October 15, 2019 "Information Clearing House" -   WASHINGTON — In his official capacity as America’s top diplomat, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a speech on Friday on “what it means to be a Christian leader” during a State Department event, prompting criticism that he crossed the line denoting the separation of church and state.

Addressing the American Association of Christian Counselors in Nashville, Tennessee, Pompeo emphasized what he deemed the main components of Christian leadership.

“I want to use my time today to think about what it means to be a Christian leader, a Christian leader in three areas,” he said. “First is disposition. How is it that one carries oneself in the world? The second is dialogue, talking. How is it that we engage with others around the world? And third is decisions, decisions that we make.”

The speech — which also focused on religious freedom — was titled, “Being a Christian Leader.”

Aaron Keyak, the former head of the National Jewish Democratic Council, questioned the propriety of Pompeo’s using his platform to promote a particular religion.

“There’s obviously no issue with the secretary of state being a leader, nor his being a proud Christian,” Keyak told The Times of Israel. “But it’s a problem that Secretary Pompeo thinks it’s appropriate to put those two words together and hold an official State Department event on being a Christian leader.”

“He’s an American leader, who is also a practicing Christian,” Keyak went on. “Him talking as a Christian leader and billing it as such is an affront to our separation of church and state.”