Mike Pence pauses while administering the oath of office to Energy Secretary Rick Perry, March 2, 2017. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
The founder of a group dedicated to making “disciples of Jesus Christ in the political arena” has been leading a Bible study with top members of the Trump administration.
Ralph Drollinger of Capitol Ministries has been working with cabinet members including Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price on a weekly basis, according to a report by the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). Vice President Mike Pence sponsors the meetings.
Capitol Ministries claims to “stay away from politics” on its website, but its stated mission is to “reach public servants for Christ at every stop along their career paths…as they ascend to higher office” in the hopes that “the impact of the Gospel will be increased in every strata of government.” CBN reports that Drollinger “founded Capitol Ministries with the idea that if you change the hearts of lawmakers, then their Christian worldview will guide them to make good policies.”
Drollinger says the cabinet’s Bible study is “likely the first of its kind in almost 100 years.”
In an interview with CBN, he praised the cabinet members on their participation in the group, singling out Sessions. “He’ll go out the same day I teach him something and I’ll see him do it on camera and I just think, ‘Wow, these guys are faithful, available, and teachable and they’re at Bible study every week they’re in town.'”
President Trump does not attend the Bible study himself but does receive a copy of the scripture lesson every week.
While Trump’s support remains strong among white evangelical Christians, a number of Christian groups have expressed disapproval of his policies, including his plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches, and the progressive Christian advocacy group Sojourners have all been active in recent weeks in protesting the Republican attempts to repeal the law.
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