The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and defining moments – not its most crucial, nor most harsh, nor most hazardous, nor most foolish, but potentially its most enlightening – emerged earlier this harvest season. In the course of multiple weeks, the nation's leader started showing all observers his intentions for a lavish reception room double the dimensions compared to the White House and subsequently started unilaterally ripping down the eastern section to erect it.
He has done things ten thousand times worse – the current estimate of casualties due to his slashing to international aid amounts to 600,000 and growing, and recently a study predicted his energy policies would kill an additional 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No former leader would have dared – really, no other president would have contemplated – independently wrecking significant portions of the executive mansion to construct a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the enthusiastic participation of multiple the nation's most affluent, almost all of whom conduct transactions with the government.
We went from 'the gentle will obtain the world' into 'the humble will perish from cholera'
As disorienting as it is to observe the chief executive try to upend the traditional concept regarding democracy and exchange it with its direct contrary, there exists a significant segment of Americans who wouldn't consider it entirely new. This includes individuals like us – within elder demographics close to half – who were brought up within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have observed over the years as politically conservative religious groups transformed the Christ we grew up with into the total contrary of who we understood him to be. Fundamentally, they turned a figure of affection into an icon of hostility who approves exactly the harshness that he condemned in scripture; this transformation occurred more gradually, across decades instead of months, but it is nonetheless disconcerting via comparable methods, a bewildering emotional blow for countless people.
A Toxic Christianity Establishes Itself
Therefore allow me to outline the Savior that I grew up with, because theoretically Christ is the focus within Christian belief, and given that the fastest-growing cadre of Americans could have minimal awareness regarding him because they identify as skeptics or uncertain individuals or spiritual independents. I have no problem with these various perspectives, nor with different religions; but I do think that contain precious wisdom of great price in biblical accounts.
It is decidedly not the narrative of an authoritative monarch arising; rather, a child comes into the world to displaced parents in a garage, who must quickly flee to a foreign land to escape covert authorities. The child matures in humble circumstances, an employed craftsman; his message concerns compassion for fellow humans, especially for the poor – and not a sentimental love, but practical compassion, expressed by feeding and sheltering. Jesus' answer to hostility is to present the other cheek – not as a demonstration of compliant endurance, but as a means to teach the aggressor; his crime policy indicates that whenever someone steals your jacket you must offer them your pullover as well.
The apparent and direct truth that Christ of the gospels advocates for a kind of profound affection focused on the needy has consistently rendered Christianity rather a scandalous religion: attractive to the general public, but because of its natural unconventionality requiring to be restrained. In the 1950s it was contained by dilution – Protestant Christianity was so widespread that it practically sanctified existing conditions.
A Struggle for the Highest Among Us
So I have been heartened to see the persistent defiance to Trump develop during the previous year. It has been significant comfort to help build the movement that has taken to the streets through repeated demonstrations, and likely has encouraged citizens to show up in large quantities during minor elections. We must have to persist with it, and in the same spirit, featuring US banners during all protests and requests to the finest aspects of American history.
We will be questioned ... regarding how you welcomed the stranger? Did you accept these individuals and receive them or not?
America is best defended, to put it differently, through connection to the finest within national tradition, exactly as the Christian faith is most protected through connection to what makes it special and beautiful, specifically the model of Jesus. In both situations does it mean pretending the most damaging regarding America and Christian faith did not happen; it represents both modesty and faith, a combination that genuine US believers should embrace.
