James Kastle

    

James Kastle
Kastle in 2016
Born	(1948-08-20) August 20, 1948 Fort Dodge, New Anjou, Superior
Nationality	Superian
Education	New Anjou Lutheran University
Occupation	Pastor, radio host, political commenator
Years active	2008–present
Organization	New Christian Conference of Superior
Political party	United Conservative
Religion	Evangelicalism
Denomination	Evangelical Lutheran

James Warren Kastle (born August 20, 1948) is a Superian Evangelical Lutheran pastor, radio host, author, and televangelist. He's a senior pastor of an evangelical church in Fort Dodge, New Anjou, his home city, and is a contributor to Penguin News. He is the host of a radio broadcast show called the Pathway towards Salvation which is broadcasted in 1,400 television stations across Superior, 30 other countries, and on over 2,000 radio stations nationwide and in another 180 countries.

A member of the United Conservative Party and a staunch conservative activist, Kastle has been a prominent and controversial Christian conservative activist in Superior. He's frequently spoken out against the liberal and progressive movements in Superior as well as numerous other secular and religious organizations and denominations. Despite being a focal point of controversy, Kastle has remained a notable figure within the evangelical community and is a senior member of the New Christian Conference of Superior, an evangelical religious organization, since 2011.

Early life and education

James Kastle was born on August 20, 1948 in Fort Dodge, New Anjou to Robert Jeffree Kastle (1922–1999) and Michelle Kastle (1930–2004). Both were devout Lutheran Christians who became evangelical when James was only six and attended a local Evangelical Lutheran church. When Kastle was ten, his family moved to Sioux City and would frequently attend Augustana Lutheran Church, something that Kastle claims has greatly influenced his beliefs and development.

Views and beliefs

Social issues

In 2007, Kastle gave a sermon where he condemned racism and xenophobia calling it "heresy" and "against the words of God and Jesus Christ himself". Speaking about the issue of Superian involvement in the Syrian Civil War which was prominent at the time, he said "the war, while a horrific tragedy, is not an excuse for racism towards the victims of violence, terror, and the worst of man's fall from grace and sins". He condemned white supremacy calling it "absurd nonsense" and said that the racial diversity of the world was "a sign of the lord's appreciation for beauty, color, and wonder in the world he's created".

During a 2010 interview with Penguin News about the then-upcoming 2011 Superian federal election, Kastle said of political participation that Christians have "a right to vote as with any Superian. They're citizens of the nation and should vote if they can and want". He also stated that all religious groups are going to participate and run in elections so it was "no different" if evangelical Christians ran in elections. When asked about the influence of religion on voting he said "when has there been a politician whose religious or non-religious beliefs impacted how he or she has voted".

Kastle is a staunch supporter of the monarchy calling it "one of the most vital, important, and core institutions in all of Superior" and stated how Lutherans have an obligation to support the monarchy due to the royal family's Lutheran religious affiliation. He's been critical of republicanism calling it a "left-wing plot to subvert our stability and core institutions" and views the monarchy as a vital institution to Superian society that has brought more positives than negatives towards society. During corination of William II, he attended the ceremony and celebrations in 2015 and held a sermon in the days after the event to honor the occuasion.

Other religions

Kastle has spoken about other religions from Christian denominations to non-Christian religions. Kastle believes that Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism have "rejected the truth and revalation of Jesus Christ" and that it was an obligation of every Christian to convert them as a means of "saving their souls from the horrors of damnation". He's been critical of Mormonism calling it it an "unusual psuedo-Christian cult" and has been opposed to the registration of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as an official religious denomination. In 2015, he spoke out against Jennifer Granholm for not de-registering the Mormon Church in Superior saying that she was "endorsing cultic behavior".

Kastle has spoken favorably of the Superian Union of Churches and other mainline Lutheran churches and has called for greated inter-faith dialogue calling it "essential" for the Christian community. In regards to other Chrisitian denominations and sects in Superior, he's offered mixed comments on the New Anglican Church of Superior calling for discussions between the denominations, but has been critical of its politically moderate and/or nonpartisan leadership saying that Christian leaders "have no choice but to be politically vocal for the survival of the faith". He has spoken with evangelical New Anglicans and spoken favorably of them. In general, Kaslte has largely been neutral of the New Anglican Communion despite some criticisms of it.

In regards to Catholicism, he has regarded the faith as "fractured" citing the Second Western Schism of 1934. He's been critical of the Catholic Church – Rome calling it a "heretical and leftist cult" for its historic ties to Landonism and has been critical calling for the Superian government to be suspicious of the denomination saying in 2016 "the church of Rome is at its core still Landonist and must be treated with suspicion" citing the United Commonwealth's invasion of Superior during Great War I. He's supported the Catholic Church – Avignon stating that it was "the only true Catholic Church at this point".

See also

• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Superior
• New Christian Conference of Superior