Adam Hamilton: A Controversial Candidate in Kansas’ Democratic Senate Primary
Adam Hamilton, a leading figure in the Democratic Senate primary in Kansas, is not just a politician—he’s also a Methodist minister. Interestingly, he holds the view that the Bible contains many errors.
Hamilton is the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church Resurrection and is currently campaigning to unseat Republican Senator Roger Marshall. He recently shared his intent to run as an “independent” Democratic candidate with his congregation.
His campaign seems focused primarily on, well, affordability. Yet, he has made some rather controversial statements, particularly regarding his stance on the Bible. In one sermon titled “Is the Bible True?” Hamilton suggests that the text isn’t completely reliable.
In recounting a conversation about the Bible, he claimed, “Would I have won the debate if I could prove just one mistake in the Bible? Absolutely.” He seemed confident in his belief that he could identify “hundreds” of mistakes.
He gave an example, asking, “Where did Jesus ascend into heaven?” He contrasted differing accounts from the Gospels, noting the discrepancy in locations: Luke mentions the Mount of Olives, while Matthew refers to Galilee. Hamilton pointed out the significant distance between these places and concluded, “They can’t both be right; one of them has to be wrong.”
It’s an intriguing point, but perhaps there’s more complexity to the issue. He questioned whether one’s faith could indeed be so fragile if it hinged solely on textual accuracy. “Doesn’t seem like a strong faith to me,” he remarked.
However, an important detail seems to have escaped Hamilton. The Gospel of Matthew doesn’t explicitly state the location of Jesus’ ascension. It features the Great Commission, but the actual ascension is described in the Gospel of Luke, which does mention the Mount of Olives. The Book of Acts also offers similar details.
Despite his misinterpretation, Hamilton downplayed the significance of such errors, suggesting Christians should focus on the fact that the Ascension itself happened, rather than getting bogged down by specifics.
He’s also tackled other biblical questions, discussing stories like that of Noah and Jonah, which only highlight his apparent struggles with the text and its context. Through his teachings, it seems he’s suggesting that the Bible functions more like a “biography” than a divinely inspired document, which some might find troubling.
Interestingly, he implied that Jesus even opposed parts of the Bible, when, in fact, the discussion in scripture indicates that Jesus fulfilled biblical teachings, not abolished them. He urged his followers to interpret the Bible through the lens of Jesus, discarding any content that appears contradictory.
In a peculiar illustration, Hamilton even held up a colander during a sermon, metaphorically suggesting that anything in the Bible that doesn’t align with Jesus’ teachings should be let go.
This approach reflects a broader trend within the United Methodist Church (UMC), which has seen a noticeable shift leftward. As traditional Methodist congregations have branched off to form the Global Methodist Church, the UMC lost over a million members recently, largely due to disagreements over issues like LGBT clergy and marriage.
The changing dynamics in the church have garnered attention, particularly after a 51-year-old Methodist pastor in New York publicly declared they were transgender in front of their congregation.
