On the campaign trial, candidates have made several religious stops in recent days, and with mixed receptions. This week, Donald Trump went to a United Methodist church in Flint, Michigan to thank the predominantly black congregation for helping people during the water crisis. But the pastor cut him off when he started to criticize Hillary Clinton:
Donald Trump: Everything she touched didn’t work out. Nothing. Now, Hillary Clinton…
Pastor Faith Green Timmons: Mr. Trump, I invited you here to thank us for what we’ve done for Flint, not to give a political speech.
Donald Trump: Okay, that’s good.
Last week, Trump spoke at the Values Voter Summit and got strong applause when he promised to repeal a measure that bans clergy from endorsing candidates from the pulpit. He joked that would be the only way he could get into heaven.
On the Democratic side, vice-presidential candidate Tim Kaine visited 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Sixty-three years ago this week, four young girls were killed when the church was bombed. Kaine, who is Catholic, also generated some controversy this week when he predicted that his church would one day support gay marriage. The church has remained adamant in its opposition.
Late last week, before her pneumonia diagnosis was made public, Hillary Clinton spoke to the National Baptist Convention, one of the largest and oldest African-American denominations. She told the group her Methodist faith has helped her deal with her mistakes:
Hillary Clinton: Everyone here today has stumbled on their own stony paths. It’s grace that lifts us up, grace that leads us home.
Meanwhile, faith-based activists continue their grassroots mobilization. In some 30 states this week, religious moderates and liberals held rallies on what they called their moral issues: poverty, immigration, and mass incarceration.
