I wrote this week’s public policy update in advance of the election. We will analyze the voting results and give you a full report in a later update. But in this report, I want to alert you to the growing danger of “progressive Christianity.”
Progressive Christianity was prominently on display during this entire election cycle.
An amazing number of leftists running for the House and the Senate were pastors and “religious teachers” from progressive Christian churches. This is not a positive development. It is not good for America, and it is not good for Bible-believing Christians.
First, let’s look at the signs that a church is progressive. More often than not, an LGBTQ pride flag will be flying outside these churches. It is a common sight in urban America. Just what is it exactly that they feel “pride” in? No other sexual orientation gets a flag, but the homosexual rights movement has a special place in the heart of progressive Christian ideology. And it is not just a “welcome flag.” Progressive churches and denominations inevitably support the entire gay rights ideological agenda, including exposing your children and grandchildren to graphic LGBTQ information at the earliest age possible. I am talking about kindergarten, folks. It is also revealing that these progressive denominations proudly ordain open homosexuals to be pastors and church leaders.
Progressive Christians always claim that they are more compassionate than the rest of us mere Bible-believing Christians. But their claim doesn’t hold up under examination. They express zero compassion for the one million innocent preborn children—each made in the image of God—who are destroyed through abortion-on-demand each year. Their compassion only extends to the abortionist.
They claim they have compassion for the mother. But how is it compassionate to push a desperate woman to the abortionist’s knife? Millions of women are exploited and permanently harmed by abortion-on-demand.
Criminal justice is another area where progressive Christians and other progressives generally save their compassion for the wrong people—in this case, the criminals. The crime victims are ignored, while all the “love” goes to the accused criminal, no matter how many crimes he has previously committed or how likely he is to commit crimes again. Some progressive churches supported the Defund the Police movement, claiming that our nation’s capitalist system turns desperate people into criminals.
At the border, all their compassion is for illegal immigrants who violate our nation’s laws. The progressive Christians cite the Bible’s injunction to “welcome the stranger.” And, of course, they forget the more frequent verses about “loving your neighbor.” It is our neighbor—the American taxpayer—who gets stuck with the bills for overwhelmed hospitals and social services and whose children suffer in overcrowded schools.
Progressive Christians also think of the Bible differently than we do. Many progressive pastors and churches have bought into the idea that there are many paths to God. But the Bible teaches us that Christ is the only way to the Father. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Seems fairly clear to me.
A related concern is that progressive Christians question or doubt whether the Bible is the inspired Word of God. They make absurd claims about what the Bible does and does not say. Pastor Adam Hamilton, the Democrat Senate candidate in Kansas, has said it is not necessary for Christians to believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.1 He has also strongly implied that Jesus is not the only path to God and heaven.2
James Talarico, who, as I write this, may be the next senator from Texas, repeatedly says there is nothing in the Bible about abortion. Thus, he concludes that he can be pro-abortion without any conflict with his Christian faith. This is a man who has clearly not read or does not understand the Bible. Choosing life is the whole message of God’s Word. The Sixth Commandment says, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). In Deuteronomy 30:19, God declares, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. . .”
Progressive Christian denominations always show their true colors at their national conventions. These denominations, including the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Church of Christ, inevitably pass resolutions condemning Israel. Strident opposition to Israel is one of their guiding principles. They embrace the most ancient hatred known to man—antisemitism—and they do it in the name of “compassion.” Not compassion for Jews or our ally Israel, but for “Palestinians,” many of whom support terrorist groups like Hamas. Progressive Christian denominations claim Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that all of Israel is “occupied territory.”3 Both are lies.
Jews were in Judea and Samaria from the very beginning, as our Bible teaches. They are the actual “indigenous people.” The patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—were Jews. The prophets were Jews. The Bible was written by Jews. The first family of Christendom—Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—were Jews. If Jews were not indigenous to the Holy Land, then our entire faith would be built on lies.
Not surprisingly, so-called “mainline” denominations associated with progressive Christianity have all experienced major declines in membership and outright schisms over these fundamental issues.
I’ve noticed something else that is totally predictable. The “separation of church and state” crowd” is very excited about progressive Christians. So are the liberal newspapers and commentators who have been trying to kick conservative Christians out of the public square ever since Ronald Reagan sought our votes in 1980. These are the very people who demand that we keep our Bibles out of politics yet are suddenly thrilled to have progressive “Christians” on their side.
They particularly like it when progressives in the Church morph Jesus into Karl Marx. But Christ’s message of helping the poor was a message to His followers, not an endorsement of big government that takes one man’s property and gives it to another man.
Thankfully, God has raised up incredible pastors to defend faith, family, and freedom—men such as Franklin Graham, Jack Hibbs, Gary Hamrick, Robert Jeffress, and many others. They all teach clear biblical truths and the necessity for Christians to be active citizens.
Today, we are seeing this effort to revive so-called “progressive Christianity” as if America really needs more leftists in politics and the pews. Progressive Christians are all for abortion-on-demand, “if it feels good, do it,” and “nobody judges anybody.” They claim that God may be a woman or even “non-binary.”4 Progressive leftist Christianity does not contribute anything that radical secularists do not already provide.
Sadly, there is another large group of Christian churches in America that refuse to educate their congregations about the issues confronting our country. They will not teach their flocks about America’s Christian foundation or that our liberty comes from God. They are silent on the threats to our religious liberty. They are silent on the sanctity of life and marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
For now, the battle for control of our government ended this week. But the battle over who speaks for the Church is just beginning.
1. Michael Gryboski, “Adam Hamilton Says Christians Don’t Have to Believe in Virgin Birth of Jesus,” The Christian Post, October 20, 2026, https://www.christianpost.com/news/adam-hamiltons-comments-on-jesus-virgin-birth-spark-controversy.html.
2. Hannah Knudsen and Ezra Dulis, “Adam Hamilton, Christian Pastor & Democrat Senate Nominee, Says Muslims and Hindus Unknowingly Worship Jesus,” Breitbart News, August 13, 2026, https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/08/13/adam-hamilton-christian-pastor-democrat-senate-nominee-says-muslims-and-hindus-unknowingly-worship-jesus/.
3. Kayla Berkey, “General Synod Passes Declaration for an End to Genocide in Palestine,” United Church of Christ, July 15, 2025, https://www.ucc.org/general-synod-passes-declaration-for-an-end-to-genocide-in-palestine/.
4. Peter Pinedo and Paul Steinhauser, “‘God Is Non-Binary’: Texas Dem Nominee Talarico’s Past Remarks on Abortion, Race and Gender Draw Scrutiny,” Fox News, March 5, 2026, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/god-non-binary-texas-dem-nominee-talaricos-past-remarks-abortion-race-gender-draw-scrutiny.
All Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
