The Dallas pastor slated to lead a prayer at the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem has made derogatory remarks about Jews, Muslims, and Mormons.
Pastor Robert Jeffress told Fox News Radio on Friday that he would be delivering the opening prayer at the dedication.
He told host Todd Starnes: “In that prayer, I’m going to be recounting God’s history of faithfulness to His people, the Israelites. I’m going to be thanking God for the strong leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, who is absolutely determined to protect Israel. And I’m also going to be thanking God for our President Donald Trump, who had the courage to do what no other US President has done, and that is to officially recognize Jerusalem and to move the embassy. This is another example of promise made, promise kept.”
Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who currently is running for the Senate in Utah, said in a tweet Sunday evening that “Robert Jeffress says ‘you can’t be saved by being a Jew,’ and ‘Mormonism is a heresy from the pit of hell.’ He’s said the same about Islam. Such a religious bigot should not be giving the prayer that opens the United States Embassy in Jerusalem.”
Jeffress responded in a tweet: “Historic Christianity has taught for 2,000 years that salvation is through faith in Christ alone. The fact that I, along with tens of millions of evangelical Christians around the world, continue to espouse that belief, is neither bigoted nor newsworthy.”
Pastor John Hagee, the founder of Christians United for Israel, will deliver the benediction at the ceremony, according to CNN.