Vice President of the United States, JD Vance has sharply criticized United Methodist pastor, Adam Hamilton for involvement of his church with an LGBTQ Pride event in Kansas City, prompting and already escalated heated political and religious debate ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
While speaking at a campaign rally in Olathe, Kansas, on September 14,3026, Vance threw shades at Hamilton, who is the Democratic nominee challenging Republican Sen. Roger Marshall for a Kansas Senate seat. Vance mainly focused on Hamilton’s Church of the Resurrection and its sponsorship of KC PrideFest.
Vance emphasized that the church’s involvement connected Hamilton to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a charitable LGBTQ organization known for members appearing in nun-inspired drag attire and using religious imagery in performances and activism.
During his remarks on the issues, Vance in his own opinion described the group as an “anti-Christian hate group” and accused them of mocking Christianity. He also connected the organization to the controversy surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers’ which happens in 2023 Pride Night, when the team honored its Los Angeles chapter with a Community Hero Award.
Hamilton’s church has participated in Pride events as part of its outreach to the LGBTQ community. The Associated Press has reported that Hamilton’s views on LGBTQ issues have evolved over time and that his congregation now operates a queer-inclusive ministry and participates in Pride activities.
However, the connection between Hamilton personally and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence has become a point of dispute. Bishop David Wilson of the United Methodist Church’s Great Plains Conference publicly criticized the rhetoric surrounding Hamilton and said the pastor and his church had been subjected to accusations that misrepresented their work.
The controversy reflects on a broader clash over Christianity, LGBTQ inclusion and the role of religious beliefs in American politics. With Hamilton campaigning for the Senate while continuing his ministry, his theological positions and church activities have become central issues in the among the Kansas race.
