Los Angeles church struggles to remain neutral, members leave over political differences

A Los Angeles church is struggling to balance politics, forcing some congregation members to leave due to differences.

The Rev. Jonathan Hall tried to figure out “what is ‘too political’ for a house of worship — or whether ‘being political’ is the whole point of the gospel,” according to a Washington Post report.

Hall’s First Christian Church of North Hollywood, a “politically mixed congregation,” struggled with political differences before and after the presidential election, when President-elect Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in a crushing victory.

Hall, a native of Alabama, led the Church north of Los Angeles for two years. Its goal is to unify the Church, but this poses a challenge.

“Persuading Republicans, Democrats and independents in his pews to stay and pray with each other is becoming increasingly complicated,” the Post reported.

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The Post further reports: “When preaching what the Bible says about the mandate to care for migrants, Hall focuses on the story of Mary and Joseph rather than modern-day wanderers. He chose a book of Bible readings that features a specific text for every Sunday, so no one could question whether his choices were making a political statement. »

“And when someone tells him they think a sermon was aimed at a specific politician, he says, ‘That’s one way of looking at it!'”

Los Angeles has generally been a liberal city for several decades. The city has not voted for a Republican mayor since 1993.

Data from the November presidential election shows that Los Angeles residents voted for Trump more than many polls predicted.

Trump won more votes in Los Angeles than in 2020, getting about 40% of the vote to 34%. Furthermore, Trump improved his vote share across the country, starting in conservative areas but expanding to deeply Democratic states.

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Several worshipers left the church due to their political differences. One member cited a film Hall planned to show about Christian nationalism that was “too one-sided” and “anti-Republican.”

Others left after discovering their peers were attending Trump’s inauguration.

“Someone else left services early on the Sunday after the election, feeling that a leader on stage was too focused on consoling people who had voted for Vice President Kamala Harris,” the Post added.

“If you go to a football game, one side wins and everyone leaves. With a church (and elections), it’s like everyone is still there,” Hall said.

He went on to say, “The popcorn is still on the floor, the Coca-Cola cups, the mess. Fifty percent of the people are upset and we have to pick up the pieces.”

First Christian is part of the Disciples of Christ denomination and serves more than 1,000 members. The denomination’s origin was founded to “unify Christian groups that had become fractured over theology and styles of worship.”

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“If I’m a good pastor, I’ll comfort you and confront you. But I also have to be a prophet, right? You’re supposed to come to church looking for life-changing questions.”

“Before Hall, the same pastor had led First Christian for 52 years. Congregants say the late Rev. Robert M. Bock did not speak out on contemporary political issues in the Church – even during the Vietnam War, which marked the start of his tenure is trying to forge a new path,” the Post reported.

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