Capitol and Cathedral
June 21 will definitely be one of the most momentous #Faith2016 days of the entire election cycle. Trump had not had a formal sit-down with religious leaders since this painfully awkward prayer session in September.
Today, Trump met with conservative Christian influencers. The invitation list grew from 300-400 to around a thousand, and evolved from a simple meeting to an hours-long conference. It remains to be seen whether he closed the deal with the undecided segment of the Religious Right.
But one of the most significant impacts of the Trump event happened far from the meeting hall or Trump Tower.
The subset of evangelical leaders that remains resolutely opposed to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is not backing down. I really thought that, by now, as Trump consolidated support among the Republican Party coalition, #NeverTrump evangelicals would concede that, while personally opposed to Trump, whether or not a Christian should vote for him is a matter of conscience on which faithful evangelicals can disagree.
I was frankly impressed by their continued insistence that gospel-centered Christians cannot support a candidate so blatantly immoral, breathtakingly obnoxious, and cynically divisive.
Here are some highlights.
Evangelical leaders supporting Trump: “We think we can change him.”
Trump: “I’ve already proven I can change them.”— Joe Carter (@joecarter) June 21, 2016
No wonder he’s in trouble with women. Little female input anywhere on his campaign. https://t.co/bBngrEk9PF
— Janice Shaw Crouse (@janicecrouse) June 21, 2016
Pictured: President of world’s largest Christian university, GOP frontrunner, framed Playboy cover.
Welcome to 2016 pic.twitter.com/oJ9brC7Cal
— Matt Smethurst (@MattSmethurst) June 21, 2016
Southern Baptist Convention resolution “On Moral Character of Public Officials” (1998): https://t.co/XH9Uz7zwPu
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) June 21, 2016
3/ “There are many fine organizations working on life, marriage and religious liberty. Which ones do you personally support financially?”
— (((Eric Teetsel))) (@EricTeetsel) June 21, 2016
If you wondered why younger, theological, gospel-centered evangelicals reacted neg to the old guard Religious Right, well, now you know.
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) June 21, 2016
Our secular opponents said all this talk about “character,” “virtue” was really just about power and partisanship. We said they were wrong.
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) June 21, 2016
Former Rubio adviser holds homemade anti-Trump sign outside evangelical meeting https://t.co/MUOZP8jq4x
— Jon Ward (@jonward11) June 21, 2016
(Note: This post is part of my series on the role of faith in the 2016 election. Please read about Capitol and Cathedral here. Check out my #Faith2016 news roundups here. I explain my view on the role of religion in politics here. Thanks for sharing this page with your colleagues and friends.)
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