The pastor of Alabama’s largest church has come under fire for following and liking social media posts by Charlie Kirk, president of the conservative non-profit Turning Point USA, a high school and college campus organization often controversial for its political stances.
A Birmingham high school English teacher did a post on Facebook pointing out that Pastor Chris Hodges, founder of the Church of the Highlands, repeatedly “liked” social media posts by Kirk.
“I do not attend Church of the Highlands,” said Jasmine Faith Clisby, who teaches English at Carver High School, has a degree in English from the University of Alabama, a master’s degree in education from UAB and is working on a doctorate in education at UAB.
“I would be upset if it comes off as me judging him,” she said. “It’s not that. I’m not saying he’s a racist. I’m saying he likes someone who post things that do not seem culturally sensitive to me.”
She said she found it objectionable and noteworthy that Hodges followed Kirk on social media.
“One of the main things Kirk harps on is white privilege being a myth,” Clisby said.
“I found something troubling," Clisby said. "I can’t see into Pastor Chris Hodges’ heart.”
One meme shared by Kirk featured a photo of Donald Trump standing alongside Muhammad Ali and Rosa Parks, with the caption, “The racist Donald Trump in the 1980s,” next to a photo of Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam in a photo of two men wearing blackface and a KKK costume in a 1984 yearbook photo for Eastern Virginia Medical School. The caption for the second photo was “Progressive Leftist Ralph Northam in the 1980s.”
Clisby also shared a screen shot of that post with Hodges as one of those who “liked” the post on social media. Another screen shot showed Hodges liking a post about former President Barack Obama playing golf beneath a quote from Michelle Obama urging people to stay home except for essential activities. Another screen shot shows Hodges liking a photo of Kirk donating blood above the sentence, “We all must do our part to defeat China Virus.”
Hodges, who has been active in the Evangelicals for Trump Coalition, addressed racism in his online sermon Sunday morning and mentioned the social media post.
“White supremacy or any supremacy other than Christ, is of the devil,” Hodges said. “Some have even brought our church or even me into question. They’re wondering, where do you really stand? I think some saw something on social media that questioned my character. And, I’ll own it, by the way, but that is not what I believe.”
Hodges devoted much of his morning sermon on Sunday and a prayer service on Saturday morning to discussing racism.
“It has been an incredibly tough season for our nation,” Hodges said Sunday. “Not only the coronavirus, which has tensions at their highest, but of course the racial injustices we’re experiencing,” he said.
“On Monday, once again, an unarmed black man died needlessly, as a police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck," Hodges said. "I know with each new incident, with this one, Ahmaud Arbery, I think of Atatiana Jefferson, it’s disgraceful that racism, injustice, bigotry, prejudice, still even exists at all. I want you to know that I believe it makes God angry and it makes us angry too. I know we need to do something. We need to pray. We need to be the church. But Proverbs 31 says to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Ensure justice for those who are being crushed. Think of that verse. Speak up for the poor and the helpless. Be sure that they get justice. I know our nation needs healing. It needs change. There’s many things that need to take place, beyond just prayer. I think prayer is probably the most important, personally I believe that. But I recognize a lot needs to be done. But as the Bible teaches, as Jesus teaches, as Dr. King taught so beautifully, that hatred cannot drive out hatred, violence doesn’t heal violence. It’s okay to be angry about an unfair system, injustices, but Romans 12:21 says don’t be overcome by that evil, overcome the evil with good. And I recognize that we need to speak up. People have asked, is Highlands going to say anything? I feel like we have, but I will make sure today. If that has not been clear to you, I’m going to make sure today that racism, bigotry, prejudice are real, they exist, and they are of the devil.
“It is not what we teach," Hodges said. "I understand how this has made you feel and I apologize. Honestly, it’s understandable to me. I don’t take it personally. I know people are hurting right now and they want clarity. I would love for you to not just look at a microscopic zoom-in but look at the totality of 37 years of ministry and 19 years as a church. If you look at that it will be abundantly clear that we value every person. For every person that has been marginalized, rejected or belittled, abused or even afraid because of how God made you, Tammy and I, the Church of the Highlands family, stand with you.”
Hodges added, “We will never stop fighting for liberty and justice for all. I love you. I’m sorry for perhaps the way you feel. I beg for us to come together in unity under the name of Jesus. And I really believe that God will heal our land.”
Clisby said she listened to Hodges’ sermon on Sunday and his reference to the social media.
“He admitted to it; he owns up to it,” she said. “He says he doesn’t believe that.”
Clisby said she was making a point about cultural sensitivity.
“With the racial unrest going on in our country, awareness is important in things that spark up tough conversations,” she said. “He more than likely is a great man. When we come from different backgrounds, it’s hard for those worlds to intertwine. We don’t talk about things that are hard to discuss.”
While majority white, the Church of the Highlands draws thousands of black worshippers, including at two inner-city Birmingham congregations, meeting at Woodlawn High School and at Parker High School in west Birmingham. Former Auburn University football player Mayo Sowell, who is black, is the campus pastor at the Parker High School location and preaches the sermons there. At more than 20 other branch locations across the state, sermons by Hodges were shown on video as part of in-person worship services before shutting down as a precaution against the coronavirus. For the past 12 weeks, the Church of the Highlands has held online worship services without Sunday morning in-person group gatherings. Hodges has discussed bringing back Sunday in-person worship services by June 21, although no final determination has been made.
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