'It’s the Living Word': Hillary Clinton Randomly Approached a Pastor Who Was Silently Reading His Bible and Had This to Say About Scripture

Hillary Clinton's recent comments about "religious beliefs" needing to be changed in order to protect women's health certainly sparked a plethora of controversy, but it's no secret that the 2016 Democratic presidential contender is a lifelong Methodist who claims allegiance to the Bible.

And, according to one South Carolina pastor, she also possesses an "impressive" handle on the scriptures.

The Rev. Frederick Donnie Hunt, pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church, met Clinton at the Main Street Bakery in Columbia, South Carolina, on Wednesday, when she came in with campaign staff and reporters to purchase some baked goods, CNN reported.

Hunt, who was quietly studying his Bible at the time, said that the presidential candidate approached him and asked what he was reading. When he told her that he was studying Corinthians 13, Clinton responded, "Oh I know it well," and commended him for exploring scripture.

"You're doing what is the most important thing to do, it's continuing to study and learn what the scripture says and what it means," Clinton said. "I have a preacher friend who sends me scripture and devotionals, sometimes mini-sermons every day."

Clinton went on to call the Bible "alive."

"It's the living word," she told Hunt, who later said that he was "impressed" by the former first lady's biblical knowledge.

The pastor, who said that he believes it is essential for a presidential candidate to know the Bible well, now supports Clinton after previously choosing President Barack Obama over her as his candidate of choice in 2008, CNN reported.

Despite being a lifelong Methodist, Clinton rarely discusses her faith publicly, though she did deliver the keynote at the United Methodist Women's Assembly last year, where she openly talked about Christianity’s impact on her life, particularly the importance of social justice.

Clinton praised women in the denomination for their tradition of “taking the social gospel into the world," and said that her grandmother, Hannah, sang hymns to her as a child and taught her to “never be afraid to get your hands dirty."

She also revealed that her father would kneel nightly by his bedside in prayer, according to the United Methodist News Service.

Read more about Clinton's faith here.

(H/T: CNN)