Hillary Clinton's campaign has received harsh criticism after leaked emails revealed "a contempt for all traditional Christians," according to a letter from Christian leaders.
"As Christian leaders, Catholic and Evangelical, we collectively express our outrage at the demeaning and troubling rhetoric used by those within Secretary Clinton's campaign — and those associated with the campaign — to describe our communities," the letter began.
The signers proceed to single out Clinton campaign chairman, John Podesta, who was copied on the emails, for not taking action.
"Podesta's refusal to raise any objection makes him equally party to this bigotry. It is inexcusable. It is shameful. It is un-American.
"Historically, Evangelicals and Catholics have had significant theological differences, dating back to the Protestant Reformation. In spite of those differences there has been a mutual respect for one another and an ability to work together on important issues of mutual concern.
"The WikiLeaks emails reveal a contempt for all traditional Christians, and we are —Catholic and Evangelical — united in our outrage and united in our call for Mrs. Clinton to immediately apologize for the Christophobic behavior of her associates.
The letter is signed by dozens of leaders, including Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, N.C., Elaine Donnelly, writer and founder of the Center for Military Readiness, Everett Piper, president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, and Jack Graham, president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
According to sociologists David Williamson and George Yancey, authors of "So Many Christians, So Few Lions: Is There Christianophobia in the United States," most anti-Christians are wealthy, well-educated, and white.
"The general image they have of Christians is that they are a backward, non-critical thinking, child-like people who do not like science and want to interfere with the lives of everyone else," Yancey told the Christian Post in an interview.
"But even worse, they see ordinary Christians as having been manipulated by evil Christian leaders and will vote in whatever way those leaders want," he continued. "They believe that those leaders are trying to set up a theocracy to force everybody to accept their Christian beliefs. So, for some with Christianophobia, this is a struggle for our society and our ability to move toward a progressive society. Christians are often seen as the great evil force that blocks our society from achieving this progressive paradise."