Michigan Priest Removed for Nazi Salute Gesture at Pro-Life Event

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Michigan priest has been removed from his position after making a gesture resembling a Nazi salute during a speech at a pro-life summit in Washington, D.C., sparking widespread condemnation.

Calvin Robinson, the priest-in-charge at St. Paul’s Anglican Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, performed the gesture at the conclusion of his Jan. 25 speech at the National Pro-Life Summit. The Anglican Catholic Church revoked Robinson’s license, stating that his actions were “harmful, divisive, and contrary to the tenets of Christian charity.”

In a statement posted on the church’s website, officials said, “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.”

Robinson defended his actions in a Facebook post, calling the gesture “a joke” and a mockery of critics who accused Elon Musk of making a similar motion during a speech at Donald Trump’s inauguration. “For the record, in case it needs saying: I am not a Nazi,” Robinson wrote. He described his humor as “dry wit, in that typical British way” and insisted the gesture was not meant to trivialize World War II or the Holocaust.

The controversy began after Robinson quoted Musk’s Jan. 20 speech, saying, “My heart goes out to you,” before mimicking the straight-arm motion. Musk’s gesture had also drawn criticism, with some interpreting it as a Nazi salute. Musk later joked about the incident on his social media platform, X, and recently appeared at a German far-right rally, where he encouraged pride in German culture and values.

Robinson, who is originally from England, has been vocal about his conservative views. The Anglican Catholic Church noted that he had previously been warned about engaging in online trolling and provocative behavior. “Mr. Robinson had been warned that online trolling and other such actions are incompatible with a priestly vocation,” the church’s statement read. “Clearly, he has not, and as such, his license in this Church has been revoked.”

The incident has reignited debates about the appropriateness of using controversial gestures, even in jest, and the responsibilities of religious leaders to uphold moral and ethical standards.