Lutheran Minister Who Married Satanists and Defended Witchcraft Now Wants a Seat in Congress

Lutheran Minister Running for Congress Officiated Satanist Wedding and Defended Wiccan Prayer at Iowa Capitol

Iowa State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, a Lutheran minister and Democratic candidate for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District, is facing intense scrutiny over a resurfaced 2023 video in which she described officiating a wedding for two satanists nearly 20 years ago.

The incident took place in 2006 while Trone Garriott was serving as an intern pastor at a parish in West Virginia. A couple walked into the church seeking to be married, despite having no Christian beliefs. The groom reportedly had a pentagram tattooed on his face.

Speaking at a Des Moines Storytellers Project event in 2023, Trone Garriott recounted the experience in detail. She said the senior pastor asked her to select the Scripture readings for the ceremony.

He asked me to pick the Scriptures. Irritated, I flipped through the Bible. Should I pick something with Satan in it to make them feel more at home?

Trone Garriott said she ultimately chose 1 Corinthians 13, the famous passage that begins "Love is patient; love is kind." She reflected on the moment with what she described as a spiritual lesson.

When the Apostle Paul wrote these words, he certainly never had in mind a small town in West Virginia, two satanists and a Lutheran pastor in training.

The video resurfaced amid Trone Garriott's 2026 congressional campaign to unseat Republican Rep. Zach Nunn in what is considered a toss up district in southwestern Iowa.

In addition to the satanist wedding, Trone Garriott drew criticism for a 2015 op ed in which she defended a Wiccan priestess who delivered an invocation at the Iowa State Capitol. She wrote that Christians should follow Jesus' example of engaging with pagans from "a place of kindness and compassion."

Her campaign responded by stating she "had no control over who walked through the church's doors" and was following her supervising pastor's direction while modeling Jesus' grace.

Congressional Candidate's Occult Ties Spark Outrage Among Iowa Voters and Republican Leaders

The Republican National Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee have amplified the story. NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle released a statement calling Trone Garriott's record a pattern of troubling decisions.

Her record shows a clear pattern of rhetoric and decisions that contradict her own faith, raising serious questions about her judgment and values.

Rep. Zach Nunn also weighed in, telling reporters that Trone Garriott's positions stand in opposition to Iowa families' values.

She's made it clear that the values Iowa families live by every single day are the ones she's running against.

Trone Garriott has served in the Iowa Senate since 2020 and launched her congressional campaign on May 5, 2025.

The Crusader's Opinion

A minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ thought it was appropriate to stand at a sacred altar and unite two self proclaimed satanists in holy matrimony, then 17 years later told the story on stage as though it were a heartwarming lesson about love. This is not compassion. This is compromise with darkness.

Scripture is clear: "What fellowship has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14). She did not minister to them. She did not share the Gospel with them. She married them in a church, under the authority of Christ's name, while one of them wore a pentagram on his face. And now she wants to represent Christians in Congress?

Imagine if a Muslim imam had officiated a satanist wedding in a mosque. He would be removed from leadership immediately. Yet here, we are told this is "grace." No. Grace calls sinners to repentance. It does not celebrate their rebellion.

Take Action

• Contact Rep. Zach Nunn's office to voice your support for leaders who uphold Christian values: nunn.house.gov/contact or call (515) 400 8180
• Share this story with your church community and small groups to raise awareness about candidates who compromise on foundational Christian beliefs
• Register to vote and research your local candidates' positions on religious liberty at vote.org
• Support Christian advocacy organizations working to protect religious freedom: www.TheShepherdsShield.org
• Pray for discernment among Iowa voters in the 3rd Congressional District and for leaders who will stand firm on biblical truth