Staff Reports
A conservative news outlet this week picked up a past podcast exchange from Adam Hamilton, the senior pastor of the Church of the Resurrection who is now the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Kansas. In that episode Hamilton told listeners he “chooses to believe” in the Virgin Birth but also said that not every Christian has to accept it as a literal fact. With the Kansas Senate contest razor-close, those comments are suddenly campaign fodder — and Kansas voters should know what their nominee has been saying about core Christian teachings.
The comments and the source
Hamilton made the remarks on his own “Making Sense of Faith” podcast, answering a listener who asked whether the Christmas story must be read literally. He said he “suspends [his] logic” and “chooses to believe” in the virgin birth, while pointing out that Matthew and Luke tell the story but other New Testament writings do not. Hamilton emphasized it’s a theological claim, not a biology lesson, and told doubters “that’s okay” as long as they follow Jesus. The original audio is on his church’s podcast feed; the conservative piece that reopened the issue this week quoted the episode and framed the comments as politically relevant.
Why this matters in Kansas
Kansas is not New York City, and many voters take church teachings seriously. The state’s Christian conservatives want to know whether a Senate candidate shares their view of Scripture and creed. Hamilton is already walking a tightrope: he leads a megachurch, calls himself a moderate, and also has public stances on abortion, same-sex marriage, and other hot-button issues that differ from conservative voters. Add a headline that a candidate thinks belief in the Virgin Birth is optional, and you have a story opponents can use to question his authenticity.
Faith talk vs. campaign talk
Choosing beliefs isn’t the same as winning votes
Hamilton’s approach — treating certain Bible stories as metaphorical while personally “choosing” belief — is a mainstream mainline Protestant reading. But politics is not a theology seminar. When a candidate tells voters religion can be optional or flexible, conservative voters hear wishy-washy. Saying “I choose to believe” sounds more like picking a dinner special than affirming the creeds historically held by many Kansas churchgoers. If U.S. Senator Roger Marshall’s team wants to sharpen the contrast, the audio is there for the taking.
Bottom line
In a race this close, old podcast clips become new headlines and theological nuance becomes political liability. Voters in Kansas deserve clear answers: is Adam Hamilton running as a pastor who upholds historic Christian belief, or as a politician who treats faith as a private preference? Either way, this episode shows why every word from a candidate — especially on faith — matters. Expect more of the same as both sides press every advantage in what looks like a tight contest for the U.S. Senate.
