Christian support of Donald Trump
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Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States, has strong support among white evangelical Christians, particularly among those who do not attend church regularly.[1] Trump also maintains strong support with Christian nationalists,[2] and his rallies take on the symbols, rhetoric and agenda of Christian nationalism.[3] Trump described his 2024 presidential campaign as a "righteous crusade" against "atheists, globalists and the Marxists".[4]
Characteristics
[edit]Some Christian Trump supporters view him as divinely ordained and "chosen by God", and some compare him to Jesus, with opposition to him seen as spiritual warfare.[5][6] Trump shared and played a video entitled "God Made Trump" at several of his rallies explicitly comparing him to a messianic figure in religious terms.[7] Trump is frequently described among some of his Christian supporters as an Old Testament hero, with Cyrus the Great or David frequently mentioned. The New York Times describes his supporters seeing him as one of several "morally flawed figures handpicked by God to lead profound missions aimed at achieving overdue justice or resisting existential evil".[8] This framing has been described as "vessel theology" which allows for support of Trump and excuses his prior sexual misconduct and adultery.[9] Trump has strong support with members of the dominionist New Apostolic Reformation, and many Trump administration officials are aligned with the group.[10][11]
Polling
[edit]According to 2016 election exit polls, 26% of voters self-identified as white evangelical Christians,[12] of whom more than three-fourths in 2017 approved of Trump's performance, most of them approving "very strongly" as reported by a Pew Research Center study.[13] In contrast, approximately two-thirds of non-white evangelicals supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, with 90% of black Protestants also voting for her even though their theological views are similar to evangelicals. According to Yale researcher Philip Gorski, "the question is not so much why evangelicals voted for Trump then—many did not—but why so many white evangelicals did." Gorski's answer was simply "because they are also white Christian nationalists and Trumpism is inter alia a reactionary version of white Christian nationalism."[14]: 166
Analysis
[edit]Israeli philosopher Adi Ophir sees the politics of purity in the white Christian nationalist rhetoric of evangelical supporters, such as the comparison of Nehemiah's wall around Jerusalem to Trump's wall keeping out the enemy, writing, "the notion of the enemy includes 'Mexican migrants', 'filthy' gays, and even Catholics 'led astray by Satan', and the real danger these enemies pose is degradation to a 'blessed—great— ... nation' whose God is the Lord."[15]: 180
Theologian Michael Horton believes Christian Trumpism represents the confluence of three trends that have come together, namely Christian American exceptionalism, end-times conspiracies, and the prosperity gospel, with Christian Americanism being the narrative that God specially called the United States into being as an extraordinary if not miraculous providence and end-times conspiracy referring to the world's annihilation (figurative or literal) due to some conspiracy of nefarious groups and globalist powers threatening American sovereignty. Horton thinks that what he calls the "cult of Christian Trumpism" blends these three ingredients with "a generous dose of hucksterism" as well as self-promotion and personality cult.[16]
Evangelical Christian and historian John Fea believes "the church has warned against the pursuit of political power for a long, long time", but that many modern-day evangelicals such as Trump advisor and televangelist Paula White ignore these admonitions. Televangelist Jim Bakker praises prosperity gospel preacher White's ability to "walk into the White House at any time she wants to" and have "full access to the King." According to Fea, there are several other "court evangelicals" who have "devoted their careers to endorsing political candidates and Supreme Court justices who will restore what they believe to be the Judeo-Christian roots of the country" and who in turn are called on by Trump to "explain to their followers why Trump can be trusted in spite of his moral failings", including James Dobson, Franklin Graham, Johnnie Moore Jr., Ralph Reed, Gary Bauer, Richard Land, megachurch pastor Mark Burns and Southern Baptist pastor and Fox political commentator Robert Jeffress.[17]: 108
For prominent Christians who fail to support Trump, the cost is a loss of presidential access and a substantial risk of criticism, a lesson learned by Timothy Dalrymple, president of the flagship magazine of evangelicals Christianity Today, and former chief editor Mark Galli, who were condemned by more than two hundred evangelical leaders for co-authoring a letter arguing that Christians were obligated to support the impeachment of Trump.[18]
Historian Stephen Jaeger traces the history of admonitions against becoming beholden religious courtiers back to the 11th century, with warnings of curses placed on holy men barred from heaven for taking too "keen an interest in the affairs of the state."[19]: 54 Dangers to the court clergy were described by Peter of Blois, a 12th-century French cleric, theologian and courtier who "knew that court life is the death of the soul"[19]: 58 and that despite believing that participation at court was "contrary to God and salvation," the clerical courtiers justified it with comparisons to Moses being sent by God to the Pharaoh.[19]: 84 Pope Pius II opposed the clergy's presence at court, believing it was difficult for a Christian courtier to "rein in ambition, suppress avarice, tame envy, strife, wrath, and cut off vice, while standing in the midst of these [very] things." The history of warnings of the corrupting influence of power on holy leaders is recounted by Fea who compares it to behavior of Trump's court evangelical leaders, warning that Christians risk "making idols out of political leaders."[20]: 105–112, 148
Jeffress claims that evangelical leaders' support of Trump is moral regardless of behavior that Christianity Today's chief editor called "a near perfect example of a human being who is morally lost and confused."[21] Jeffress argues that "the godly principle here is that governments have one responsibility, and that is Romans 13 [which] says to avenge evil doers."[22]: 10:48 This same biblical chapter was used by Jeff Sessions to claim biblical justification for Trump's policy of separating children from immigrant families. Historian Lincoln Muller explains this is one of two types of interpretations of Romans 13 which has been used in American political debates since its founding and is on the side of "the thread of American history that justifies oppression and domination in the name of law and order."[23]
From Jeffress's reading, government's purpose is as a "strongman to protect its citizens against evildoers", adding: "I don't care about that candidate's tone or vocabulary, I want the meanest toughest son of a you-know-what I can find, and I believe that is biblical."[24]: 8:20 Jeffress, who referred to Barack Obama as "paving the way for the future reign of the Antichrist," Mitt Romney as a cult follower of a non-Christian religion[25] and Roman Catholicism as a "Satanic" result of "Babylonian mystery religion"[26] traces the Christian libertarian perspective on government's sole role to suppress evil back to Saint Augustine who argued in The City of God against the Pagans (426 CE) that government's role is to restrain evil so Christians can peacefully practice their beliefs. Martin Luther similarly believed that government should be limited to checking sin.[27]: 18, 29, 30–31
Like Jeffress, Richard Land refused to cut ties with Trump after his reaction to the Charlottesville white supremacist rally, with the explanation that "Jesus did not turn away from those who may have seemed brash with their words or behavior," adding that "now is not the time to quit or retreat, but just the opposite—to lean in closer."[28] Johnnie Moore's explanation for refusing to repudiate Trump after his Charlottesville response was that "you only make a difference if you have a seat at the table."[29]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Graham, Ruth; Homans, Charles (January 8, 2024). "Trump Is Connecting With a Different Type of Evangelical Voter". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Perry, Samuel L.; Whitehead, Andrew L.; Grubbs, Joshua B. (April 21, 2021). "The Devil That You Know: Christian Nationalism and Intent to Change One's Voting Behavior For or Against Trump in 2020". Politics and Religion. 15 (2): 229–246. doi:10.1017/S175504832100002X. hdl:11244/334967.
- ^ Peter, Smith (May 18, 2024). "Jesus is their savior, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values". AP News. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- ^ Vakil, Caroline (June 24, 2023). "Trump paints 2024 campaign as 'righteous crusade' as he rallies evangelicals". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 20, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
- ^ Carless, Will (March 7, 2024). "As Trump support merges with Christian nationalism, experts warn of extremist risks". USA Today. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Klepper, David (April 5, 2023). "Trump arrest prompts Jesus comparisons: 'Spiritual warfare'". USA Today. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Bensinger, Ken (January 11, 2024). "Iowa Pastors Say Video Depicting Trump as Godly Is 'Very Concerning'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Bender, Michael C. (April 1, 2024). "The Church of Trump: How He's Infusing Christianity Into His Movement". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 1, 2024.
- ^ Burton, Tara Isabella (March 5, 2018). "The biblical story the Christian right uses to defend Trump". Vox. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Petrovic, Phoebe (October 26, 2024). "The Genesis of Christian Nationalism". ProPublica. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ "Many Trump supporters believe God has chosen him to rule". The Economist. December 20, 2023. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Husser, Jason (April 6, 2020). "Why Trump is reliant on white evangelicals". The Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ Smith, Gregory A. (April 26, 2017). "Among white evangelicals, regular churchgoers are the most supportive of Trump". Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ Gorski, Philip (2019). "Why Evangelicals Voted for Trump: A Critical Cultural Sociology". In Mast, Jason L.; Alexander, Jeffrey C. (eds.). Politics of Meaning/Meaning of Politics. Cultural Sociology. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 165–183. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95945-0_10. ISBN 978-3319959450. S2CID 239775845. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2021 – via Springer Link.
- ^ Ophir, Adi (2020). "The Political". In Stoler, Ann Laura; Gourgouris, Stathis; Lezra, Jacques (eds.). Thinking With Balibar A Lexicon of Conceptual Practice. Idiom: Inventing Writing Theory. New York: Fordham University Press. pp. 158–182. doi:10.1515/9780823288502-012. ISBN 978-0823288489. S2CID 150814728.
- ^ Horton, Michael (December 16, 2020). "The Cult of Christian Trumpism". The Gospel Coalition. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Fea, John (2018). Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans. ISBN 978-1467450461.
- ^ Hedges, Chris (January 3, 2020). "Onward, Christian fascists". Salon.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ a b c Jaeger, C. Stephen (1985). The Origins of Courtliness: Civilizing Trends and the Formation of Courtly Ideals. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press. ASIN B008UYP8H8.
- ^ Fea, John (2018). Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans. ISBN 978-1467450461.
- ^ Galli, Mark (December 19, 2019). "Trump Should Be Removed from Office". Christianity Today (Editorial). Archived from the original on December 23, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ Jeffress, Robert; Fea, John (May 26, 2016). "The Evangelical Debate Over Trump" (audio). Interfaith Voices. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Mullen, Lincoln (June 16, 2018). "The Fight to Define Romans 13". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Jeffress, Robert; Wehner, Peter (July 12, 2016). "Dr. Robert Jeffress and Peter Wehner Join Mike for Important Debate over Evangelical Christian Support of Trump" (audio). The Mike Gallagher Show. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Gryboski, Michael (November 8, 2012). "Texas Megachurch Pastor Says Obama Will 'Pave Way' for Antichrist". The Christian Post. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
- ^ Tashman, Brian (October 8, 2011). "Jeffress Says Satan Is Behind Roman Catholicism". Right Wing Watch. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
- ^ Jeffress, Robert (2011). Twilight's Last Gleaming: How America's Last Days Can Be Your Best Days. Brentwood, Tennessee: Worthy Publishing. ISBN 978-1936034581.
- ^ Henderson, Bruce (August 24, 2017). "Evangelical Leader Stays on Trump Advisory Council Despite Charlottesville Response". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Moore, Johnnie (August 24, 2017). "Evangelical Trump Adviser: Why I Won't Bail on the White House". Religion News Service. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
