A Letter to Vice President Pence

This Letter was sent to Vice President Mike Pence on September 16, 2020

Vice President Pence:

I am writing to protest your misuse of Scripture during your acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. ( you can read his entire speech by following this link: https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/26/politics/mike-pence-speech-transcript/index.html )

As a Christian I am appalled at your use of Hebrews 12:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 3:17. It is an unconscionable misuse of Sacred Text for political purposes and it is wrong. Referring to Old Glory (the American flag) as a substitute for Jesus is wrong. The nod toward christian nationalism is an affront to the Christian faith.

I am an ordained minister and a life-long student of Scripture. The passage from Hebrews 12:1-2 (New Revised Standard Version—NRSV) reads:

            “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”

It is Jesus who is the perfecter of our faith and we look to Him and not to “Old Glory and all she represents.” We fix our eyes on God and on the living truth found in Jesus, not on “this land of heroes.” We fix our eyes on the words and teachings of Jesus. He alone is the perfecter of our faith and is not to be co-opted as a tool of nationalistic “freedom.”

Your misquoting of 2 Corinthians of 3:17 adds an additional reference to nationalism that further distorts the truth of Scripture. The verse from the NRSV reads:

            “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Your slight twist skews the meaning of the verse. The freedom we enjoy is from the Spirit of the Lord. It is a spirit of humility, grace and faith. It is not a freedom to do as we please. It is not a

freedom that has no base in the truth of who Jesus Christ is. It is not a freedom that wins through “might makes right.”  The true freedom that is ours, as Christians, is found in Jesus Christ and has nothing to do with nationalism.

Jesus was hung on the cross because of his refusal to collude with Roman occupation and the nationalism it represented. We, who seek to live after the ways of Jesus, refuse to collude in the ways of christian nationalism. We refuse to collude with the notion that “might makes right.” We refuse to collude with the ongoing exploitation of the poor. We refuse to collude with the ongoing degradation of the environment for the sake of corporations that exploit their workers. Your notion of “freedom” and your willingness to substitute “Old Glory” for Jesus shows the lengths to which you will go for the sake of your political agenda.

In the full authority of my office as a duly ordained Christian pastor, I speak truth to your misuse of scripture to gain re-election. I cannot change your political agenda, as distasteful as I find it, but I do protest your misuse of Sacred Scripture in furthering that end.

In faithfulness to the Gospel I remain,

Rev. Patricia L. Liberty