What Are We Do to With the Enigma of President Donald Trump?
One year into his administration and President Donald Trump has caused a great rift among evangelicals, a conundrum of sorts that is threatening to tear apart the evangelical arm of the American church writ large. Sides have been drawn between those who abhor his behaviors and those who see him as a modern-day Cyrus. What I find lacking is a more circumspect line of thinking on the Trump presidency.
What are we do to with the enigma of President Donald Trump?
First, let's state the obvious. Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States of America. His 'America first, but not alone' populism has found a home in a large section of frustrated and disgruntled voters, many of whom are evangelicals. As our President, we are to pray for him, like him or not (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Further, we are to seek, in general, his success and, therefore, the success of the United States of America. This is not a call for a blanket approval of all Trump says or does. Nor is a call for the church to wrap the flag around the cross as if one substantiates or affirms the other. Instead, it is the type of citizenship that is prayerful, thoughtful, generally supportive and hopeful. The type of citizenship the Apostle Paul called for as being prayerful, but as always willing to invoke one's political rights in the effort to expand the horizons of the gospel.
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I'm amused by those who abhor Trump's presidency to the degree that they are in a 'cynical state of denial'. They often act as if he's not the 'actual' president or that this nightmare will be over tomorrow. Again, like it or not, Trump is 'our' president for the next three years and possibly another four.
Second, for those who abhor Trump's words and deeds, as if he's the only president to act and speak in uncouth, undisciplined and immoral ways, I would remind them of what they may have forgotten, i.e. FDR's affairs, Kennedy's overt womanizing, Johnson's foul mouth and complicity in an out-of-control Vietnam war, Nixon's narcissistic paranoia, Reagan's secret arms deal, Clinton's Oval Office liaisons and subsequent lying and Obama's connections with former violent 60's radicals.
I'm shocked that people are shocked by Trump. Maybe it's because in my 37 years of ministry God has allowed to be around many politicians, both Republican and Democrat. I've opened Kentucky and Tennessee State Senate and House of Representatives sessions with prayer multiple times, along with opening as session of the U.S. House of Representatives with prayer. Politicians are my friends. What that experience has taught me is to be a bit less expectant as to who our elected officials are and what they can accomplish. Further, it has taught me to not be surprised at their foibles. They all have feet of clay. And by the time they get elected they owe their soul to someone to some degree.
In other words, it would behoove us to be a bit more circumspect, a bit more measured about Trump's antics by placing him in historical context. In fact, Trump is not even our first, uncouth and free-spirited President – check out President Andrew Jackson.
What I find amusing from those who abhor Trump and/or believe he is ruining evangelicalism's reputation is that out of one side of their mouth they scold evangelicals for expecting too much in general from the political process and politicians – they tell us that the kingdom of God is not brought about through the anger of man or the means of political structures; too many evangelical are wrongly aligned with Trump – while on the other hand, they expect so much of Trump and the political process that Trump, nor any other politician for that matter, could ever meet the standard. It's as if these critics are saying – 'We cannot use politics to advance the cause of Christ and His church; however, you need to be real upset over the political process.' Interesting.
Again, this is not an argument for us to excuse Trump's periodic bad words and deeds. Those who overlook his behavior – give it a pass – do so at their own moral peril. However, it is a call to be less shocked by what he does and says, or what any other politician says or does. With Nixon, the modern era of politics dawned conjoined with the presence of a constant and ruthless media. There are no perfect politicians and there are no secrets. And there are no politicians clean, pure and without fault.
Third, for those who have baptized Trump as the savior of America they have forgotten their role. While we are not to be shocked by the antics of our leaders, we are called to be prophetic as we speak truth to power. This means that every time the church gets in bed with the state it never goes well for the church. Too often, when we 'baptize political leaders' we inadvertently lose our prophetic voice and often our reputation. While some think they are advancing the kingdom of God through political means they, in the end, they are prostituting the church, losing the voice of truth and sanity that is needed, especially in seasons of tumult and treachery.
Does this mean that preachers or churches should avoid politics and politicians? On the contrary. What I tell my political friends is this – both Republican and Democrat, both left and right of center and the middle – "God has sent me to be your friend because 1) I don't want to be one of 'you,' a politician, 2) they need to be prayed for and given wise counsel and 3) that they need to be held accountable." I also tell them that I will always be honest with them and will never give them a blanket endorsement, but will take each issue and circumstance on its own terms.
Fourth, let me ask you to wrestle with Daniel 2:21. It is this text that reminds us that God is sovereign over the seasons of the year and over the kings of the earth, their installation and demise. Question: Could it be that Trump is "God's man?" Not in the sense that God approves of all Trump does, but in the sense that God has purposes larger than Trump himself. Further, to embrace the notion that God has raised up Trump for a reason known only to God does not mean we fall silent at his errant behavior or fully embrace him as well. It is to say that we might need to be more circumspect in our hand-wringing.
Finally, I am amused by all the evangelical hand-wringing. If Christianity can survive Nero we can survive Trump. Who knows. Trump may turn out to be a decent president.
To illustrate why I'm a bit more reserved in my applause or rejection of Trump, a good, but true story is in order. In the late 90's I was invited by my local Congressman, Democrat Rep. Bob Clement, to open a session of the U.S. House of Representatives with prayer. It was an honor. Republican Rep. Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the House at the time. Agree with him or not, Gingrich was, at the time, one of the most powerful men in Washington, third in line to the Presidency itself. Get the scene? My friend a Democrat invited me to pray under the leadership of a Republican Speaker of the House.
On the day of the prayer I stood in the House chamber humbled by the opportunity. It was a heady time as we ate lunch in the Congressional lunchroom with 'all the people you see on TV.' After the prayer, my wife and I spent an hour or so with the Speaker in his office.
As we parted company that day the Speaker said to me, "I've just written a book and as soon as I get a copy I'll send one to you." We parted company and we headed home to Nashville. I truly believed he would forget his promise. He did not. Sure enough, sometime later I walked to my mailbox and there it was, a signed copy of the Speaker's book, with a hand-written note from the Speaker of the House. Wow!
Do you know what day that was? The very day Speaker Gingrich had to resign from office due to some major moral failings. In that moment, God reminded me of this truth – all men and women have feet of clay and are not to be worshipped. Further, I thought the thought, 'Oh my, how the mighty have fallen.' Since that time, I follow politics, pray for my leaders, let my voice be known in friendships, and never sell my soul to the political structures, while often being surprised when politicians do what they say they will do.
Politics has very little to offer to the church, while the church has everything to offer to the world – a gospel that calls out our sin and calls us to transformation.
I'm surprised when right and good are done and less so when not. Trump does not surprise me. Not at all. What does surprise me is when on occasion he does a thing that is right and good. It is then that I know the God of Daniel 2:21 is at work.
Kevin Shrum (Pastor, Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville, TN.; B.A., Missouri Baptist University, M.Div., D.Min, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Ph.D. Student at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary).
