Christian Headlines Blog Christian Blog and Commentary

Get guidance on Bible study from C.S. Lewis - Free Course!

Hispanic Southern Baptist Leaders Criticize Trump's Evangelical Advisory Board

  • Veronica Neffinger

    Veronica Neffinger wrote her first poem at age seven and went on to study English in college, focusing on 18th century literature. When she is not listening to baseball games, enjoying the…

    More
  • Updated Jun 24, 2016

Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump met with a group of Christian leaders on Tuesday and gained more support from evangelicals, but Hispanic Christians still have their doubts.

According to Patheos.com blogger Warren Throckmorton, Hispanic Southern Baptist leaders especially criticized Trump’s newsly constructed Evangelical Advisory Board. 

They issues a statement voicing their concerns:

“As Christian pastors, and Hispanic Baptist leaders, we have witnessed with sadness and concern the joining of the “Trump Evangelical Advisory Board” by several respected brothers and leaders, including some pastors in our Southern Baptist Convention. Let us be clear, they all have the right to join any political body, and they have done so on a personal level,” the statement read.

The pastors also criticized the joining of evangelicals with prosperity gospel preachers on the new board.

“Nevertheless, we think that is not the wisest move by those we call brothers to join this particular board. We understand we need to be of “influence” or salt and light in a very dark world, but joining this board is not the wisest way to be salt and light. Upon occasion, we can influence more by holding forth the unquenchable light of the Gospel outside the camp, rather than jumping into a crowded office where the weed and wheat are undistinguishable [sic],” the statement continued.

The leaders went on to question Trump’s moral character and the rightness of evangelicals to support such a person.

Other Christian leaders, however, some of whom are on Trump's Evangelical Advisory Board, had positive thigns to say after meeting with the billionaire businessman.

Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., who, according to The Christian Post, endorsed Trump back in January, stated, "I was very impressed. He was very presidentia. He talked a lot about his Supreme Court nominees. He talked a lot about how they are going to be pro-life. He talked about support for the nation of Israel. He was strong on that issue. That was something that was very important for the group in that room. He also talked about so many other issues that are so important."

The Rev. Franklin Graham also attended the meeting with Trump, and although Graham said he is not endorsing any political candidate, he also had positive comments after the meeting: 

"I promised people that I won't get involved in endorsing anyone. I was invited to hear him and I am glad I did because I think he answered everyone's questions," Graham said. "People had good concerns, honest concerns and I think Donald Trump answered those today."

To read more about who is on Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board, click here

Publication date: June 24, 2016