A famous meme frames President Trump’s National Prayer Breakfast speech last Thursday as lacking religious reflection, in contrast to President Obama’s speech last year. To the contrary, Trump’s speech (which I had opportunity to hear in person) did not portray him as irreligious or as anti-religious. His talk framed him as a religious nationalist. His is a national piety, by and large, whether or not he has any personal piety.
It should be noted that President Trump expressed gratefulness to those who have prayed for him from the time of his race for the White House to the present day. He claimed that those prayers have helped to sustain him. Moreover, as accounted for in this Atlantic article, his talk at the Prayer Breakfast expressed concern not only for Christians, but also for people of other faiths who are persecuted by the likes of ISIS all around the world. The reader would be interested in knowing that King Abdullah II of Jordan, a Muslim, was in the audience. He spoke at a major luncheon event later in the day. Ivanka and her husband’s rabbi, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, was seated at the head table at the Prayer Breakfast, and also participated in the proceedings. Trump’s talk suggested that he sees America as protecting all people of faith who suffer religious persecution. While expressing international concerns, my sense is that for President Trump we must address head-on persecution across the globe so that it does not come back to haunt us in the United States. This reflects again his religious nationalist orientation.
Furthermore, President Trump is concerned for people of faith coming together in our country, though not a faith creedally defined. He is also concerned for protecting, even promoting, religious liberties in a way that raises concern in some circles over the potential fusion of church and state. On my recollection, President Trump quoted two verses from Scripture, at least one of which was taken out of context and applied directly to those who courageously risk their lives for our country: greater love has no one than this—to lay down one’s life for his friends (John 15:13). This verse in the Farewell Discourse of the Gospel of John relates directly to Jesus’ atoning work on behalf of the church and world. The other verse was that God will require much from those to whom much is given (Luke 12:48).
Stanley Hauerwas wrote recently of Trump and religion in The Washington Post:
Many Americans appear ready to give President Trump a pass when it comes to his lack of religious knowledge, sensibilities or behavior, but I think that’s a mistake.
Trump is quite pious and his religious convictions run dangerously deep. But his piety is not a reflection of a Christian faith. His piety is formed by his understanding of what makes America a country like no other.
If anything, Presidents Obama and Trump reflect different visions of religion and piety: Obama models a religion of critical introspection, globalism, and equity. Trump models a religion of evangelistic propagation, nationalism, and security. It is up to the reader which religious path he or she wishes to trod, or perhaps seeking to create a hybrid, or another path entirely.
No matter the approach each of us takes, it would be a mistake to view Trump as irreligious. His piety runs deep, and I fear that my Evangelical movement has and/or will fall prey to idolatry by identifying or fusing the blood, sweat and tears of the American people with the blood, sweat and tears of the Lord under President Trump’s watch.
What watch are we who claim Jesus as Lord keeping? As the Lord Jesus prepared for his great battle at the cross, he encouraged his disciples on the night of his betrayal to keep watch:
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:39-41; ESV).
I do not wish to take this text out of context, as President Trump did with John 15:13, which refers directly to Jesus’ approaching sacrifice on the cross, not the heroes of a nation who shed their blood for country or empire. However, like the Barmen Declaration of old, which Karl Barth penned with the pious religious fervor associated with National Socialism, we must be on guard against any force—conservative or liberal—that confuses national allegiance with loyalty to Jesus’ impending kingdom.
While I maintain that love of one’s nation is a good thing, that love must submit to the One who will judge the nations, including our own. Since his inauguration two thousand years ago, he has not appeared again on the scene. But when he does, he will separate the sheep and the goats, including you and me. His judgment will not be based on our party affiliation or our national identity, but based on our loyalty to him and the least of these in our midst and across the globe (Matthew 25:31-46).
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