Sufjan Stevens Pens Open Letter: The U.S. Is Not a 'Christian Nation'

By Timothy Yap Feb 13, 2017 02:07 AM EST

Sufjan Stevens has posted another open letter to President Donald Trump in response to the immigrant ban. The response is in particular to Trump's comments stating that "Christ would be ashamed of us all."

In the letter, Stevems states that the United States is not a "Christian nation." He reminds readers that though Americans pledge allegiance "under God," this does not qualify the country as a Christian one. "For God has no political boundary. God is love, period," Stevens writes. "God is universal, nameless, faceless, and with no allegiance to anything other than love."

Stevens first came to wider recognition with the 2000 album, A Sun Came, which was released on the Asthmatic Kitty label he co-founded with his stepfather. He is perhaps best known for his 2005 album, Illinois, which hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, and for the single "Chicago" from that album.

Stevens has released albums of varying styles, from the electronica of Enjoy Your Rabbit and the lo-fi folk of Seven Swans to the symphonic instrumentation of Illinois and Christmas-themed Songs for Christmas. Stevens makes use of a variety of instruments, often playing many of them himself on the same recording, and writes music in various time signatures. Though his songs are imbued with his Christian faith, he has repeatedly stated an intent to separate his beliefs from his music

Read Stevens' full letter below:

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