'They use faith to justify violence': Trump adviser Pastor Burns criticizes ROC representatives' visit to the United States
The pastor wrote about this on his X page.
"Let me be clear: When a church stands hand in glove with a regime that blesses bombs and traffics in death, we cannot pretend we are meeting simply for spiritual dialogue.
We are entering a battle for the soul of the Gospel. This is spiritual warfare. The Russian Orthodox Church has publicly blessed military hardware, aligned itself with the war machine of Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin, and worn the uniform of aggression rather than the robe of the Good Shepherd.
As a Spiritual Diplomat, I urge our leaders, our churches, and every believer: Let us exercise discernment, not simply diplomacy. Let us stand for faith that elevates life, not ideologies that destroy it. The Gospel does not bless bombs or strategize assault. It ministers mercy, seeks justice, and lifts the oppressed.
To U.S. officials: Engage wisely. To faith leaders: Protect the integrity of our witness.
To the Church universal: We must ask ourselves who we are aligning with when we sit at the table. If your partner stands with cruelty, your platform becomes compromised.
Now is the time to lift our voices and pray for Ukraine, for all innocent lives caught in this war, and for the Church worldwide to reclaim its call to be peacemakers. May we not be silent when faith is used to justify violence. May we instead be bold when truth is opposed," wrote the pastor.
RISU reported that a delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church has arrived in Washington for meetings with Congress and the White House. Their agenda includes discussions about what they describe as "the oppression of Christians in Ukraine."
According to RISU, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) is actively working to expand its political influence in the United States. This initiative includes a visit aimed at lobbying members of Congress and their staff, as outlined in a collective letter prepared by lawmakers for the U.S. Attorney General.
A group of Republicans in the House of Representatives has requested Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Russian intelligence services are attempting to manipulate Orthodox churches in the U.S. that have connections to Moscow.
The Republicans emphasize that this pro-Russian visit includes lobbyists and clergy associated with the Russian Orthodox Church who are campaigning on Capitol Hill and meeting with the Trump administration.
Such developments raise "legitimate concerns" that the ROCOR or other Russian Orthodox jurisdictions "could serve as vehicles for intelligence collection or foreign influence operations directed at U.S. policymakers."
