Mohler cautioned against the use of “war language,” which is embedded in political terminology in words such as “campaign,” “attack,” and “strategies.” He said, “I think it’s a reminder to us that we need to be careful with our language because there are some people who do not understand the difference between a political campaign and a fighting war.”
Perkins and Mohler also agreed that the primary allegiance of the Christian is not to earthly political leaders. “For us as Christians, our hope is not in the next administration,” said Perkins, even though we want it “to reflect biblical truth.”
“Christians had to be faithful in the midst of the Roman Empire. Christians had to be faithful in the midst of Nazi Germany. Our political circumstances do not define whether we are called to be faithful or not,” Molher said. “And so we as Christians understand we have this responsibility, and that’s not up for a vote. We don’t depreciate at all the importance of the election, but you know, the most important things Christians understand are not up for human election.”
When the two men discussed the RNC’s decision to weaken the party’s stance against abortion, both expressed they see that choice as extremely serious. Perkins referenced some “sideline conversations” he has had while at the convention. “They expect people just to fall in line,” he said. But the pro-life cause was the very reason why he “entered the political arena.”
“And to think that we would just walk away from this and say, ‘Oh, doesn’t really matter, just another one of those issues,’” akin to disagreeing about whether or not to have marginal tax rate, said Perkins, shows “they don’t understand: This is core truth and we cannot, will not, abandon it.”
Citing the “conservative party’s massive loss” in Great Britain on July 4, Mohler said, “They deserve to lose because they had given up conservatism 20 years ago. If the Republicans do that, they should expect to lose their conservative base.”
“Conservative Christians are not committed primarily to a party identification. We are committed primarily to truth,” he said, “and that fundamental truth begins with the sanctity of human life in the political arena. And so I just want to offer a word of warning…if the conservative party’s no longer conservative, then guess what? Conservatives don’t come out to vote for it.”
Mohler drew criticism from some in 2022 for appearing alongside Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio at the National Conservatism Conference.
Later that year, at the Pray, Vote, Stand Summit, Mohler emphasized the importance of voting and of voting correctly. “[Christians] need to understand that insofar as they do not vote or they vote wrongly, they are unfaithful,” he said. “Because the vote is a powerful stewardship.”
At the summit, the SBTS president again appeared alongside several Republican politicians, and some people took Mohler to be implying that faithful voting meant voting Republican.
ChurchLeaders has reached out to Dr. Albert Mohler for comment and will update this article in the event of a reply.
