A theological who’s who of Leftist Christian leaders are organizing a march on the White House to ‘Reclaim Jesus’ from President Donald Trump that is set for the evening of May 24. One of the leaders of the anti-Trump march is Rev. Michael Bruce Curry who ‘stole the show‘ with his lengthy sermon at the British royal wedding on Saturday between Prince Harry and American Meghan Markle. Three march organizers were spiritual advisors to President Barack Obama while one counseled President Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal and later endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016.
The Reclaiming Jesus campaign is a response by Leftist Christians infuriated by President Trump’s continuing strong support from white evangelical Christians who overwhelmingly voted for (81 percent) in the 2016 presidential election
A statement and video for the Reclaiming Jesus campaign state Trump’s America First policies are “theological heresy for followers of Christ.”
The description of the march from the Reclaiming Jesus website.
Thursday, May 24th, 7 p.m., National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, Washington, DC 20005)
We believe two things are at stake: the soul of the nation, and the integrity of faith. We believe the issues are more deeply theological than merely political or partisan. We believe it is a time for prayer and response, for contemplation and action.In this moment of political, moral, and theological crisis in America we are deeply concerned about the resurgence of white nationalism, racism, and xenophobia; misogyny; attacks on immigrants, refugees, and the poor; the regular purveying of falsehoods and consistent lying by the nation’s highest leaders; and moves toward autocratic political leadership and authoritarian rule.
We invite you to join us for a service of prayer and gospel proclamation, followed by a procession to the White House and a silent prayerful candlelight vigil as a witness that the church will not be complicit, but faithful.
The full Reclaiming Jesus proclamation (excerpted below) contains the ‘America First is heresy’ statement.
In 2009 the New York Times reported Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., Rev. Joel C. Hunter and Rev. Jim Wallis were among a group chosen to be spiritual advisors for President Barack Obama. Obama had to abandon his church of twenty years in order to win the presidency because of the controversial sermons of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and was without a pastor.
Rev. Tony Campolo counseled President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal where it was revealed Clinton would return to the White House from Easter Sunday service at a nearby church and met Lewinsky for oral sex in the Oval Office.
In 2016, Campolo endorsed his “personal friend” Hillary Clinton for president and spoke at her nominating convention where he said, “…On this memorable night, we pray for Hillary Clinton. May her candidacy send a message to women everywhere that the glass ceiling that has held so many of them down is being broken, and that a new day is dawning, not only for women, but for all people everywhere. We ask all these things in Your holy name. Amen.”
Background on Bill Clinton’s Easter servicing by Monica Lewinsky:
“April 7, 1996, Easter Sunday. Hillary Clinton had no public schedule. Lewinsky said later that, at the president’s suggestion, she performed oral sex while he was on the telephone in his office.”
April 7, 1996…it was Easter, and as was the Clinton family custom, the President, accompanied by his wife and Chelsea, attended the 11 A.M. service at the Foundry Methodist Church…At 4:56 P.M., according to White House logs, Ms. Lewinsky arrived at the White House carrying a manila folder and, under the pretext of delivering documents to the President, was admitted to the Oval Office. She met with the President in his private study…she began a sexual encounter with him in the hallway between the private study and the Oval Office…Mr. Clinton picked up the call in the study, directing Ms. Lewinsky to continue her sexual actions with him while he spoke on the phone. According to White House records cited in the report, the call lasted nine minutes and was from Mr. Morris, the political consultant…”
Video for’Reclaiming Jesus’:
Excerpts from the Reclaiming Jesus statement
We are living through perilous and polarizing times as a nation, with a dangerous crisis of moral and political leadership at the highest levels of our government and in our churches. We believe the soul of the nation and the integrity of faith are now at stake.
It is time to be followers of Jesus before anything else—nationality, political party, race, ethnicity, gender, geography—our identity in Christ precedes every other identity. We pray that our nation will see Jesus’ words in us. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
When politics undermines our theology, we must examine that politics. The church’s role is to change the world through the life and love of Jesus Christ. The government’s role is to serve the common good by protecting justice and peace, rewarding good behavior while restraining bad behavior (Romans 13). When that role is undermined by political leadership, faith leaders must stand up and speak out. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.”
It is often the duty of Christian leaders, especially elders, to speak the truth in love to our churches and to name and warn against temptations, racial and cultural captivities, false doctrines, and political idolatries—and even our complicity in them. We do so here with humility, prayer, and a deep dependency on the grace and Holy Spirit of God…
…WE REJECT the resurgence of white nationalism and racism in our nation on many fronts, including the highest levels of political leadership. We, as followers of Jesus, must clearly reject the use of racial bigotry for political gain that we have seen. In the face of such bigotry, silence is complicity. In particular, we reject white supremacy and commit ourselves to help dismantle the systems and structures that perpetuate white preference and advantage. Further, any doctrines or political strategies that use racist resentments, fears, or language must be named as public sin—one that goes back to the foundation of our nation and lingers on. Racial bigotry must be antithetical for those belonging to the body of Christ, because it denies the truth of the gospel we profess…
…WE REJECT misogyny, the mistreatment, violent abuse, sexual harassment, and assault of women that has been further revealed in our culture and politics, including our churches, and the oppression of any other child of God. We lament when such practices seem publicly ignored, and thus privately condoned, by those in high positions of leadership. We stand for the respect, protection, and affirmation of women in our families, communities, workplaces, politics, and churches. We support the courageous truth-telling voices of women, who have helped the nation recognize these abuses. We confess sexism as a sin, requiring our repentance and resistance…
…WE REJECT misogyny, the mistreatment, violent abuse, sexual harassment, and assault of women that has been further revealed in our culture and politics, including our churches, and the oppression of any other child of God. We lament when such practices seem publicly ignored, and thus privately condoned, by those in high positions of leadership. We stand for the respect, protection, and affirmation of women in our families, communities, workplaces, politics, and churches. We support the courageous truth-telling voices of women, who have helped the nation recognize these abuses. We confess sexism as a sin, requiring our repentance and resistance…
…WE REJECT the language and policies of political leaders who would debase and abandon the most vulnerable children of God. We strongly deplore the growing attacks on immigrants and refugees, who are being made into cultural and political targets, and we need to remind our churches that God makes the treatment of the “strangers” among us a test of faith (Leviticus 19:33-34)…
…WE REJECT any moves toward autocratic political leadership and authoritarian rule. We believe authoritarian political leadership is a theological danger that threatens democracy and the common good—and we will resist it. Disrespect for the rule of law, not recognizing the equal importance of our three branches of government, and replacing civility with dehumanizing hostility toward opponents are of great concern to us. Neglecting the ethic of public service and accountability, in favor of personal recognition and gain often characterized by offensive arrogance, are not just political issues for us. They raise deeper concerns about political idolatry, accompanied by false and unconstitutional notions of authority…
…WE REJECT “America first” as a theological heresy for followers of Christ. While we share a patriotic love for our country, we reject xenophobic or ethnic nationalism that places one nation over others as a political goal…”
The statement which is all about Leftist politics, closes by saying it is not about politics and cloaks itself in Christian faith.
Our urgent need, in a time of moral and political crisis, is to recover the power of confessing our faith. Lament, repent, and then repair. If Jesus is Lord, there is always space for grace. We believe it is time to speak and to act in faith and conscience, not because of politics, but because we are disciples of Jesus Christ—to whom be all authority, honor, and glory. It is time for a fresh confession of faith. Jesus is Lord. He is the light in our darkness. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Endorsers:
Bishop Carroll A. Baltimore, President and CEO, Global Alliance Interfaith Network
Rev. Dr. Peter Borgdorff, Executive Director Emeritus, Christian Reformed Church in North America
Dr. Amos Brown, Chair, Social Justice Commission, National Baptist Convention USA, Inc.
Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann, Professor Emeritus, Columbia Theological Seminary
Dr. Tony Campolo, Co-Founder, Red Letter Christians
Dr. Iva Carruthers, General Secretary, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church
Rev. Dr. James Forbes, President and Founder, Healing of the Nations Foundation and Preaching Professor at Union Theological Seminary
Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary Emeritus, Reformed Church in America
Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale, Senior Pastor, Ray of Hope Christian Church, Decatur, GA
Rev. Dr. Richard Hamm, former General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Faith Community Organizer and Chairman, Community Resource Network
Rev. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent Emerita, The Wesleyan Church
Bishop Vashti McKenzie, 117th Elected and Consecrated Bishop, AME Church
Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., Co-Convener National African American Clergy Network
Dr. John Perkins, Chair Emeritus and Founding Member, Christian Community Development Association and President Emeritus, John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation
Senior Bishop Lawrence Reddick, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Fr. Richard Rohr, Founder, Center for Action and Contemplation
Dr. Ron Sider, President Emeritus, Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. Jim Wallis, President and Founder, Sojourners
Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, Director, NCC Truth and Racial Justice Initiative
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Co-Convener, National African American Clergy Network; President, Skinner Leadership Institute
Bishop Will Willimon, Bishop, The United Methodist Church, retired, Professor of the Practice of Ministry, Duke Divinity School