Home Christian News ‘Hung or Burnt’: Orthodox Presbyterian Pastor Jokes About Killing Women Pastors and...

‘Hung or Burnt’: Orthodox Presbyterian Pastor Jokes About Killing Women Pastors and Theologians

Nick Barnes
Screenshot from Twitter @CAHutch1990.

A South Dakota pastor is making waves on Twitter after posting offensive comments about women pastors, preachers, theologians, and leaders. In a number of tweets, Nick Barnes, who identifies himself as a minister within the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), joked about killing women in church leadership as a way of removing them from their positions of influence. 

Barnes, who boasts a “forthcoming book upon Westminsterian Roles/Duties of Men and Women, being contrary to the current Zeitgeist plaguing us,” made his remarks in response to a tweet from Associate Editor of Faithfully Magazine Timothy Isaiah Cho, who asked Twitter users to share their favorite Christian women thinkers and ministers. Barnes’ retweet read, “I’m stuck in between burnt or hung.” 

Barnes’ tweet has been removed by Twitter for violating community guidelines. However, the retweet and ensuing thread were captured in a number of screenshots.

“But even better than that is repentant ones that take care of their home, love their husband and kids. Being silent in the church,” Barnes continued. Even after receiving pushback, Barnes doubled down, saying, “Channeling my 16th-17th century Puritan or Reformer. Down with the Quakers and the Anabaptist witches.” 

“I guess I forgot drowned. That was another common solution back then,” Barnes added. 

Before Barnes’ response was removed, Cho retweeted it, saying, “This is despicable. What a great denomination you’re a pastor of.”

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) pastor David Schell replied to Cho with a link where Barnes could be reported to the OPC of the Dakotas clerk, saying, “Somebody’s stated clerk is going to find a note from me when he checks his email this morning. I know the Presbyterian Church USA and the OPC don’t agree on much, but I really hope ‘probably don’t burn or hang women you don’t agree with’ is among them.”

In response to Barnes’ thread, Presbyterian Church in America pastor Chris Hutchinson said, “Twitter took down Pastor Barnes’s ‘joke,’ but we need to know this sort of culture exists in too many of our churches.”

“Whatever your church polity, please find ways to honor and value women. And keep an eye on the ways violent rhetoric works its way into your church culture,” Hutchinson added.