By Rudy Barnes, Jr.
Christianity has lost its moral compass with the evolution of the church into myriad variations that emphasize exclusivist beliefs and ignore the altruistic moral teachings of Jesus. That has left Christianity with little moral authority and American democracy polarized and bereft of political legitimacy. Since most American voters are Christians, it’s entirely self-destructive.
The election of Donald Trump by white Christians in 2016 is convincing evidence that American Christianity and democracy have lost their legitimacy. Can they be saved? Since most American voters still claim to be Christians, they will have a chance to repent and redeem themselves as moral stewards of their democracy in the election of 2020.
But don’t hold your breath. Those voters who made Donald Trump president show few signs of repentance. Religion, legitimacy and politics in America will never be the same. Democracy invariably reflects the morality of its culture, and when partisan identity groups can polarize politics and prevent providing for the common good, then democracy will self-destruct.
Edmund Burke once warned Americans that in a democracy they would “forge their own shackles.” And Pogo later said, “We have met the enemy and it is us.” Christianity emphasized the moral imperative to provide for the common good as an essential component of political legitimacy, until it was sacrificed on the altar of partisan politics by white evangelicals in 2016.
From the nation’s birth, the church has been America’s dominant social organization and the source of its standards of political legitimacy. The church self-destructed once before when it split over the issue of slavery. It would be 100 years after the Civil War before civil rights laws provided remedies for racial injustice, yet racism has remained a curse on American politics.
Today a majority of white Christians support distorted “family values” and a “prosperity gospel” that contradicts the teachings of Jesus. The neighborhood church has lost its moral authority and become little more than a popular social club with a cross on its roof. As a result the American civil religion has lost its political legitimacy, and it will be difficult to restore.
It will take a religious reformation to awaken the church from its moral slumber to promote the stewardship of democracy and a politics of reconciliation. Absent a national crisis in our materialistic and hedonistic culture it will be difficult for the church to promote the altruistic teachings of Jesus; but it’s worth a try to save Christianity and democracy from self-destruction.
A moral reformation of Christianity will require the church to advocate providing for the common good based on the greatest commandment to love God and to love our neighbors, including those of other races and religions, as we love ourselves. It’s taken from the Hebrew Bible, was taught by Jesus and is accepted by Muslims as a common word of faith and politics.
In a world of increasing religious diversity, Christianity must reject its exclusivist church doctrines of salvation and emphasize the universal moral teachings of Jesus as timeless principles of faith and politics. Thomas Jefferson described them as “the most sublime moral code ever designed by man.” That was 200 years ago; but it’s as true today as it was then.
In 2016 most white Christians made their religion look ridiculous when they elected a president whose egregious immorality has made a mockery of the moral teachings of Jesus. Today the church allows Christians to separate their faith from their politics and blissfully ignore their obligation to be moral stewards of their democracy. That’s a travesty that will result in the self-destruction of Christianity and undermine American democracy if not corrected in 2020.
Notes:
Derek Thompson has asserted that elite failure has brought Americans to the edge of an existential crisis. He cited two surveys that indicate traditional values of family, God and country are in precipitous decline, not only among young well-educated Millenials, but also among older, low-income men without a college education. Thompson says, “What Americans young and old are abandoning is not so much the promise of family, faith and national pride as the trust that existing institutions can be relied on to provide for them.” https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/america-without-family-god-or-patriotism/597382/
Jim Wallis has asserted that in 2020 “the real choice is between the politics of Jesus and anti-Christ politics. Almost everything we see and hear every day from our political leadership seems to be absolutely antithetical to what Jesus said and called us to do. There seems to be a clear choice, a real and stark choice, going on in this country and even in the churches, between the politics of Jesus and anti-Christ politics. I believe that the fear of the other, the hatred of the other, and violence against the other are the core of anti-Christ politics. And the love of the other, calling the other your neighbor, is at the heart of the politics of Jesus. Jesus says that leadership is about service. Anti-Christ politics says it’s about wealth and power — it's about winning and losing. In Jesus politics, how we treat the “least of these” is the test of our politics. In anti-Christ politics, the “least of these” are the least important. And I think to love our neighbor, the one who is different than us, is the most key question or choice for America's future; that will most determine the soul of this nation going forward.
We must face the reality that anti-Christ politics...are becoming more and more normalized with each passing week — part of a spirit of the age in the world today that sees autocrats and aspiring autocrats using fear and hate of “the other” for political gain everywhere they are ascendant — including the United States. Let’s be absolutely clear: All of these “others” who are being demonized by anti-Christ politics are children of God, and they are all our neighbors. Jesus teaches us that we are to love them as we love ourselves and treat them as we treat Jesus Christ himself.
The growing white nationalism in America is not just racism; it is anti-Christ. The dehumanization and targeting of immigrants is not just a lack of compassion, it is anti-Christ. The mistreatment of women with sexual harassment, assault, and even trafficking isn’t just sexist, it is anti-Christ. And for churches not to name and say that clearly and boldly is evidence of their losing connection with Jesus Christ and his teachings. Worse yet, the churches’ silence and collaboration with these evils is nothing less than religious complicity with the anti-Christ spirit of the age — which is growing in America. See
Timothy Egan has endeavored to explain Why people hate religion: “Evangelicals give cover to an amoral president because they believe God is using him to advance their causes. “There has never been anyone who has defended us and who has fought for us, who we have loved more than Donald J. Trump,” said Ralph Reed at a meeting of professed Christian activists earlier this summer. But what really thrills them is when Trump bullies and belittles their opponents, as counterintuitive as that may seem. Evangelicals “love the meanest parts” of Trump, the Christian writer Ben Howe argues in his new book, “The Immoral Majority.” Older white Christians rouse to Trump’s toxicity because he’s taking their side. It’s tribal, primal and vindictive. So, yes, people hate religion when the loudest proponents of religion are shown to be mercenaries for a leader who debases everything he touches. And yes, young people are leaving the pews in droves because too often the person facing them in those pews is a fraud.
They hate religion because, at a moment to stand up and be counted on the right side of history, religion is used as moral cover for despicable behavior. This is not new to our age. Hitler got a pass from the Vatican until very late in the war.” See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/30/opinion/trump-religion.html.
Daniel Cox has asked, could Trump drive young evangelicals away from the GOP? He quoted Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, “who argued that ‘Young evangelicals...came of age at a time when following Christ seemed countercultural to them anyway. They never expected a nominally Christian culture in which being a church member would be the equivalent of being a good American.’ Indeed, young adults are upending many of the religious conventions and cultural assumptions that defined American public life in the past. Young people don’t feel particularly negatively toward atheists, nor do they view Islam as incompatible with American values. They don’t feel especially confident in religious leaders and they don’t see religious commitment as synonymous with virtue. Even back in 2015, the overwhelming majority of young adults said they do not believe America is a Christian nation — one in five said it never was — and being Christian is not an important part of being American. The Christian consensus of previous generations...is gone.
...So what about 2020? At this stage, a couple of predictions are easy. White evangelical Christians will strongly back Trump’s reelection bid, following a decades-old pattern, while young adults will rally to the Democratic nominee, as they have done in every presidential election since 2004. In a two-way contest, Trump is still likely to make off with the majority of young white evangelical votes. ...Yet Trump is redefining the relationship young evangelical Christians have with the Republican Party. The long-term implications for our politics and evangelical Christianity could be profound.” See
Related commentary on Christian universalism:
(12/8/14): Religion and Reason
(1/4/15): Religion and New Beginnings: Salvation and Reconciliation in the Family of God http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/01/religion-and-new-beginnings-salvation.html
(2/8/15): Promoting Religion Through Evangelism: Bringing Light or Darkness?
(2/15/15): Is Religion Good or Evil?
(4/5/15): Seeing the Resurrection in a New Light
(4/19/15): Jesus: A Prophet, God’s Only Son, or the Logos? http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/04/jesus-prophet-god-only-son-or-logos.html
(1/2/16): God in Three Concepts
(1/21/17): Religion and Reason Redux: Religion Is Ridiculous
(1/28/17): Saving America from the Church
(4/22/17): The Relevance of Jesus and the Irrelevance of the Church in Today’s World
(6/17/17): Religious Exclusivity: Does It Matter? http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/06/religious-exclusivity-does-it-matter.html.
(8/5/17): Does Religion Seek to Reconcile and Redeem or to Divide and Conquer?
(8/12/17): The Universalist Teachings of Jesus as a Remedy for Religious Exclusivism
(9/29/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Resurrection of Christian Universalism
(10/6/18): Musings on Moral Universalism in Religion and Politics http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/10/musings-on-moral-universalism-in.html.
(10/13/18): Musings on a Common Word of Faith and Politics for Christians and Muslims
(12/1/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Mystical Logos
(12/15/18): Musings on the Great Commission and Religious and Political Tribalism
(12/22/18): Musings on Faith and Works: The Unity of All Believers and The Last Judgment
(3/2/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on a Post-Christian America
(3/9/19): Musings on the Degradation of Democracy in a Post-Christian America
(3/16/19): Musings on the Evolution of Christian Exclusivism to Universalism
(4/20/19): Musings on the Resurrection of Altruistic Morality in Dying Democracies
(5/11/19): Musings on the Relevance of Jefferson’s Jesus in the 21st Century
(5/25/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Divinity and Moral Teachings of Jesus
(6/8/19): The Moral Failure of the Church to Promote Altruism in Politics
(6/15/19): Back to the Future: A 21st Century Pentecost for the Church
(6/22/19): The Universal Family of God: Where Inclusivity Trumps Exclusivity
(6/29/19): Musings on a Politics of Reconciliation: An Impossible Dream?
(7/20/19): Musings on Diversity in Democracy: Who Are Our Neighbors?
(8/3/19): Musings on the Dismal Future of the Church and Democracy in America
(8/31/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Politics of Christian Zionism
On the future of a church that has lost its moral compass:
(2/8/15): Promoting Religion Through Evangelism: Bringing Light or Darkness?
(2/15/15): Is Religion Good or Evil?
(4/5/15): Seeing the Resurrection in a New Light
(4/19/15): Jesus: A Prophet, God’s Only Son, or the Logos? http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/04/jesus-prophet-god-only-son-or-logos.html
(10/4/15): Faith and Religion: The Same but Different
(7/9/16): Back to the Future: Race, Religion, Rights and a Politics of Reconciliation
(8/5/16): How Religion Can Bridge Our Political and Cultural Divide http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/08/how-religion-can-bridge-our-political.html
(9/17/16): A Moral Revival to Restore Legitimacy to Our Politics
(9/24/16): The Evolution of Religion and Politics from Oppression to Freedom
(11/5/16): Religion, Liberty and Justice at Home and Abroad
(12/31/16): E Pluribus Unum, Religion and a Politics of Reconciliation
(1/7/17): Religion and Reason as Sources of Political Legitimacy, and Why They Matter
(1/21/17): Religion and Reason Redux: Religion Is Ridiculous
(1/28/17): Saving America from the Church
(3/18/17): Moral Ambiguity in Religion and Politics
(4/15/17): Easter and the Christian Paradox
(4/22/17): The Relevance of Jesus and the Irrelevance of the Church in Today’s World
(4/29/17): A Wesleyan Alternative for an Irrelevant Church
(6/24/17): The Evolution of Religion, Politics and Law: Back to the Future?
(7/1/17): Religion, Moral Authority and Conflicting Concepts of Legitimacy
(7/15/17): Religion and Progressive Politics
(7/22/17): Hell No!
(8/12/17): The Universalist Teachings of Jesus as a Remedy for Religious Exclusivism
(10/7/17): A 21st Century Reformation to Restore Reason to American Civil Religion http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/10/a-21st-century-reformation-to-restore.html.
(12/23/17): If Democracy Survives the Trump Era, Can the Church Survive Democracy? http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/12/if-democracy-survives-trump-era-can.html.
(3/3/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on America’s Holy War
(3/17/18): Jefferson’s Jesus and Moral Standards in Religion and Politics
(3/31/18): Altruism: The Missing Ingredient in American Christianity and Democracy
(4/7/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Need for a Moral Reformation
(4/28/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Virtues and Vices of Christian Morality
(5/5/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Nostalgia as an Obstacle to Progress
(5/12/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Christianity and Making America Great Again
(7/14/18): Musings on Why Christians Should Put Moral Standards Over Mystical Beliefs
(8/4/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Religious Problems and Solutions in Politics
(8/11/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Changing Morality in Religion and Politics
(9/1/18): Musings on the American Civil Religion and Christianity at a Crossroads
(9/29/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Resurrection of Christian Universalism
(10/6/18): Musings on Moral Universalism in Religion and Politics http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/10/musings-on-moral-universalism-in.html.
(12/1/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Mystical Logos
(12/15/18): Musings on the Great Commission and Religious and Political Tribalism
(12/22/18): Musings on Faith and Works: The Unity of All Believers and The Last Judgment
(2/9/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Hypocrisy of American Christianity
(3/2/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on a Post-Christian America
(3/9/19): Musings on the Degradation of Democracy in a Post-Christian America
(3/16/19): Musings on the Evolution of Christian Exclusivism to Universalism
(3/23/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Thinking Outside the Box
(5/4/19): Musings on the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
(5/11/19): Musings on the Relevance of Jefferson’s Jesus in the 21st Century
(5/18/19): Outsiders Versus Insiders in Religion, Legitimacy and Politics
(5/25/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Divinity and Moral Teachings of Jesus
(6/8/19): The Moral Failure of the Church to Promote Altruism in Politics
(6/15/19): Back to the Future: A 21st Century Pentecost for the Church
(6/22/19): The Universal Family of God: Where Inclusivity Trumps Exclusivity
(7/6/19): Musings on Democrats, Busing and Racism: It’s Deja Vu All Over Again
(7/13/19): Musings on Sovereignty and Conflicting Loyalties to God and Country
(8/3/19): Musings on the Dismal Future of the Church and Democracy in America
(8/10/19): Musings on Christian Nationalism: A Plague on the Church and Democracy
On the greatest commandment and love over law:
(1/11/15): The Greatest Commandment: A Common Word of Faith
(1/18/15): Love over Law: A Principle at the Heart of Legitimacy
(1/23/16): Who Is My Neighbor?
(1/30/16): The Politics of Loving Our Neighbors as Ourselves
(3/31/18): Altruism: The Missing Ingredient in American Christianity and Democracy
(10/13/18): Musings on a Common Word of Faith and Politics for Christians and Muslims
(2/23/19): Musings on Loving Your Enemy, Including the Enemy Within
(7/20/19): Musings on Diversity in Democracy: Who Are Our Neighbors?
(7/27/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Love Over Law and Social Justice
(8/31/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Politics of Christian Zionism
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