A fair number of churches these days are proud of being called “purple” churches, meaning they welcome and celebrate both Republicans and Democrats among their members. That may have been fine in 1990 but means something entirely different today.
Now, the rest of us need some clarification about what you mean.
Mark Wingfield
Why? because the Republican Party has become the party of Donald Trump. The “red” in your purple mix is not about the classic Republican Party but about a single man who is the most corrupt, un-Christlike president in American history. Trump undeniably has complete control over the Republican Party.
So when I hear you brag today about being a “purple” church, what I hear you saying is you are not going to hold accountable those who support an antichrist figure. I hear you saying you will not address from the pulpit — for fear of offending some members — the very teachings of Jesus that are central to our faith yet mocked by Trump and his allies.
Two events from this week illustrate my concern.
“The ‘red’ in your purple mix is not about the classic Republican Party but about a single man who is the most corrupt, un-Christlike president in American history.”
First, the “red” party sponsored an event on the National Mall last Sunday that was an affront to people of faith and coopted Christianity for political purposes. There is no way to put lipstick on this pig.
In homage to Trump, the federal government spent taxpayer money on a partisan and parochial festival that spun out lies about American history like cotton candy at the state fair.
Would you allow such an event on your church grounds? Would you support your pastor or church staff members attending or speaking at such an event? Would you promote this in your church newsletter? Would you allow those who attended to give testimony about it at church?
If not, you’re not really a “purple” church. You’re some other shade of diversity that allows room for people who oppose diversity. But you are not an equal mix of red and blue.
Second, the Internal Revenue Service this week approved an illegal settlement with the president and his family to hold them harmless for past alleged tax fraud and create a $1.8 billion compensation fund for people the Trump administration claims were victims of government “weaponization and lawfare.”
This is the biggest theft ever pulled off by a U.S. politician of any party or era. And it perpetuates a lie about the integrity of the 2020 presidential election. It rewards people who used violent means and ravenous untruths to attempt to overthrow the U.S. government.
If a member of your “purple” congregation were to get compensation from this fund, would you expect them to tithe to the church off it? Many of these “victims” claim they haven’t been able to work because they stained their reputations so badly with their January 6 actions. Would you allow these members to serve on the Finance Committee at your church?
When you talk about being a “purple” church, I hear you say you see a moral equivalency between people who take seriously the teachings of Jesus and people who discard the teachings of Jesus for political opportunity. I hear you say you give the same credibility to those who follow the law and those who break the law. I hear you say you tolerate those who worship idols as well as those who shun idols.
“If that’s not what you mean by ‘purple,’ I genuinely would like to understand how you define the label.”
If that’s not what you mean by “purple,” I genuinely would like to understand how you define the label. This is a sincere question. I’m not asking you to put out a “Democrats Only” sign, but I want to understand where you draw the line on not ruffling the feathers of Trump supporters. Please write to me and tell me: [email protected].
Sadly, too many self-proclaimed “purple” churches — usually announced with an air of superiority — refuse to acknowledge the cultural and political and moral implications of faith. They act like they’re sitting on a pristine island of religiosity, untainted by other ideas and issues. All that matters is their worship and evangelism, which offers no implications for how they vote, behave, treat others or spend their money — things Jesus had a lot to say about.
Before you get too angry with me, hear this: When you call yourself a “purple” church, I don’t think that’s what you really mean. There needs to be another word, another term, for churches that aren’t full of Democrats only but mix in some lighter shades of red. Maybe you’re “lavender” or “periwinkle.”
Because there is no way for the rottenness of the Trump administration to infiltrate part of a church without infecting the whole body.
If you are a pastor or a church leader who looks the other way while the Trump Mafia rapes, pillages and plunders, you are not following the way of Jesus. Because as the Good Book says, “Two cannot be unequally yoked.”
There is no room for Donald Trump and Jesus Christ in the same church. Churches cannot serve two masters.
Mark Wingfield serves as executive director and publisher of Baptist News Global. He is the author of Honestly: Telling the Truth About the Bible and Ourselves.