This is in regards to pastor Greg Barkman’s guest column in the July 7 edition of Sunday’s Time-News. The reverend couldn’t be much more open about using this column as an endorsement for Donald Trump. What happened to the concept of separation of church and state? Does this open the door for pastors using their pulpit, either literally or in print, to boost the fortunes of their favorite candidate? Are we ready for a column trumpeting (no pun intended) Joe Biden or Elizabeth Warren by a local minister? And what of the members of Reverend Barkman’s Beacon Baptist Church? Should they follow their own conscience at the voting booth or feel obliged to follow their spiritual leader who presents a sometimes skewed representation of the president’s attributes?

The Times-News publishes columns from professional journalists which cover both sides of the political spectrum. But throwing a blatant endorsement by a local religious leader into the newspaper (especially on a Sunday) strikes me as inappropriate.

John Alfano