Christian Post editor leaves over editorial ‘that positions them on Team Trump’

An editor at The Christian Post announced his resignation late Monday, citing a recent editorial that he said positioned the evangelical publication “on Team Trump.”

“Today, rather abruptly, I was forced to make the difficult choice to leave The Christian Post. They decided to publish an editorial that positions them on Team Trump,” tweeted Napp Nazworth, who has worked for the Post since 2011 and whose Twitter bio includes the hashtag #NeverTrump.

Announcement: Today, rather abruptly, I was forced to make the difficult choice to leave The Christian Post. They decided to publish an editorial that positions them on Team Trump. I can’t be an editor for a publication with that editorial voice. …

— Napp Nazworth (@NappNazworth) December 24, 2019

Nazworth’s resignation came after the news site published an editorial earlier Monday.

In the editorial, John Grano and Richard Land accused Christianity Today editor Mark Galli, who called for President Trump’s removal from office, of “obvious elitist disdain and corrosive condescension for fellow Christians with whom he disagrees,” which they write “may well do far more long-term damage to American Christianity and its witness than any current prudential support for President Trump will ever cause.”

“I can’t be an editor for a publication with that editorial voice,” tweeted Nazworth. “I’m saddened by what happened for many reasons. I’ve been with CP for over 8.5 years, made many friendships, and had lots of exciting opportunities along the way.”

In the past, he tweeted, “when the editors had disagreements, we would work through them, letting those discussions and debates inform and improve our coverage.”

“Now, CP has chosen to go in a different direction. Like so many other media companies, they’ve chosen to silo themselves,” he added.

When the editors had disagreements, we would work through them, letting those discussions and debates inform and improve our coverage. Now, CP has chosen to go in a different direction. Like so many other media companies, they’ve chosen to silo themselves. …

— Napp Nazworth (@NappNazworth) December 24, 2019

Grano said in a statement to The Hill on Tuesday that there “is no overt statement of support for president Trump in our opinion piece beyond emphasizing a need for the due process that he is afforded under the Constitution.”

“Rather, it criticizes as unbiblical Christian elitists who look down upon their opponents as inferior, and warns that elitism in the nation’s national security and law enforcement bureaucracies is a danger to the nation,” he added.

Later on Tuesday the publication addressed Nazworth’s departure.

“The Christian Post does not normally discuss personnel matters though we would like to say that we are so very grateful for Napp’s contribution over these many years and we wish him the best,” the Christian Post said in a statement to The Hill. “We will remain a publication rooted in our Christian faith and committed to objectivity in our reporting and diversity in our opinions.”

Christianity Today, founded by Billy Graham in 1956, made headlines earlier this month when it called for Trump’s removal. Evangelicals are one of the president’s most reliable bases of support, and Trump himself blasted the Christianity Today on Twitter, calling it “far left.”

Galli said that despite the backlash, the magazine has seen a spike in subscriptions since the editorial.

–This report was updated at 4:57 p.m.