corrupt government actions I have ever seen in my lifetime.”
And how many criminal investigations is he facing himself? Or does he get a pass from God because he has been such a good exposer? And please don’t tell me about the deep state, in his deposition in New York he pleaded the 5th over 400 times.
I remember 20 or so years ago being lectured by some Evangelicals about not criticizing the government and our leaders, as well as following all laws. Now we have far right leaders refusing to appear in court and ignoring subpoenas. We have a Christian Nationalist member of Congress telling our President to go to hell as well as kicking a young gun control activist and telling her to get out of her way.
The Dispatch, a conservative website has an excellent article called Q-Ing Up. It’s no longer on the first page, just choose the “see all” button. I have a prayer, “please show me the truth”. He does, as painful as it might be sometimes.
Sometimes I think Trump followers don’t believe most of what they say, it’s just fun to “own the libs”.