Church Leaders Urge Calm and Resilience in Sermons Following Trump’s Accident

Less than 24 hours after the former president’s accident, pastors across the country addressed stunned and scared congregants on Sunday morning.

At a conservative evangelical church in Visalia, a farming community in California’s Central Valley, the pastor’s Sunday sermon included a reminder that trumpets heralded judgment for Christians.

The accident involving Donald Trump on Saturday, according to the Rev. Joel Renkema, was also a trumpet blast, a “clear and obvious message to our country.” Political discourse had spiraled out of control, he told parishioners at Visalia Christian Reformed Church, urging them to stop “hating and demonizing our opponents.”

“This is a warning shot!” Renkema boomed. “Can we hear it? Will we listen?”

By the time worshipers gathered for services nationwide on Sunday, less than 24 hours had passed since a suspected assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. This left church leaders with little time to guide their shocked congregations through a bloody moment in U.S. history.

Despite his lack of overt religiosity, Trump had already emerged as a messiah-like figure to many hard-right Christians in his MAGA movement. An attack on him was viewed by some as an assault on Christianity. Amid intense division in America, many church leaders issued urgent appeals for calm on Sunday.

“As Americans, we all have to be horrified today at what took place not too far from here in Butler last evening,” said the Rev. Kris Stubna during Sunday remarks at St. Paul Cathedral, a Catholic parish in Pittsburgh.

The Trump campaign gave no indication that the former president attended church on Sunday. However, someone who spoke to him described him as almost “spiritual” about the near-assassination attempt, feeling as though he had been “handed a gift from God” by surviving.

Given the diverse mosaic of Christian communities, responses at the pulpit and in the pews varied widely based on location, denomination, and demographics.

Some evangelical leaders made pointed allusions to “enemies” and “tests” of the faithful without specifically mentioning Trump or the accident. Others, especially affiliates of the fast-growing Christian supremacist group known as the New Apostolic Reformation, mentioned Trump by name in sermons and declared spiritual warfare against his opponents.

Related Posts

10 Methods for Treating Body Acne

Acne affects 9.4% of the global population and can lower confidence, but remember: “ACNE IS JUST A CONDITION, AND YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!” Here’s how to manage body…

Inside Melania Trump’s Circle — One Unexpected Non-Celebrity Revealed

Over the years, they have developed mutual trust and support, and now they cannot be separated. Since taking on this significant role for the second time after…

Inside the Trumps’ Private Nights: Melania Shares an Unexpected Detail

Melania Trump once offered a rare look inside the Trumps’ private life — and the former First Lady’s comments about Donald Trump’s sleep habits surprised many.A President…

“New Insights Emerge Regarding Robert De Niro’s Grandson’s Passing”

The death of Robert De Niro’s 19-year-old grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, deeply shook Hollywood and devastated the private De Niro family. Leandro was found unresponsive in his…

Your $2 bill may be worth a lot more than you think

At one time, superstitious people believed the \$2 bill was unlucky and even carried a curse. However, this myth is far from the truth. In fact, owning…

Farmer Writes Bold Message In Fresh Snow, Doesn’t Care If Some People Are Offended

Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in December 2015. In an extraordinary display of holiday spirit, Prunty Farms, a fifth-generation family farm…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *