“Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” – Proverb 28:27
Donald Trump, in a photo publicity stunt, recently held up a Bible in front of a Christian church. In doing so, made an indirect claim to be a follower of it tenants and teachings. So, it’s a fair question to ask, “Is God Judging Donald Trump?” or restated, “Is God judging Donald Trump with the COVID 19 pandemic, the US national unrest, and the seemly unending troubles he’s faced brought on by his politics of treatment to those in need?”. For those not familiar with the Judeo-Christian account nor sharing its vision, it’s a silly question and perhaps an outdated question. For those that are familiar, it is a very serious question regarding the state of nation and national leadership as judged against the social justice of God – a measurement of how a nation engages with human need, the business of poverty, economics and justice. And the simple answer is yes, God is judging Donald Trump’s presidency. Yes, if you affirm belief in the Book held up by President Trump.
Much of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible is devoted to why northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah failed. It’s a historical narrative about the connection of morality and leadership, and the entailing impacts on a nation. The Prophetical books particularly link leadership values to the judgement of God, a theme that started with Moses and Pharaoh in the book of Exodus and carries through the historical and prophetic books. A simple Sunday School lesson on Moses ties Pharaoh’s moral mistreatment of the Israelite’s to the disease and plagues of God inflicted on the Egyptians. It’s an old story that a child understands and nothing new in the traditional teachings from Catholics to Evangelicals and Judaism.
The better question is “Why is God judging Donald Trump?” Or even better yet, “What are the sins of the current US President that would cause God to punish him and the nation?” For voting conservative Evangelicals in America, this is not a good question. Generally, American Evangelicals see Donald Trump as a good moral person. Jerry Falwell is a fair representation of this view. Not only is he moral, but President Trump supports four key issues for conservative Evangelical Christians: “Support for the state of Israel; strong national defense; traditional family values; and pro-life”. Given the well documented behavioral background and social value statements of Donald Trump, how can Mr. Falwell and so many Evangelicals say that President Trump “is a good moral person and an example to the nation”?
Growing up in the Evangelical world and having formally studied its theology, I think I know the answer. And it’s a simple one at the risk of being simple. American Evangelical morality is not the morality of the Bible they claim. Some might call it historical drift. The Biblical values of the past are not the same values of the today’s conservative American Evangelicals. Some may say it’s a matter of emphasis, that certain values are more important then others, like abortion, personal repentance, and sexual ethics. But emphasis matters. Wrong emphasis can cause harm and be misguiding even though it starts from a good place. Virtual and vice are often joined at the hip. What is this historical moral drift?
Sin in a Modern-Day U.S. Presidency
The prophetic voices of the Hebrew Bible articulated moral truth to power. For us, it begs the question regarding the nature of truth to power weaved through these historical writings. Some say it was “sin”. But what was the chief sin? Was it sexual, abuse of alcohol, abortion, or lack positive self-image? The central offense to God was the treatment of the poor. It was to those in need, specifically women, children and those suffering racial injustice. It included the abuse of justice against the powerless, and the structural wealth inequality that creates poverty (“trickle down” economics was nonexistent unless mandated by Jubilee laws). These were the primary offenses or sins rooted in the opening pages of Genesis. All men created in the image of God was the starting point for human dignity verses the opposing accounts of the Egyptians and Assyrians which allowed for the economic exploitation of other ethnicities. And reaffirmed repeatedly in the historical and prophet books as warnings and judgments to Kings in the form of pestilence, plagues and pandemics . The failure to embrace or worship the Hebrew God was a failure to take care of the poor. This religious critique continued with Jesus Christ as his focal message. Jesus, as a prophetic reformer of his Hebrew community, was calling his generation to social reforms (i.e. the account of the Good Samaritan is an account to embrace social diversity at the level of human need). From Genesis to Christ, these Biblical records were packaged in the language of the Kingdom of God chronicled over a 1000 year period in the Book held up by President Trump.
What really gets God “mad”? The omission of power and wealth to address structural and abusive inequality by those that claim his name. Perhaps James, the brother of Jesus who watch his reform movement and message of “love of neighbor” best said it, “Religion, clean and undefiled before God and Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep unstained himself from the world.” (James 1:27 – the world referencing those values of the time that don’t support social justice). The issue of social justice is often discounted by modern America Evangelical as it retreats into the realm of private morality. Private morality is less complicated. However, the issue of poverty, its impact on people’s lives and ethnic treatment of others who are different is the number one issue in the Bible. There are over 2669 occurrences the poor in the Christian Old and New Testaments making it the second most referenced word, the first being “God”. Response to “the poor” is the primary framework for moral standards, spiritual connection, and basis of the covenant between the Hebrews and YHWH. Addressing poverty speaks to the soul of the religious experience when all the trappings are stripped away. For the Hebrew, treatment of bother and neighbor at a state level form the covenant relationship with the Hebrew God. How does this relate to Jerry Falwall’s “Christian” assessment of Donald Trump and issues for conservative Christians?
A Pattern of Social Transgressions
Unfortunately, President Trump in his tenure has long list of classic Biblical Old Testament sins related to race, women, children, the demonization of others who are different from him, including contempt for truth, justice, mercy, unity and those values that build and enhance human relations and freedom. With modern media and internet, credible sources abound with details of his behavior. How has he treated our Mexican neighbors and Latin American migrants in need? How has he behaved towards the mothers and children in this crisis? What has been his tone of message regarding race and religion, especially Muslims? How has he treated the moral issues of truth, justice and mercy? These questions find there answers in the Presidents response to the migration crisis of our southern neighbors (the “Wall”, immigration detentions, etc.), to Black Live Matters, his lack of concern for the health of citizens during the COVID 19 pandemic, and horrifically, to his support of world régimes that commit the worst of the social injustices even to a level at the expense America’s military (recent news regarding Russia’s bounty on American soldiers). Even to those the President calls his own, he is woefully lacking. Trump has left persecuted Christians in danger according to World Relief and Open Doors USA.
How does the God of the Bible see these things?
David, the second king of Israel, had a respected army general killed in battle so he could take the generals wife as his own, the story of Bathsheba. How did he do it? King David didn’t do the killing but required that the general fight in the front lines knowing the probability of outcome. To King David citizens, it has the appearance of a war tragedy, of a hero who was killed in battle. But more was going on and David was judged by God for this. How many times has President Trump implied that someone should be lynch, or taken care of the old fashion way? Has he done anything wrong? Not by the law but this is sin in the eyes of the Biblical God. For Donald, it’s the tip of the iceberg as words matter in his Tweets.
Is Donald Trump a Good Moral Man?
In objection, some of the Christian right argue that Donald Trump’s pro-life stance on abortion is the redeeming feature meriting the necessity of his approval. It “trumps” other moral behavior. Hitler, the Nazi leader in WWII was very pro-life for German women. In fact, Hitler went much further then President Trump ensuring German mothers had access to the highest level of care that the state could provide. Hitler did wonderful structural improvements for the German society during the 1930s. Would this redeem Hitler in a Biblical way? The broader context was anything but redeeming. And “conservative” Evangelical Christian should ask themselves “Are we being ‘played’ by President Trump?” Hitler often use religion as a tool and referenced the “Almighty” in his speeches. If Donald Trump was pragmatically serious about reducing abortion, could he not have built on the Affordable Care Act infrastructure addressing primary causes for abortion (structural poverty is a big one)? In his tax reforms, the money didn’t go into healthcare but to the stock market, further amplifying the underlying causes of structural poverty.
The American Evangelical Moral Historical Drift and Lost Christianity
For many of the Evangelical Right caught in the historical drift away from historic Biblical values, Christianity is about personal ethics centering on confession of faith and personal behavior (i.e. sexual ethics, alcohol, personal habits, positive self-image programs, etc.). In a New York Times article by titled Christianity Will Have Power, she narrates the current state of political moral values and it focus on personal ethics. This person ethic focus has become primary in the Christian experience and the absolute measurement of a political leader, a reduction of the Old Testament and a new focus on the Gospel message. It’s message is more about Christian Nationalism (see The Power Worshippers | Katherine Stewart reveals a disturbing truth: America’s Religious Right has evolved into a Christian nationalist movement) rather then historic Christianity. The reforming social ethics of the Old and New Testament are good but are now not entirely necessary. For modern America, they are too closely linked to “socialism” and politics, and as important or primary in the Gospel message. The importance placed on “free market” narratives has conveniently refocused the Christian vision stripping away the old values of community and social responsibility. Governments are now necessarily bad when they try to address or mandate areas of social need (i.e. healthcare, income inequality) unless left to the free market, in the new Christian critique.
Historically, capitalism and trickle-down economics have never solved the big structural inequity issues (it is a nice thought and there are some great corporate examples, but does not solve the big issues). Capitalism can be a means to better social communities but in America capitalism is now an end in itself as an ideology. To make big changes, it takes values and direction at the highest levels of state leadership. But the conservative Evangelical leadership has thrown out the baby with the bath water. By neutering the broader social values and embracing personal ethics as the message, the soul of faith has been lost. Consequently, it allows President Trump to be acceptable character. Faith is personal matter of individual concern and not a moral metric between society and God. It separates faith from public responsibilities. Yet, the Book held up by President Trump is mainly about the social treatment of all men as made in the image of God. An affront to the poor is an affront to God in Book of Proverbs (14:31), and nations are judged against this Biblical rubric. Personal ethics are good and necessary, but they are not the national moral criteria by which the Jewish Prophets pronounced their judgement. It was a collective sin towards the poor resulting from bad religion as embellished and tolerated by their Kings and Priests. The Prophets took aim at the broader “tone”, “messaging” and behavior of their leaders, Kings and Priest, when leadership failed to meaningfully address social injustice. Jesus own words echo’s these terms in His famous mission statement (The Annunciation):
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18
These were fighting words. Jesus’s words were extremely socially political in his time in defense of his own prophet tradition. It’s what got him into trouble. The Gospel as “Good News” to the poor was defined in terms of Jubilee, a statement that confronts a purely capitalistic system, affirms Adam Smith warning of the consolidation of wealth and upholds Marx’s critique of growing economic disparity of the working class. Strangely, the concept of Jubilee has been lost in the Christian message and its “preaching of the cross.” It is lost Christianity. Until the “conservative” Evangelical Christian re-centers or begins the journey back to their historical roots, it enables men like Presidents Trump and brings upon itself its own message of judgement.
The Measure of a Nation
Active and engage assistance for those that are compromised, neglected, abandon, mistreated, abused, injured by the economic structures of society is not a matter of personal charity but a matter of national importance, of justice, of faith and involves the judgement of God. The measure of a society is how it treats and advocates for the poor. A summary look at the major prophets illustrates the importance of how their Kings and leaders were measured and found lacking (see following table).
| Prophet | Kings/Rulers | Main Cause of God’s Judgement | Sample Reference |
| Isaiah | Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah | Lack of justice and righteousness for the poor and oppressed. Corrupt princes and judges oppressing the poor and in relation to neighboring nations. | Isaiah 1:10-17 – …
Learn to do right, seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. Additional reference here. |
| Jeremiah | Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah | False worship that lead to social injustices. | Jeremiah 22:3 – Thus says the LORD, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.” |
| Ezekiel | During Babylonia exile under Nebuchadnezzar after the last king Judah – Jehoiachin | The worship of other gods that lead to Juda’s social and economic injustice resulting in their exile to Babylonia. | Ezekiel 8 – 11, 18 … He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery, but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between two parties. |
| Daniel | Nebuchadnezzar | Pride in Nebuchadnezzar’s failure to response to the Hebrew God and his allegiance to Marduk resulting in social injustice, especially as he accumulated wealth from conquered nations. He was accountable to no one for his treatment of subjects. | Dan. 4:27, 3:29 – Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.” Suggested Reference Article |
What Would Jesus Say to President Trump?
What redeeming values would save President Trump? We can wonder at what Christ would say to him. But we don’t have to. The writers of the Gospels preserved for us exactly what he would say. Here are his words in Mark 10:17:
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Having spent my college years studying Biblical history and textual interpretation, I’ve wondering why so many Evangelical leaders and pastors who studied the same material don’t present the historical perspective of book they preach from. Are they afraid? Will they lose their job? Is it just easier to swim upstream with conformist ideas? Few have the courage of a Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany and his Confessing Church. North American Christianity has largely become individualistic focus on personal help or positive self-image messages. And this is good for some and does have a place. But it not the soul of Christianity. Christ, culture and politics matter in the Christian experience. Embracing the historic values of justice and mercy and bringing them into public square is what is means to be a Christian. There is no individual Christianity without social engagement. And as social engagement, a Christian must stand against and not support a President who repeatedly violates and vocally treats with contempt the Biblical sin of social injustice and contempt for the needy.
COVID 19 has no easy end in sight for the havoc it will play in our lives and economies. For those who claim the Good Book must ask themselves, “Is this the judgement of God on us for the sins of our President?” One only needs to look to Old Testament to find the answer.
Aletheia Forum 