Americans who are politically liberal, and who tend to be religiously unaffiliated or not directly involved in a Christian church, can sometimes be dismissive of something they've resolved in their own minds, and which they now see as having developed from a major nuisance to a danger to American democracy itself. If it is, indeed, that much of a danger, then being dismissive isn't going to resolve the issue, nor will it be of much benefit in confronting the problem and solving it.
The linked article above, by freelance author Rick Pidcock, appears in Baptist News Global, a publication produced by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, a state affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention which is decidedly far to the left of the national denomination doctrinally, theologically, and as a result of that, politically. I have many liberal friends who, once they're read something in BNG, scratch their heads, having difficulty wrapping their mind around the fact that there are Baptists within the Evangelical tradition, who have a "human rights and freedom" orentation toward faith and government that makes sense to them. But that is a historic, traditional perspective of Baptists. Some still believe in those traditions and historic perspectives.
Understanding Evangelical Support for Trump Requires Understanding The Dynamics of Leadership in Evangelical Churches
Congregational polity is the organizational principle of Baptist churches, and is one of the distinctives which set Baptists, along with many other Evangelicals who follow similar tradition and practice, apart from other denominations. What that means is that each church identifies its membership as those persons who have made a public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ, and have been baptized, by immersion. That makes one a member of the local church, and gives them the ability to participate in business sessions where the church makes decisions regarding its ministry. Each member, including the pastor, deacons or elders, also have one vote.
So theoretically, a Baptist church, and non-denominational, independent Evangelical churches, are democratic in their governing polity But what has developed is anything but a democracy. What has developed, influenced heavily by the televangelist culture and para-church ministries which compete with local church budgets for donations and contributions from the same pool of supporters, is an oligarcy in which a significant number of members of conservative churches are dependent on celebrity preachers and the "consumer church" model for their doctrine and theology. And because of the influence these leaders have, and the loyalty they demand, their followers are also dependent on them for their politics.
In the editorial by Rick Pidcock, linked at the top, this dependence on strong, autocratic leaders who aggressively "attack" all of the straw men and perceived "enemies" of conservative Christianity is exactly why Trump was able to gain such a folllowing among Evangelicals like he has in no other constituency in his base. The majority of the church members are not grounded in their faith, and have little working knowledge of doctrine and theology, so they trust, and depend, on what the high profile, well known, media personalities tell them. And so it is with politics, too. They have little understanding of how a constitutional democracy functions, and little tolerance for the fact that it extends equal rights to all citizens, including those who don't share their religious or political convictions. And so a brash, bombastic, loud talking, boasting, bragging buffoon, who makes things up as he goes along to get a reaction from the crowd, gets their attention.
Among those who have made themselves rich by "peddling" their own version of the Christian gospel are multiple examples of individuals who have been deceptive, manipulative and mentally abusive to those who give them total loyalty and obedience. The recent series, Shiny Happy People, uncovers the absolute influence of Bill Gothart and his "Basic Life Principles" seminars, to the point where people give up their personal freedom to follow a legalistic set of rules which they believe will get them a heavenly reward, that is so contrary to Christ's gospel, and in the process, hand handsome sums of cash over to Gothard. There are dozens of "ministries" like this, controlling lives in order to keep the revenue flowing in. The extent of their control, and their departure from any true spiritual Christian faith is evident in the many scandals and falls that have occurred among this group, including at its very highest levels.
This is why a demagogue and a charlatan like Trump has attracted more support from conservative Evangelicals than any Republican candidates since the Moral Marjority and Christian Coalition were first founded. Trump himself is not a Christian, by his own definition of his "religious beliefs." He has stridently avoided any confession or admission of sin, or of his need to be forgiven, which is an absolute necessity, according to Christian doctrine, for conversion to take place. He has created a god in his own image, to suit his own needs. His worldly lifestyle, which is is brand, is a direct contradiction to every principle of Christian faith and practice. But none of that matters at all to those among the Evangelical branch of the American church who support him. He takes an aggresive approach to the use of the powers of office, and is willing to share just enough of it with them to help them accomplish what they are seemingly unable to accomplish spiritually, or to somehow get God to do for them.
And so, he becomes their savior and their god, in effect, a power that they can manipulate by flattery and support, in a way that they can't do with God. They are focused on achieving their ends, and their will, not God's, and so they're willing to settle and compromise with this worldly demagogue to get what they want.
None of the Republicans who have served as President since Jerry Falwell and James Robison brought Reagan into the fold with their endorsement in 1980 have been Evangelical in the practice of their Christian faith. As it turns out, Reagan, according to Nancy's statements about it after his dementia set in and his death, was involved in New Age religion, considered a cult by Evangelicals. Bush Senior was a liberal Episcopalian, a weak, wishy-washy President pushed around by stronger elements in the GOP, resentful of much of what they made him do. Dubya was a member of a liberal Methodist church, in spite of "knowing the lingo," did not share a lot of conservative theology and doctrine with conservative Evangelicals. Trump is just a more worldly, unethical, morally bankrupt character whose lack of knowledge of anything having to do with Christian faith is obvious and visible.
But having strong Christian credentials and setting a strong Christian example doesn't matter. Conservative Evangelicals have invented a thousand convolutions to get around Biblical instruction and Christian principle when it comes to their embrace of right wing extremism as their political expression. They do not see the inconsistency of this, and, as Rick Pidcock points out, it is driving the sincere, genuine Christians whose convictions and faith practice are governed by the gospel of Christ, out of the church. And it has caused the disillusion of two generations of young Americans who have turned away completely from any interest in Christian faith, and made many of them hostile to the conservative, Evangelical version of it.
For those looking for a reason behind the sudden free-fall of attendance and membership in Christian churches, and in particular, conservative, Evangelical churches, this is it. It is, what I call, the "Trump Effect." Some congregations, with pastors who can see what's happening, and are exercising the leadership strength that they have to prevent its intrusion into their congregation, are successful in holding it together, though some of those who buy into the lies pick up and go elsewhere. Others are seeing members leave in large numbers, because the spiritual presence of God has left, and the human effort that remains is misguided and misleading.
I've quoted Jude verse 4 many times as a warning to Christians in this country about the intrusion of this destructive, anti-Christian political faction into the church. Although he was writing in the first century, to a church that was experiencing similar problems, his words are relevant and prophetic, and give a warning that church leaders need to heed before they lose the essence of their gathering as an "ecclesia."
And all Americans need to heed the warning, before we lose our Democracy.
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