The Trump phenomenon's most illuminating and distinctive moments – not its most significant, nor cruelest, nor most hazardous, nor most senseless, but perhaps its most illuminating – came earlier this autumn. In the course of a few weeks, the US president started showing the public his plans for a gilded ballroom two times larger than the White House and subsequently started unilaterally ripping down the eastern section to construct it.
He has done things 10,000 times as bad – the current estimate of fatalities from his cuts to foreign assistance stands at 600,000 and rising, and recently a study predicted his fossil fuel policies would kill 1.3 million more. But nothing as definitional. No other president would have attempted – truly, no other president would have conceived – solo demolishing large sections of the presidential residence to build a royal-themed celebration hall, with the enthusiastic participation of some of America's wealthiest, the majority of whom have business with federal agencies.
We went from 'the gentle will obtain the planet' toward 'the meek shall die of cholera'
As bewildering as it is to witness the president try to upend the old idea about democracy and replace it with its polar opposite, there is one large group within America who should not find it completely novel. That is those of us – among senior generations close to half – who were raised within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have witnessed across decades as politically conservative religious groups transformed the Christ we were raised with into the complete reverse of our perception of his character. At its most basic, they transformed an image of love into a figure of animosity who blesses exactly the harshness that he condemned in scripture; this change developed more gradually, over decades rather than months, however it is still disturbing through similar means, a confusing personal impact for countless people.
A Toxic Christianity Gains Ground
So let me first describe the Savior that I grew up with, since in theory Christ is the focus of any Christian faith, and given that the fastest-growing cadre within America may possess limited understanding about him since they are non-believers or agnostics or religiously unaffiliated. I raise no objection with these various perspectives, nor with any other faith; but I do think that contain precious wisdom of significant worth within Christian narrative.
It is decidedly definitely not the narrative of a mighty king arising; instead, a child comes into the world to displaced parents in a storage space, who are forced to hastily depart to a different country to escape covert authorities. The baby grows up in simple surroundings, a working carpenter; his doctrine concerns compassion for others, especially for the impoverished – not simply tender feelings, but tangible care, demonstrated through nourishing and protecting. Christ's response to hostility is to offer the opposite cheek – not as a gesture of submissive tolerance, but as a way to instruct the aggressor; his method regarding offenses is that if a person pilfers your jacket you ought to provide him your sweater too.
The obvious and clear fact that the Savior from scripture requests a form of radical love centered on the poor has perpetually caused Christianity somewhat of a controversial faith: attractive to the populace, but owing to its intrinsic extremism requiring to be restrained. In the fifties it was controlled by dilution – Protestantism was so prevalent that it essentially sanctified existing conditions.
A Conflict for the Finest Among Us
So I have been heartened to witness the steadfast resistance regarding Trump emerge in this past year. It has been significant comfort to assist in constructing the movement that has protested openly through repeated demonstrations, and likely has encouraged voters to show up in large quantities in the off-year elections. We will need to maintain it, and in the same spirit, with American flags at every demonstration and appeals to the best parts within national heritage.
We shall be interrogated ... how did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?
America is best defended, essentially, through connection to the highest within national tradition, just as Christianity is best defended by reference to what makes it special and magnificent, specifically the model of Christ. In all circumstances does it imply pretending the most damaging of both America and Christianity was nonexistent; it represents both modesty and faith, a blend that committed national faithful should be comfortable with.
