An Open Letter to JD Vance

February 3, 2025

Vice President JD Vance

The White House

Office of the Vice President

1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Washington, DC 20500

Mr. Vance,

I write to inform you that you are fundamentally wrong in postulating that there is a Christian concept “that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that.”

I beg to differ, sir. It is you who has completely inverted the Christian tradition. Your position reflects a fundamental misunderstanding and ignorance of Scripture. For example, the same story is told in all the synoptic gospels. Matthew 12:46-50, Mark 3:31-35, and Luke 8:19-21. In each of these pericopes Jesus is told that his mother and brothers are waiting to see him. Jesus responds, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers? And pointing to his disciples, he said, here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus consistently advocated for the poor, the marginalized, the disadvantaged and the disenfranchised. Your distortion of words to a “Christian” concept is blatantly and dangerously false.

I realize you are a fairly new Christian, and have not had years to study scripture and theology as have I. If you would like some remedial Bible study to gain a more accurate understanding of the faith you proclaim, you may reach me at the above address.

Until you are better informed about the Christian faith, you should seek the counsel of wise elders who are well versed in Scripture and tradition. Your false portrayal of Christian faith, which equally naive people will believe is true, distorts the Christian faith. I urge you to cease to speak about that which you know little.

Faithfully,

Rev. Patricia L. Liberty

This Letter was sent to JD Vance on February 3, 2025