The Trump phenomenon's most telling and defining moments β not its most crucial, nor most harsh, nor most hazardous, nor most senseless, but potentially its most enlightening β came earlier this autumn. Over the span of a few weeks, the US president commenced revealing the public his intentions for a gilded ballroom twice the size of the White House and then began solo dismantling the East Wing to erect it.
He has done things countless times more severe β the present calculation of casualties from his cuts to international aid is 600,000 and growing, and presently research predicted his petroleum strategies would kill another 1.3 million. But nothing as definitional. No previous president would have dared β genuinely, no previous leader would have conceived β independently wrecking significant portions of the presidential residence to construct a royal-themed celebration hall, with the enthusiastic participation of numerous the nation's most affluent, almost all of whom conduct transactions with federal agencies.
We moved from 'the meek shall inherit the Earth' toward 'the humble will perish from cholera'
As confusing as it is to observe the leader seek toι’ θ¦ the traditional concept of democracy and substitute it with its complete opposite, there exists a significant segment within America who might not perceive it entirely new. This includes individuals like us β within elder demographics almost a majority β who were brought up as mainline Protestant Christians.
We have witnessed throughout the years as rightwing evangelical churches transformed the Christ we learned about into exactly the opposite of our understanding of him. Essentially, they transformed an image of affection into an icon of hate who blesses exactly the harshness that he criticized in biblical teachings; this change developed at a slower pace, over decades rather than months, however it is still disconcerting in the same ways, a disorienting gut punch for many of us.
A Damaging Christianity Gains Ground
Therefore allow me to outline the Jesus from my childhood, as conceptually the Savior is the core of any Christian faith, and since the rapidly expanding group within America may possess limited understanding of him since they are non-believers or uncertain individuals or nones. I have no problem with these various perspectives, nor with alternative spiritual paths; however I believe that contain precious wisdom of significant worth in the Christian story.
It is decidedly not the story of a powerful ruler arising; instead, a child comes into the world to homeless parents in a storage space, who are forced to hastily depart to a foreign land to avoid covert authorities. The baby grows up in humble circumstances, an employed craftsman; his message concerns compassion for others, particularly for the poor β not simply tender feelings, but tangible care, shown by providing food and protecting. Jesus' answer to violence is to offer the other cheek β not as a demonstration of compliant endurance, but as a way to teach the aggressor; his crime policy is that if a person pilfers your outer garment you must offer them your pullover also.
The evident and direct truth that the Jesus of the gospels calls for a type of profound affection focused on the poor has consistently rendered Christian religion something of a provocative belief system: attractive to the general public, but due to its natural unconventionality demanding to be restrained. In the fifties it was restrained via weakening β Protestantism was so dominant that it essentially sanctified existing conditions.
A Struggle for the Finest Within Us
Hence I have become heartened to observe the persistent defiance against Trump arise over the last twelve months. It has been great solace to assist in constructing the initiative that has taken to the streets via continuous gatherings, and likely has encouraged citizens to participate in numbers during minor elections. We will need to continue it, and through comparable resolve, with American flags throughout each rally and calls to the finest aspects in US history.
We will be questioned ... how did you receive the foreigner? Did you accept these individuals and welcome him or reject?
America is best defended, in other words, by reference to the best within national tradition, just as Christianity is optimally secured through connection to what makes it distinctive and beautiful, particularly the pattern of the Savior. In neither case does it mean acting as if the most damaging of both America and religious tradition was nonexistent; it means both meekness and conviction, a combination that serious American Christians ought to accept.
