What is the Samaritan’s Purse controversy?

I thought the thing about Samaritans was that they were good? According to the Bible story, they’re the most unproblematic sort ever to grace the planet. It would seem Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian aid group providing COVID-19 relief, have sullied some reputations. What’s the controversy?

What is Samaritan’s Purse?

Samaritan’s Purse is an evangelical humanitarian aid group that has provided medical relief to disaster-affected areas around the world. Founded in 1970 by Paster Robert Pierce, the organization began as a missionary operation before it finally set up its first field hospital in Ecuador after a devastating earthquake in 2016. Samaritan’s Purse has since provided medical aid in Iraq during the 2016-2017 Battle of Mosul, and in the Bahamas during Hurricane Dorian in 2023.

So what’s the problem? The problem stems from the organization’s current leader Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham, one of the most prominent evangelical leaders in the 20th century. Franklin Graham takes after his father in many ways, chief of which is his disdain for gay people. Franklin Graham is a vocal opponent of LGBTQ rights, and once expressed his support for draconian anti-gay legislation sponsored by Vladimir Putin in Russia. He frequently compounds upon his homophobia with anti-Islamic remarks, calling for Muslims to be banned from traveling to America and claiming that Barak Obama had allowed the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ to infiltrate the upper echelons of the United States government. His hateful and inflammatory remarks nearly got him banned from entering the U.K.

As a result of their leader’s words and deeds, Samaritan’s Purse has faced heavy criticism and opposition. LGBTQ activists and allies were quick to protest the organization after they set up a field hospital in Central Park during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Reclaim Pride Coalition lambasted officials at Mount Sinai hospital and in the New York City government for partnering with the organization. “How was this group ever considered to bring their hatred and their vitriol into our city at a time of crisis when our people are fighting a pandemic?” Reclaim Pride activity Jay W. Walker asked. Good question. But what do the bigoted views of the organization’s founder have to do with the doctors on the ground providing COVID-19 relief? Sadly, they’re deeply linked.

According to Samaritan’s Purse official policies, volunteers and contractors must sign a “statement of faith” that includes an article saying “God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason, we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female.”

Council Speaker Corey Johnson, an openly gay NYC official, expressed his concern. “Franklin Graham has a long history of spewing anti-LGBTQ hate speech, and I find it extremely troubling that he and his organization are involved in our relief efforts in any way,” Johnson said in a statement. “New York City is known around the world for our embrace of diversity, and Franklin Graham has spent his career standing against these values. I will be monitoring this situation closely and making sure that our city’s values are being represented at all times.”

According to Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse does not discriminate when it comes to providing medical care to those in need. “We provide our services to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation,” Graham said in an interview. “We don’t discriminate. Period.” But when it comes to the doctors and volunteers they employ, they certainly do. According to the group’s website, the chief aim of Samaritan’s Purse is not to provide medical care, but to proselytize. “The primary mission of Samaritan’s Purse is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we seek volunteers who have the same mindset. We ask that volunteers review our Statement of Faith and agree to support the ministry guidelines of Samaritan’s Purse”.

Religious leaders in New York City struck back. Sarah Ngu, the queer executive director of the post-evangelical church Forefront NYC, published a statement on her organization’s website telling Samaritan’s Purse to shape up or get out. “We strongly oppose the requirement of Samaritan’s Purse that all volunteers sign a statement of faith on marriage, and we believe they should not return to New York City after they leave in two weeks unless they drop this requirement,” Ngu said. Ngu went on to say that the Samaritan’s Purse policy of “forcing employees and volunteers to choose between their queerness and serving others” renders their healthcare “hollow” and “hypocritical”. Couldn’t agree more.