A conservative California preacher invited to deliver the invocation as a guest chaplain in the U.S. House last month has drawn the ire of self-identified atheist Rep. Jared Huffman and 25 other House Democrats.
Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills, who spoke of "a coming day of judgment," in his Jan. 30 invocation, is described in the Democrats' letter of protest as a "Radical Christian Nationalist who helped fuel the January 6th insurrection and [who] has a long record of hateful vitriol toward non-Christians, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community." In their letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who invited the evangelical leader to offer the prayer, Democrats cite a particular reference to "National sins" that is part of Mr. Hibbs' 257-word invocation.
According to a published transcript of the Jan. 30 invocation, that key passage cited by Democrats reads: "Hear my cry in this hour of great need that we might be humbly blessed before You in repentance of our national sins." The objectors noted Mr. Hibbs is not a resident of Mr. Johnson's district, which the letter claims "Makes a mockery" of the chamber's guidelines for inviting guest chaplains.
They also wrote that Rep. Mark Pocan, Wisconsin Democrat, has been unsuccessful in attempting to invite "Nontheistic Chaplain Dan Barker," who heads the Freedom From Religion Foundation, as a guest chaplain.
Those guidelines may not always have been followed in recent months, however: Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, spoke on the floor to welcome His Holiness Aram the First, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy See of Cilicia, who lives in Beirut, Lebanon, to give the invocation on Nov. 9 last year.
The White House confirmed that Russia is developing a space-based military capability that poses a national security threat, but insisted there is no immediate danger to the U.S. The Washington Times contacted the speaker's office for comment and asked a spokeswoman for Rep. Huffman whether he objected to the Aram the First invitation.
According to the House Chaplain's website, chaplains have been elected for the House since May 1, 1789, when the Rev. William Linn, a Presbyterian, was chosen by members, continuing "a tradition established by the Continental Congress."
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/feb/15/jack-hibbs-decried-democrats-christian-nationalist/
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