James Talarico might be the best-known progressive Christian running for the US Senate – and he’s currently one point ahead of scandal-ridden Republican Ken Paxton in Texas, 47.6-45 per cent in the Real Clear Politics (RCP) aggregate poll. (The Other Cheek provided readers some weeks ago with a taste of Talarico here, An uneven mix: Democrat Senate hopeful James Talarico preaches a sermon.)
Jon Ossoff is now in the clear lead against Mike Collins in Georgia, 50.6 to 43.1 per cent in the RCP data.
But the left-wing Christian with the most impact as a Christian minister, not just as a politician, is Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton in Kansas, who closely trails the incumbent Republican Roger Marshall, 44.5 to 46 per cent (RCP)
It is possible, some pundits say likely, that all three progressive Christians, Talarico, Ossoff and Hamilton could win their Senate races – which would serve to counterbalance (to some extent), evangelical presence in the Congress. Memo to US evangelicals: the voice of Christianity on the left is not dead yet – one might think Trump is reviving it.
Vice President JD Vance attacked Hamilton for his church sponsoring a local Pride Week, and lobbed accusations of devil worship and “anti-Christian hate” at the gay protest group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who were part of the event last week.
“We got to be clear about what this group is. This is an anti-Christian hate group,” Vance declared, according to a Christian Post report. “Its whole purpose is to mock the Christian religion. It mocks nuns. It insults the Cross. It desecrates the Eucharist and thinks every person of faith in the United States of America is a joke.”
Adam Hamilton was a key figure in the major split in the United Methodist Church a couple of years ago when 7,000 out of 30,000 U.S. churches left the denomination due to its pro-same-sex-marriage stance. Hamilton was one of the more persuasive progressives, arguing for churches to stay in the denomination, and for people against same sex marriage to feel able to be in the same church as people strongly in favour.
Hamilton planted Resurrection Church in 1990 in a small funeral home chapel. It is now 25,000 strong, with nine campuses. His book sales have topped a million. Hamilton is one example of a progressive church planter with a mega-church. As Hamilton pointed out, his church contains thousands of people on both sides of the marriage debate.
If Hamilton wins a Senate seat in Kansas, it is almost certain the Democrats will control both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Image: Adam Hamilton. Image Credit: Working Preacher / Wikimedia