Jenna Ellis, an ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump who was involved in his battles over the election outcome, spent a fair chunk of her Easter absolutely freaking out on Twitter over a post from Sen. Raphael Warnock, who besides his role in the U.S. Senate is a pastor. Warnock had said, in part, that “through a commitment to helping others, we are able to save ourselves,” and this concept doesn’t seem at all complicated when taken literally. God doesn’t serve in the U.S. Senate — people do, and these people can enact meaningful progress.
Ellis nevertheless pretty much lost it, spending hours tweeting about the subject — although as left-leaning lawyer Max Kennerly jokingly shared, Pope Francis’s own Easter remarks notably reflected Warnock’s idea. The Pope expressed a hope that “migrants fleeing from war and extreme poverty” would “never lack concrete signs of solidarity and human fraternity, a pledge of the victory of life over death that we celebrate on this day.” In other words, the Pope — like Warnock — appeared to be equating help for the suffering with real-world manifestations of the more spiritually oriented salvation that Christians celebrate.
Absolutely appalled to see the Reverend Warnock tweet out this highly politicized, heretical message about Easter, it's just like a radical lefti—ah, shoot, my bad, these are from the Pope's Urbi et Orbi today. Nevermind. pic.twitter.com/oG6ZCD7GkW
— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) April 5, 2021
In a direct response to Warnock’s since-deleted tweet, Ellis accused him of “heresy” and called him a “false teacher.” Characterizing Warnock as not Christian enough certainly has racist undertones. As Ellis put it:
‘This is a false gospel and heresy. We cannot save ourselves. The absolute truth and only meaning of Easter that matters is the literal, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we must accept Him as Lord and Savior. Read Romans, “Reverend” Warnock. You are a false teacher.’
This is a false gospel and heresy. We cannot save ourselves.
The absolute truth and only meaning of Easter that matters is the literal, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we must accept Him as Lord and Savior.
Read Romans, “Reverend” Warnock. You are a false teacher. https://t.co/dRVz0LdKGu
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) April 4, 2021
Warnock deleted his heretical tweet.
He should delete Reverend in front of his name too. pic.twitter.com/6FYNG6LFZ1
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) April 5, 2021
Ellis kept going and going. Among other posts, she also complained about Warnock’s views in favor of women’s rights on abortion. As she put it:
‘Let’s not forget that the “Reverend” Warnock is pro-choice, which is also against the Bible and moral truth. Warnock is a heretic and has no business calling himself a Christian when he does not agree with Christianity and Truth.’
Let’s not forget that the “Reverend” Warnock is pro-choice, which is also against the Bible and moral truth.
Warnock is a heretic and has no business calling himself a Christian when he does not agree with Christianity and Truth.
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) April 5, 2021
Ellis’s apparent first personal message on Twitter about Warnock’s post was at 3:15 p.m. Eastern time. Her tweets on the subject stretch across almost twelve hours, ending — for now — at 2:08 a.m. Eastern time the following morning. Talk about obsession!
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) April 5, 2021