Former United States President Donald Trump’s assertion that he would defend Christianity from the radical Left ‘that seeks to tear down crosses’, on February 22, in Nashville, Tennessee, is emblematic of a democratic as well as demographic paradox in the US.
Conservative Christians, especially a sizeable chunk of white evangelists, form the bulwark of the support base for Trump who might not be seen as a devout man of faith despite constantly talking with theological undertones such as ‘witch hunts’ and ‘evil people’ on the prowl to get him.
But his declaration that “no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration, I swear to you” is more than pandering to the constituency of the faithful for whom ‘Making America Great Again’ can be interchanged with ‘Making America Pray Again’.
Rather it is effectively giving a sharper edge to his nationalistic campaign, promising mass deportation of illegal immigrants, a new Muslim ban, taxes on imported goods, freedom cities built on federal land, and making oil cheaper than in China.
On the strength of Gallup polls, the evidence is growing that Americans are becoming less religious. The churchgoing, regularly-praying population who would say religion is very important in their lives are on the wane. In 2006, 23 per cent of the US population counted themselves in the category of white Evangelist Christians, the hardcore supporters of Trump — that number is now 14 per cent.
American evangelical Christianity comprises a wide spectrum, from ecumenically minded to various fundamentalists on the far Right and fervent supporters of Christian nationalism out to preserve the ‘eternal truths’ of Christianity. But neither the apparent secularisation of US society nor the appalling statements from the Christian far Right diminished the importance of religious accent in American politics in any measurable manner.
The First Amendment to the US Constitution, way back in 1791, makes it clear that the country shall have no official religion, but the debate as to where to draw the line between religion and government continues. The 20th President and Republican James Abram Garfield has the distinction of being the only US President who was a clergy member. The 39th President Democrat Jimmy Carter was famous for being a Baptist Sunday School teacher, even after demitting office.
In recent times, when asked which thinker or philosopher he admired most during the Republican primary debate in Iowa in 1999, George W Bush responded “Christ” without any pondering pause.
Trump has won the Iowa caucus by an unprecedented margin of 51 per cent to kickstart his bid to win the Republican Party's presidential nomination for a third consecutive time. It was again in Iowa’s Republican presidential caucus in 2008 that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee talked about “taking America back to Christ” and emerged a winner.
Though seekers and the sought were more subdued or even sophisticated, the Christian Right always had its sway in the US Presidential elections.
In changed times, those who curry favour with religious Right for votes have become theocratic in their tones, telling them their path is the only path.
Jair Bolsonaro, a Right-wing populist contender for the president of Brazil in 2022, ran on the slogan ‘Brazil before everything, and God above everyone’, or in Costa Rica, populist candidate Fabricio Alvarado sought under the slogan ‘if a man of God can't lead us, then no one can.’
Religious coating often burnishes nationalistic credentials. Christian congregations play an important role in US social life though the church leaders might not hold the same influence they once used to hold. But they would like to believe their President is a moral guide without a priestly role.
For Trump, placing faith at the centre of his politics was always beneficial as the hordes of faithful US voters see him as their crusader and protector for a hopeful tomorrow.
(Jayanth Jacob, a foreign policy commentator, has covered the Ministry of external affairs for over two decades. X: @jayanthjacob)
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.
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