The Divided State of Evangelical America

Introduction

In 2016 81% of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump. After four years of President Trump’s childish antics, deception, racism, misogyny, divisive propaganda, and inciting extreme white supremacist groups to “stand back, and stand by” demographic breakdowns of the 2020 election are being reported. Much to my surprise, but sadly not shocking, after four years of this administration 80% of white evangelicals have once again voted for Donald Trump. These statistics are not simply reference points, but I believe are telling a very troubling story regarding the increasing division taking place within God’s church in America. 

The Story Behind the Numbers

Never in my lifetime has our country been more divided in general, nor the Evangelical Church in particular. The story behind these statistics has also caught the attention of multiple news outlets. On Sunday, November 8th, NPR reported, 

A notable fact in 2016 was that exit polls showed about 80% of white evangelical Christians supported Trump in spite of his unfamiliarity with the Bible, his divorces, his vulgar rhetoric and his association with porn stars. Trump's reputation in moral terms hasn't changed all that much during his time in office, but there is little evidence of slippage among these faith voters. Surveys of early voters and exit polls this year showed between 76 and 81% of white evangelical and "born again" voters supporting Trump, according to the National Election Pool and AP/Votecast.” (2020 Faith Vote Reflects 2016 Pattern)

The article goes on to describe how white Catholic support has marginally decreased in this election, which may have been influenced by President-Elect Biden’s Catholic faith. Furthermore, with the exception of Latinos primarily in Florida and Texas, all other minority groups that identify as Christian largely voted for Biden. Worth noting is despite white evangelical support of Trump staying at 80%, the highest demographic shift is among Gen Z. Those born after 1996, Generation Z, are the fastest-growing demographic of “nones,” meaning they have no religious affiliation. 

This data raises the question, is the hypocrisy of white evangelical support for Donald Trump, and leading evangelical figures publicly endorsing him, running the next generation out of our churches? Are we sacrificing future generations in the pursuit of holding on to political power in the present?

I fear there is a virus far worse than COVID-19 that is devastating the Evangelical Church in America from the inside. This virus has been infecting our nation from its inception and is now ravaging God’s church. This virus is made up of nationalism, republicanism, and racism. 

There’s Two Evangelical America’s

Dr. Ron Sider, who helped start Pro-Life Evangelicals for Biden (along with Jerushah Duford, granddaughter of Billy Graham), shared similar concerns in his most recent article, “Biden won, Now What?” Sider shares,

“But I am even more worried about the huge divisions in the church – – especially among evangelicals. Theologically, the black church is just as evangelical as the white church that calls itself evangelical. But the behavior of white evangelicals for centuries and especially recently has led black Christians not just to reject the label “evangelical” but  also to despair of any cooperation with, or even respect for, white evangelicals. Furthermore, just this year, white evangelicals have said awful things about each other. Too often, we have not lived the theological truth that our oneness in Christ’s one body is far more important than any political differences.”

In the mid-twentieth century, black churches fought for a seat at the evangelical table and were adamantly told they were not welcome. Now, black Christians and churches want no part of the label evangelical, despite the fact that their theological convictions have not changed. What has changed is all of the additional baggage that has been added regarding what it means to be an evangelical. Along with the 4 characteristics of evangelicalism (activism, biblicism, christocentrism, and conversions), white evangelicals have also added: 

• Republicanism
• Anti-abortion
• The pursuit of political power (often attached to nationalism)
• Individualism
• Conservative theology

It’s not the 4 characteristics that are driving black Christians and other believers of color away from evangelicalism and our churches, it’s these added characteristics. Most telling is how the majority of these added characteristics are directly tied to a political party along with a specific political and economic extra-biblical ideology. 

What’s most heartbreaking is how the American Church is allowing differing views on how Caesar should reign usurp the church’s unity under the reign of Christ. Jesus’ final prayer before his arrest by Jewish authorities was for unity among God’s people, in the same way, there is unity among Jesus and God the Father. 

John 17:20-21 says, 

“I am not praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.."

It’s sobering to think that our unity was one of the last things on Jesus’ lips before the cross. It’s tragic how this election has brought to the surface how much politics and allegiance to a party is now being held as a closed-handed view on par with allegiance to the gospel of Christ. Since the announcement of Joe Biden’s victory the last 18 hours have been a roller coaster of celebration and attack. 

Experiencing the Division

Within minutes of the news breaking that Biden won there were fireworks, car horns honking, and impromptu parades celebrating the victory throughout my predominately African American community. African American, Latino, Indian, Asian, and white Christian friends began calling and texting in celebration. However, as I began posting these celebrations and my own thoughts on social media I began getting reprimands and antagonistic responses from white Christians. I received texts with random videos calling me to “just preach the gospel,” accusations that I’ve fallen victim to a “liberal” agenda, and have had my faith in Christ called into question. 

The people calling my wife and I’s faith into question over an election are people we’ve personally ministered to. These are people we’ve wept with, we’ve had the privilege to build up one another, some of these people are now adults that I had the privilege to walk with as a youth. Decades-long relationships with white Christians have been seemingly wiped out not because of anything theologically, or moral failure, or egregious sin, but because we are celebrating a candidate that doesn’t align with a particular ideology.

I’m sitting in the tension of celebrating that the worst president in the last century is gone, and the voices of historically oppressed minorities have been heard. I’m also rejoicing that decency and character can return to the highest office of our land. At the same time, I’m grieved because it’s more clear than ever that Christian orthodoxy in America is entangled with nationalism, individualism, and racism. 

Atlantic staff writer George Packer shares the impact of this election, “We are two countries, and neither of them is going to be conquered or disappear anytime soon. The outcome of the 2016 election was not a historical fluke or result of foreign subversion, but a pretty accurate reflection of the American electorate.” (Face the Bitter Truth)

The divided states of evangelical America is who we have become… Lord Jesus helps us.