At the five-hour mashup of memorial service, evangelical Christian revival, and political rally for Charlie Kirk this past Sunday afternoon, President Trump articulated several incredibly troubling sentiments. The most important of these: his musings on hate. As part of his remarks, Mr. Trump declared, “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them.” He then offered a follow up to Kirk’s widow who had just talked about love and had forgiven the assassin who had killed her husband, “Sorry Erika.” The tone, though, didn’t feel like he was actually sorry at all. Instead, it was more sorry, not sorry.

And since then: only the silence of evangelical leaders and pastors of evangelical churches regarding Mr. Trump’s assertion of hate rather than love, vengeance rather than forgiveness. I’m sure those leaders weren’t exactly surprised that the President invoked hate during the service, since expressing hatred is one of the things that the President is good at. Still, the silence— yet again— of the evangelical community in response to decidedly unchristian things the President says is staggering and insulting to anyone who actually tries to walk in the ways of the Christian faith.

The most basic, most foundational, most elemental of Christian values is love. The Gospel writers tell us that Jesus was very clear about love. One must love God with one’s whole being, and love one’s neighbor as oneself. It’s called the Greatest Commandment. In the Sermon on the Mount from, Matthew 5, Jesus taught:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. [Matthew 5:43-48, NRSV]

Love is a hard road to follow, and most of us aren’t very good at living the greatest commandment, but it is the road that is set before each and every Christian. There is no other.

Evangelical leaders who choose to ignore or dismiss the hatred in the words and actions of Mr. Trump because, after all, Trump is accomplishing so many of the things on their “to do” list, demonstrate the flimsiness and vacuity of their own faith. Many of those evangelical leaders will observe that the President is not the “Pastor in Chief” and that there are examples in the Bible of unworthy people who end up doing what is assumed to be God’s will. It’s not that Mr. Trump must share the faith, as long as he’s getting evangelical projects done. To declare his hatred, though, of the “opponent” with such clarity during a Christian memorial service ought to be considered a complete out-of-bounds moment, especially as it undermined and showered contempt upon the grieving widow who, even in her profound grief, was able to speak anguished words informed and framed by the challenging faith she endeavors to follow. The disrespect shown to Erika Kirk by the President deserves a clear and vehement response from evangelicals.

I won’t hold my breath. But, I will grieve the continued abuses directed at the Christian faith, inflicted and promoted by those who claim to be Christians themselves.