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PCA Cancels Panel on Political Polarization Following Backlash to David French Invite

  • Michael Foust Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
  • Published May 16, 2024
PCA Cancels Panel on Political Polarization Following Backlash to David French Invite

The Presbyterian Church in America this week canceled a panel discussion on political polarization at its general assembly following opposition to one of the panelists, David French, who has been outspoken in his critique of former president Donald Trump. That panel discussion, “How to Be Supportive of Your Pastor and Church Leaders in a Polarized Political Year,” was scheduled to take place June 12 in Richmond, Va., during the denomination’s 51st annual General Assembly and would have included four guests: Grove City College president Paul McNulty, New Hope Presbyterian Church (Va.) pastor David Coffin, Georgia Center for Opportunity president Randy Hicks, and French, a New York Times columnist who recently helped launch a small group course, The After Party: Toward Better Christian Politics, with the goal of helping Christians think biblically about politics. 

French’s past comments about Trump and evangelicals sparked an online backlash against his spot on the panel. French is a former attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom who has argued Trump has abandoned Reagan conservatism.

In December, French wrote, “A godless man, Donald Trump, may now possess more devoted support from white evangelical Christians than any other president in the history of the United States.” In 2021, he said, “When you see such a large segment of American Christianity, of white evangelicalism in particular, tie itself so closely to one political party and to one man, Donald Trump, you’re not exactly tying the faith to virtue.”

On Tuesday, a PCA committee canceled the panel discussion.

“The concerns that have been raised about the seminar and its topic have been so significant that it seems wisest for the peace and unity of the church not to proceed in this way,” the committee said in a statement. “Instead, the seminar time will be allocated to a prayer convocation that humbly petitions our God for the good of his church in a polarized political year, utilizing the means of grace provided by our Lord for his people.”

PCA Stated Clerk Bryan Chapell said the “purpose of the seminar was to help our churches deal with political tensions and, instead, controversy has ensued.”

“This is contrary to the intended purposes of the seminar and the purposes that AC members and staff have so conscientiously pursued with me over the last four years,” Chapell said. “We have worked together to advance the peace and unity of the church, trying to build trust and godly expression among those of differing viewpoints.”

Ben C. Dunson, a teaching elder within the PCA, wrote in a May 9 American Reformer column that French should not have been invited. 

“Virtually everything French writes or says is about the danger posed to America by Donald Trump and a sizeable percentage of the Republican Party and evangelical church,” Dunson wrote. “And French routinely besmirches the character of Christians who disagree with him on these issues.”

Marvin Olasky, former editor in chief of World Magazine and a PCA member, applauded the panel for inviting French.

“I might have a slight sympathy for the critics if French were the keynote speaker, but -- lighten up, guys -- he’s on a panel, and he’ll make it more interesting that it otherwise might be,” Olasky wrote at Current. “We might remember that the PCA politically has red, blue, and purple churches (I’m blessed to be an elder in a purple one), and if we can’t get along with each other how do we expect the U.S not to fall apart?”

Photo credit: ©Presbyterian Church in America / @PCAByFaith on X/Twitter

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.