Rick Warren’s tweet about Jesus being “in the middle” sparked major backlash on X
A recent tweet by pastor and author Rick Warren has ignited a firestorm of fury online, drawing heated criticism on X for its theological and political implications. The viral post, shared by Warren, and seen by over 3.5 million viewers references John 19:18 and asserts that the “real Jesus” is found “in the middle,” not aligned with either side of the political spectrum.
“John 19:18 ‘They crucified Jesus with two others-one on each side & Jesus in the middle.’
The guys on both sides were thieves.
If you’re looking for the #realJesus, not a caricature disfigured by partisan motivations, you’ll find him in the middle, not on either side.” – Rick Warren (@RickWarren)
The tweet, which suggests that Jesus remains neutral and above political division, immediately sparked a range of reactions. Most notable were reactions pointing to egregious sins promoted by the political left including abortion, gender confusion, child sexual mutilation, and men in women’s sports, leaving many to wonder, how can you be in the middle of those clear and unmistakable sins?
Point taken.
Warren has since removed the post after a flurry of activity and thousands of responses.
Among the most notable responses came from The Babylon Bee’s managing editor Joel Berry, who challenged Warren’s interpretation with a pointed theological counterpoint:
“If you’re going to misuse the story this bad, you should also point out that the thief on the Right is the one that went to heaven lol.” – Joel Berry (@JoelWBerry)
Berry’s response quickly gained traction. His argument highlights an important biblical detail—one of the thieves repented and was promised paradise by Jesus, while the other rejected Him. Many users argued that this detail directly contradicts Warren’s implication that Jesus being in the middle signifies neutrality.
Theological and Political Implications
Warren’s tweet appears to be an attempt at calling for unity and distancing Christ from partisan conflicts. However, critics argue that framing Jesus as a centrist in this way misrepresents both the Gospel and the historical context of the crucifixion.
Biblically, Jesus is neither “left” nor “right” in the modern political sense. Yet, as many have pointed out, His teachings and actions often directly challenged the political and religious establishments of His time. By drawing a parallel between Jesus’ position on the cross and political moderation, Warren’s statement raises questions about whether he is subtly advocating for a specific ideological stance.
Backlash
Social media users were outraged by the tweet. Some pointed to Warren’s past efforts at interfaith dialogue and his evolving stance on certain social issues as evidence of a theological shift.
Adding to the critique, commenter David Biddle emphasized that Jesus is the embodiment of truth, which is not a matter of middle ground:
“Jesus is the truth. The truth is not any type of middle ground. The truth is concrete. There is no middle ground on good and evil. There is no middle ground on what God says is holy and what God says is sin. Jesus was firm on everything and this type of preaching is why so many ‘churched’ are lost.” – David Biddle
Finding the Real Jesus
While there is no political party or leader that perfectly represents the kingdom of God, Warren’s timing on the comment may have been off considering Christians across the nation are rejoicing over the work of the Trump administration in doing so much for Christians. When you look at the last four years under Biden legislating wickedness and the chaos that came with it and compare it with Trump’s moves over the last 30 days, there is no comparison. Trump has taken bold and decisive action for religious freedom, women’s rights in sports, protecting children, standing with Israel, and so much more. These actions can not be ignored and when you look at Biden’s actions, they are more egregious than perhaps any President in history. This is the reason the tweet was met with such glaring opposition. Trump is not our Savior, Jesus Christ alone is that, but that does not negate the fact that Trump is being used by God for such a time as this.
