Christian leaders representing tens of millions warn Christianity Today

President Donald J. Trump prepares to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, en route to Hollywood, Florida. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)

Nearly 200 evangelical leaders issued a letter to Christianity Today Editor-in-Chief Mark Galli in opposition to his editorial calling for President Trump to be impeached.

"Of course, it's up to your publication to decide whether or not your magazine intends to be a voice of evangelicals like those represented by the signatories below, and it is up to us and those evangelicals like us to decide if we should subscribe to, advertise in and read your publication online and in print, but historically, we have been your readers," signed by leaders such as James Dobson, Mat Staver and Brad Dacus.

The leaders said they were astonished when Galli "further offensively dismissed our point of view on CNN by saying, 'Christianity Today is not read by the people - Christians on the far right, by evangelicals on the far right - so they're going to be as dismissive of the magazine as President Trump has shown to be.'"

"It also came to our attention, that Mr. Galli has written other statements about Americans who chose Donald Trump over Secretary Clinton in 2016, referring to them as 'These other evangelicals [who] often haven't finished college, and if they have jobs, and apparently most of them don't, they are blue-collar jobs or entry level work' as he describes himself with pride as an 'elite evangelical.'"

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The leaders insisted they are "not 'far-right' evangelicals as characterized by the author."

"Rather, we are Bible-believing Christians and patriotic Americans who are simply grateful that our president has sought our advice as his administration has advanced policies that protect the unborn, promote religious freedom, reform our criminal justice system, contribute to strong working families through paid family leave, protect the freedom of conscience, prioritize parental rights, and ensure that our foreign policy aligns with our values while making our world safer, including through our support of the state of Israel. We are not theocrats, and we recognize that our imperfect political system is a reflection of the fallen world within which we live, reliant upon the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is freely given to sinner and saint, alike. "

Franklin Graham, CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, whose father, Billy Graham, launched Christianity Today, disclosed last week his father voted for Trump, believing he was the man the nation needed at the time.

James Dobson, the founder of the James Dobson Family Institute and Family Talk, also commented separately, noting he was speaking for himself, not his organization.

He pointed out that Christianity Today "didn't tell us who should take his place in the aftermath."

"Maybe the magazine would prefer a president who is passionately pro-abortion, anti-family, hostile to the military, dispassionate toward Israel, supports a socialist form of government, promotes confiscatory taxation, opposes school choice, favors men in women's sports and boys in girl's locker rooms, promotes the entire LGBTQ agenda, opposes parental rights, and distrusts evangelicals and anyone who is not politically correct," Dobson wrote.

"By the way, after Christianity Today has helped vacate the Oval Office, I hope they will tell us if their candidate to replace Mr. Trump will fight for religious liberty and the Bill of Rights? Give your readers a little more clarity on why President Trump should be turned out of office after being duly elected by 63 million voters? Is it really because he made a phone call that displeased you? There must be more to your argument than that. While Christianity Today is making its case for impeachment, I hope the editors will now tell us who they support for president among the Democrat field. That should tell us the rest of the story," Dobson said.

Franklin Graham also pointed out Trump's accomplishments.

"Look at all the president has accomplished in a very short time. The economy of our nation is the strongest it has been in 50 years, ISIS & the caliphate have been defeated, and the president has renegotiated trade deals to benefit all Americans. The list of accomplishments is long, but for me as a Christian, the fact that he is the most pro-life president in modern history is extremely important – —and Christianity Today wants us to ignore that, to say it doesn't count? The president has been a staunch defender of religious freedom at home and around the world – and Christianity Today wants us to ignore that? Also the president has appointed conservative judges in record number – and Christianity today wants us to ignore that? Christianity Today feels he should be removed from office because of false accusations that the president emphatically denies," Franklin Graham said.

The Christian Post published the letter from the nearly 200 evangelical leaders.

It was addressed to Timothy Dalrymple, the president of Christianity Today.

The leaders said the editorial "offensively questioned the spiritual integrity and Christian witness of tens-of-millions of believers who take seriously their civic and moral obligations."

The Post report said Galli, who is retiring in January, is aware he's not likely to change many people's opinions.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins also criticized Christianity Today's editorial in an interview with Shannon Bream on "Fox News @Night."

Perkins asked whether CT had written editorials "condemning the Obama administration's actions in thwarting Congress' investigation into Fast and Furious, or refusing to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act, or forcing Christian-owned businesses to pay for birth control and abortion-inducing drugs under the HHS' Obamacare mandate."

Among the signatories were Doug Anderson of Rose Heights Church, former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, Gary Bauer of American Values, Steve Berger of Grace Chapel Nashville, Gary Blackard of Adult & Teen Challenge, Paul Blair of Libety Pastors Network, Mario Bramnick of Latino Coalition for Israel, Paula White Cain of City of Destiny, Tim Clinton of the American Association of Christian Counselors, Brad Dacus of Pacific Justice Institute, James Dobson of the James Dobson Family Institute, Jerry Falwell Jr of Liberty University, Tim Hill of the Church of God, Mike Huckabee of My Faith Votes, Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church, Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas, Alveda King of Civil Rights for the Unborn, Eric Metaxas of the Eric Metaxas Radio Show, Penny Nancy of Concerned Women for America, Rod Parsley of World Harvest Church, Ralph Reed of the Faith and Freedom Coalition and Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel.