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Local pastors clash in racially-charged public comments over political endorsements

1 month 23 hours 52 minutes ago Saturday, November 02 2024 Nov 2, 2024 November 02, 2024 9:20 AM November 02, 2024 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE — As a combative presidential campaign season accelerates toward Election Day, some Baton Rouge religious leaders are denouncing how others are handling politics in the pulpit.

Two weeks after Donnie Swaggart’s Family Worship Center sermon included inflammatory remarks criticizing Black churches that endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, his YouTube video had been viewed tens of thousands of times. 

"When the largest African American Pentecostal leader, when that leader stands up and said I endorse that woman, he was saying I endorse murder, I endorse homosexuality, I endorse lesbianism, I endorse transgenderism, I endorse every evil," Swaggart said.

He was referring to John Drew Sheard, the presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ, which describes itself as one of the largest Black Pentecostal denominations in the United States.

"Somebody needs to stand up and speak to the Black church," Swaggart said in the recorded sermon.

Angry posts with excerpts of the sermon began circulating on social media.

On Friday, several Black pastors involved with the interfaith social justice coalition Prophetic Voices held a press conference to publicly respond with their own critiques of Swaggart’s remarks.

Domingue, speaking for the Prophetic Voices group, said Swaggart doesn’t know what he’s talking out.

"His ignorance and racism shows in the way that he thinks that he has authority from his place of privilege and prejudice to lecture the Black church on what it means to be Black and Christian today,” Domingue said.

Swaggart did not respond Friday to requests for comment.

In the recorded sermon, Swaggart said the Democratic Party opposes Christian values.

"The Black church votes predominantly for the party that is anti-God. What is going on here?" he said.

Domingue said Swaggart is pushing his own political beliefs and with Christianity as a smokescreen.

Swaggart posted on social media platforms this past week that he and his father Jimmy Swaggart had attended a National Faith Summit in Georgia where former President Donald Trump spoke.

“I had the privilege to attend the inaugural Faith Summit with President Trump today. I was not expecting President Trump to recognize dad and myself during the event. What an honor,” his Facebook post said.

Domingue said Swaggart’s admonition about politics in the Black church falls apart "when that bigot says that the theology and philosophy of Black people summons demons from hell because we won't vote for that lying, xenophobic, grab-them-by-the-vagina convicted felon."

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