Let’s all take a moment to remember 2020. That June, former President Donald Trump stood outside St. John’s Episcopal Church across the street from the White House. He held a Bible in front of the church.
In the midst of his trials, former President Trump has launched a new campaign. The “God Bless the USA” Bible is seen as the former president’s newest money-making scheme. The former president has been facing several lawsuits that have left him scrambling to find the money to post his bail.
In his promotional video for the “God Bless the USA” Bible, the former president was more explicit in the way he talked about Christianity and Christian values than he ever has before. The video features Trump holding the Bible, which includes founding American documents, saying that he is fighting for the Founding Fathers’ documents every day. He continues by expressing the importance of the documents in the Bible by saying that many people have never read the documents, so they do not know how their rights are being threatened. The former president says in the video that Christianity and religion are the biggest things missing from this country. The former president expresses that the Bible is his favorite book and that he owns many. He says that we have to protect content that is pro-God, and we have to defend God in the public square.
I didn’t know God needed me to defend Him. I thought it was the other way around.
The “God Bless the USA” Bible website states that “this Bible is the only Bible that is officially endorsed by President Trump.” The Biblical text used in the Bible is the King James Version (KJV). This is important to note about the “God Bless the USA Bible,” because many fundamentalist groups believe that the KJV is the superior version of the text. They believe that the KJV does not need any improvements and all other English translations of the Bible published after the KJV are corrupt. The idea that other texts are corrupt comes from a deeper belief that the KJV was a translation inspired by God.
Since the beginning of his time in political office, Trump has used the Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christian groups as his primary supporters. Evangelicals and Fundamentalists believe that the Biblical text is literally true: there will be a physical Second Coming of Christ, Virgin Birth, resurrection and atonement. While none of these things are inherently wrong, the way that Evangelicals and Fundamentalists live out their beliefs can be hard-core and perceived as “Bible-thumping” by unbelievers and other Christians.
Using the Evangelical and Fundamentalist groups as political support, the Christian faith becomes more divided. One of the primary reasons that Christians are leaving a church, or the Church as a whole, is because of a difference in political ideology. When an individual church claims a political ideology, even subconsciously, they are putting the church at risk of losing members.
So why does all of this matter?
With the presidential election quickly approaching, it is important to be informed about who you are voting for. “Make America Pray Again” is not just a bumper sticker; the statement to “make America pray again” is the belief that former President Trump and his supporters carry to Capitol Hill. Their assertion is meant to make everyone pray like them. Is that okay? No. Upholding American values would require maintaining the right to religious freedom, even if it means they have the freedom to choose a religion different from yours.
As Christians, it is our job to live a life that expresses the life we have in Christ. Paul tells the Philippians to adopt the same attitude as Christ. This is an attitude of humility that chooses sacrifice and love. As citizens, we are to follow the statutes set to maintain order. Paul also says, in Romans 13, to respect governing authorities. It is not our job as Christians to force anyone into our religious ideals. If we do, we are no better than the Pharisees, believing the Messiah would come to rule militarily. Jesus offers a different way. A way of love, not force.
Written by Kelly Graves.