White evangelicals today are caught in a fundamental contradiction. They say their most basic commitment is to Jesus Christ and the Bible. But they have largely, enthusiastically, supported a man whose personal life and public policies contradict vast areas of what Jesus and the Bible teach. This Faustian bargain (widely seen as blatant hypocrisy) brings spiritual danger — not only to the future of American democracy, but also to societal respect for Christianity.
Jesus and the Bible demand truth-telling. Donald Trump lies constantly. Jesus and the Bible demand sexual integrity. Donald Trump has flaunted frequent adulterous affairs. Jesus and the Bible condemn racism. Donald Trump has repeatedly stoked racism. Jesus and the Bible command special care for the poor. Donald Trump has undermined numerous policies that empower poor people.
The Bible commands a special concern for the “foreigner” (the immigrant). Donald Trump has mistreated and undermined the rights of immigrants. The Bible commands care for creation. Donald Trump’s policies are devastating the environment.
The Bible says God “hates a lying tongue” (Proverbs 6:16-17). Trump lied about Barack Obama’s citizenship, the size of his inaugural crowd in 2017, and on and on. In fact, the Washington Post has counted more than 20,000 lies or partial truths by Donald Trump since he took office.
The Bible commands sexual, marital integrity, and white evangelicals have long championed that view, even using it to call for President Bill Clinton’s removal. Trump is in his third marriage, has boasted publicly about adulterous affairs, and paid to suppress stories about those affairs. And his white evangelical supporters have excused him, giving him a “mulligan” and said they are supporting a “commander-in-chief,” not a “pastor-in-chief.”
Biblical faith clearly condemns racism. In Christ, “there is neither Jew nor Gentile...neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ” (Galatians 3:28). Donald Trump denounced a Hispanic-American judge in a way that the Republican speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, called a “textbook” case of racism. Trump spoke of “shithole” African countries, and has repeatedly said and done things that have empowered white nationalists. Most recently, in the massive response to George Floyd’s murder, Trump has stoked racism and made blatantly partisan comments rather than uniting the nation against racism.
Many hundreds of biblical texts teach that God and God’s faithful people have a special concern to seek justice for the poor. Trump’s 2017 tax bill largely benefited the richest 20% of Americans. He has tried to slash effective foreign aid programs that have saved the lives of millions. He has done all he could to destroy a health-care bill that had provided health insurance to about 20 million lower-income Americans. He has proposed slashing food stamps, Pell grants and affordable housing.
The Hebrew Bible repeatedly demands that we have a special concern for the “foreigners,” the “sojourners” (Deuteronomy 27:19). That means the immigrants! And Jesus said that those who care for the “stranger,” i.e. the immigrant, actually minister to him (Matthew 25:35-40). Trump canceled Obama’s executive order on Dreamers, separated families at the border, slashed immigration quotas and denied asylum-seekers their legal rights.
The Bible says God commands people to "work and take care of “the earth” (Genesis 2:15). The Hebrew word translated “work” means to serve! And the word translated as “take care of” is the same word used to describe how God lovingly watches over people (Psalm 21). Trump has slashed and reversed numerous environmental protections. He has denied and ignored the overwhelming scientific evidence on human-induced, increasingly devastating, global warming. And he withdrew from the historic Paris accords on climate change adopted by virtually all nations of the world.
Trump’s policies, which often fundamentally contradict basic biblical norms, significantly undermine the possibility of a just and livable future for America and the world. But since they have been done with the enthusiastic, largely unquestioning support of white evangelical Christians, they also pose a great danger to the future of Christianity in America. It is not surprising that large numbers of Americans, including younger evangelicals, are turning away in disgust. If white evangelicals again vote for Donald Trump, they will have only themselves to blame for the increasing decline of Christianity in America.
I do not agree with Joe Biden on abortion. But as the recent statement by many pro-life evangelical leaders recently said, we believe that on balance, Biden better reflects a “biblically balanced” agenda.
Sider is president-emeritus of Evangelicals for Social Action. He has published 45 books, and most recently edited “The Spiritual Danger of Donald Trump: 30 Evangelical Christians on Justice, Truth and Moral Integrity.”