Calvin Robinson, an English-born Michigan priest, had his license revoked by the Anglican Church for imitating the Nazi salute made by Elon Musk at a rally last Jan. 20 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Robinson, a priest in charge at St. Paul’s in Grand Rapids, made the gesture at the end of a speech given Jan. 25 at the National Pro-Life Summit in the capital. The incident did not go unnoticed: the Anglican clergy revoked his license, saying that many saw in his gesture–and Musk’s–as a clear reference to “a pro-Nazi salute.”
“While we cannot say what was in Mr. Robinson’s heart when he did this, his action appears to have been an attempt to curry favor with certain elements of the American political right”, the Church said in a statement, “Mr. Robinson had been warned that online trolling and other such actions (whether in service of the left or right) are incompatible with a priestly vocation and was told to desist. Clearly, he has not, and as such, his license in this Church has been revoked. He is no longer serving as a priest in the ACC”.
“Furthermore, we understand that this is not just an administrative matter”, the Anglican clergy added, “the Holocaust was an episode of unspeakable horror, enacted by a regime of evil men. We condemn Nazi ideology and anti-Semitism in all its forms. And we believe that those who mimic the Nazi salute, even as a joke or an attempt to troll their opponents, trivialize the horror of the Holocaust and diminish the sacrifice of those who fought against its perpetrators. Such actions are harmful, divisive, and contrary to the tenets of Christian charity.”
At the end of his Jan. 25 speech in Washington, D.C., Robinson quoted Musk as telling those in attendance “my heart goes out to you,” before waving an outstretched arm.
However, Calvin Robinson has a history of controversial actions and statements. Before the recent incident, he was blocked from becoming a priest for the Church of England in 2022 due to his “anti-woke views”. He also faced backlash for a social media post suggesting a “Reconquista” to remove Islam from Britain. These actions contributed to his controversial reputation even before the Nazi-like salute incident.
Despite these previous incidents, following the controversy sparked by his gesture the priest explained on his Facebook page that it was simply a joke. “I am not a Nazi,” he wrote on his X page, ”and I forgive you for your ignorance.”
