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Contact: Leslie Palma
917-639-7039
President Trump had a message for the Christian Church and Congress during a National Faith Summit today in Powder Springs, GA, according to Priests for Life National Director Frank Pavone.
“President Trump told the approximately 1,500 pastors and ministry leaders that this election is too important for Christians to remain on the sidelines,” Pavone said. “If there was ever a time that the Christian Church has to arise, it’s now.”
The afternoon event was more of a conversation between Trump and Pastor Paula White-Cain rather than a traditional rally. Pastor White-Cain is a prominent faith leader who has served Trump as an advisor.
“One of the themes of the dozen or so speeches that preceded the former president’s appearance was that we were all gathered today because of one man - Jesus Christ - and what emerged was a very clear picture of the way Christians approach politics and the best way to move our nation forward so that it serves the kingdom of God.”
Although attended predominantly by evangelical Christians, the event also contained a shout out from Trump to Catholics in the audience, Pavone said.
“He talked about the way the current administration has been targeting Catholics for investigation and prosecution, and repeated a phrase we’ve been hearing from him recently, that he can’t imagine how a Catholic could vote for a Democrat.”
In what Pavone called “a clear message to Congress,” the former president called for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, a largely misunderstood provision in the tax code that prohibits non-profits from endorsing political candidates, but that has led many faith leaders to keep needlessly silent about politics.
“It was welcome news to me that he wants to rid the nation of the amendment,” Pavone said.
Pavone said the overall message Trump wanted to convey to people of faith is that “America needs us, that we are a stronger nation when our voices are heard, and that he is behind us all the way.”