This blog comes very soon after my last posting, but timing is everything, which is why I am writing this one now.
Tonight the popular Christian writer, John Pavlovitz, is hosting an online gathering called “Christians For Kamala,” similar to the inspiring online groups such as “Win With Black Women” that started this movement, followed by “White Women: Answer the Call,” “Elders for Harris,” “White Dudes for Harris,” and others.
According to its website statement, “Christians for Kamala” explains its purpose this way: “We proudly support Vice President Kamala Harris as she champions true Christian values embodied in the teachings of Jesus. Now more than ever, we need to bring our personal spiritual convictions to bear and to speak with our voices, our time, our resources, and our votes.”
I don’t doubt the good intentions of “Christians for Kamala,” but I think what they are doing is a serious mistake. Since my view will likely be a minority one, please hear me out.
First, I want to say that I am a progressive Democrat who supports the Harris/Walz ticket, and I am also Christian in my religious commitment.
But there is a singular principle I believe history teaches Christians always to remember: Christianity is political, but it is NEVER partisan.
“Christians for Kamala” violates that principle, setting itself up for being rightly accused of being “hypocritical.”
Most progressives Christians (and most Americans in general) are appalled by the support evangelicals Christians have for Donald Trump and Republicans in general. The words and actions of MAGA Christians make it quite clear that they are far more Trumpian than Christian.
But the critical point is that they are an existential example of making Christianity partisan, and when I look at “Christians for Kamala” I have to ask myself, how is that any different from MAGA Christians for Trump?”
My answer is that it isn’t, and that is the problem.
I think members of this group are right to support Kamala Harris, right in the reasons why they support her. They share the values millions of Americans share that make Trump unacceptable.
But there is nothing particularly “Christian” about that. You don’t need to be Christian to support Harris/Walz. You don’t even need to be religious.
MAGA Christians believe Donald Trump and the Republican Party support Christian values. “Christians for Kamala” disagree with them (as I do) and believe they have no real understanding of the teachings of Jesus (as I do), but MAGA Christians may be as sincere in what they believe, misguided as it may be, as “Christians for Kamala” are in what they believe.
Both positions unavoidably make Christianity partisan. Once that line is crossed, there is no way back. It’s a bargain with the devil that produces short-term gains that lead to long-term loss.
Christians stand in the tradition of what is called “prophetic speech” that involves maintaining a distance from a political candidate or party in order to be able to speak truth to power whenever it becomes necessary.
Christians can support a candidate without “Christianizing” that support that compromises the prophetic distance needed to criticize actions taken. Some examples of doing that are:
- Criticizing Lyndon Johnson expanding the Vietnam War.
- being disgusted by Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky
- being upset that Barack Obama was willing to make a secret deal with Speaker John Boehner that would have cut Medicare and Social Security had it survived.
- Joe Biden’s initial unconditional support of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza that seemed short on holding Israel accountable for Palestinian civilian casualties.
“Christians for Kamala” erases that distance and compromises the prophetic critique they should be ready to make of her decisions just as they would of any other politician or party.
Just as important, when religion becomes partisan something happens that doesn’t happen with any other group. It become an implicit statement that God is on one person’s side and not the other, in this case, Kamala Harris’s side, or that God endorses her candidacy.
No doubt “Christians for Kamala” would protest and insist they are not saying that at all, but sometimes your actions speak louder than your words, and this is one of those instances.
Because I believe Trump poses an existential threat to American ideals and to the democracy itself by which we live, I hope an overwhelming majority will vote for Kamala Harris, not because they are Christian, but because they are Americans whose values transcend religious identity and affiliation.
This criticism of “Christians for Kamala” is not one I want to make, supportive as I am of the intentions behind it, but sometimes good intentions can lead to colossal mistakes that undermine those intentions.
I believe that is precisely what this group is doing.
For what it’s worth…
linnposts.com 
Agree.
Well said. Agree, whole heartedly. Keep on writing.
Jan, I agree that this is “well said” – incredibly well said. And I find myself “spiritually” feeling a great sense of emotion that “you are right”. Everything you say here makes sense to me – in a perfect world.
But we are living in “anything but a perfect world” at this moment in time.
I am reminded of the age old axiom: “all is fair in love and war”. And while I do not live my life driven by this axiom, I have just decided that for me, now, “all is FAIR in love and war and politics and religion!”
It has to be this way for me, now, in that I am singularly focused on saving American Democracy from “the devil” and it is “only fair” that we compete around whatever “constituency” we choose.
I am a white male and I support “White Dudes for Harris” and not the least bit worried about being labeled “hypicritical”. I applaud black women organizing for Harris. I applaud white women organizing for Harris. I am 81 years of age and strongly support “Elders for Harris”. I would applaud if the youth of America would “organize” around Harris. I would applaud if Independents would “organize” around Harris. I would applaud if Hispanics would “organize” around Harris. All Unions are organizing around Harris. And I must believe that today’s LGBT are now organizing around Harris.
But I am most “proud” of my Mayor, John Giles, the Republican Mayor of my town, Mesa, Arizona for now leading the effort to organize Republicans to vote for Harris.
We are finally “experiencing” a MOVEMENT of all interested parties coming together to defeat the tyrant Trump.
The difference in “Christians for Harris” is NOW only a “technicality” for me. The more, the merrier!
I am going to strongly AGREE with your statement that “I think members of this group are right to support Kamala Harris, right in the reasons why they support her. They share the values millions of Americans share that make Trump unacceptable.”
So if you will forgive me, I am temorarily living under the axiom that “all is fair in love, war, politics and religion”.
John Hamerski
Well said, John. These are dangerous times requiring unusual measures to meet the challenge. I hope you know I wasn’t saying other groups could be described as hypocritical. I applaud them. I was talking only about the “Christians for Kamala” group. In the long run the group may have little impact of any kind (although I hope it helps Harris and Walz, but for me the risk of damage it can do to the credibility of Christianity is just not worth it. (I love your mayor’s integrity, too!)
Generally, I’d agree with everything you wrote. But when some are saying that Democrats are not Christians, such a group might offer an opposing voice. When we have increasing numbers who are ignorant of matters of faith, it might serve an educational purpose.
Countering the view that Democrats are not Christians is important to do, but I think it can be done without declaring support for Harris as this group is doing. Thanks for comment.