Something terrifying is happening around one of Christianity’s most foundational beliefs. Scripture warned long ago that a time would come when sound doctrine would be challenged.
Pastor Adam Hamilton, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Kansas and longtime pastor of the megachurch United Methodist Resurrection, is facing controversy after comments resurfaced in which he said Christians do not have to believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.
According to The Christian Post, Hamilton made the comments during a December 2024 episode of his “Making Sense of Faith” podcast. He said he personally believes in the virgin birth, but questioned whether accepting it is necessary for someone to follow Christ.
“I believe in the virgin birth,” he said. “…I suspend my logic to be able to say, ‘You know what? I don’t know exactly what happened,’ so I’m going with this story. I choose to trust and believe in the virgin birth.”
Hamilton also said it was “OK” for Christians not to believe it, arguing that the doctrine receives little attention in the New Testament outside Matthew and Luke.
“I just want you to follow Jesus. He didn’t come to His disciples and say, ‘Hey, let me tell you the story about how I was conceived and now, if you believe that, you can be one of my disciples…’” Hamilton said.
His campaign told The Christian Post that Hamilton “has always been consistent that he believes in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.”
This controversy arrives at a striking moment.
As Charisma recently reported, belief in the virgin birth has now fallen below 50% among Americans. Research from the American Bible Society found that only 49% believe the virgin birth is at least probably true, while 97% of practicing Christians continue to affirm it.
And that is not the only recent controversy surrounding this doctrine.
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In September, Charisma reported on ministers connected to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, where Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has longstanding ties. The Rev. Babs Miller dismissed the virgin birth as rooted in paganism. At the same time, lead pastor Jim Rigby, whom Talarico has described as a spiritual mentor, has also rejected the virgin birth.
For believers watching the signs of the times, Scripture’s warnings about doctrine are difficult to ignore.
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (MEV), “For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine,” warning that people would gather teachers according to their own desires and “turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths.”
First Timothy 4:1 goes even further: “Now the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith and pay attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.”
The virgin birth is not a peripheral Christian tradition. Matthew and Luke present Christ’s miraculous conception as part of the biblical account of who Jesus is. The church has also confessed this doctrine for centuries through the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
At a time when belief in the virgin birth is already disappearing across America, Christians must decide whether doctrine will bend with the culture or whether the Word of God remains the standard.
Scripture warned that the days would come when people would no longer endure sound doctrine.
The question is whether the church will recognize that those days have already arrived.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Abby at abbytrivett.com.
