We must be clearheaded in the aftermath of the Trump presidency. Those of us who wanted him out cannot afford the luxuries of gloating and victory laps. It's upon us to think of the millions of people who supported him--indeed, the millions who followed him in a way that should alarm all of us. His lies and promises, his emotional tone and tenacity for self-promotion--all of these merged with the pain of a massive, disenfranchised population in this country. That frantic merge created a cult, and that cult delivered, in the end, violence and insurrection. A mob broke into our Capitol, many of them chanting, "Hang Mike Pence!" I'm glad we will never know what would have happened if they'd found him, or if they had laid their hands on other members of Congress Trump had denounced as enemies.
I want to speak specifically of the Trump followers who self-identify as Christians. I am a Christian and believe we all belong to the one Body of Christ. Because of this, I am responsible for my sisters and brothers, whether they are out in the world doing great works of healing and compassion or they have been deceived and drawn into heresy, hatred, and violence. It is not my prerogative to remain silent. Neither is it my prerogative to stop caring.
Trump's Christians fall into at least two categories. Those who have sold out completely to his rhetoric and goals are the Christian Nationalists, which is a contradiction in terms. Jesus said plainly that his kingdom was not of this world. He did not fulfill the expectations of those who waited for him to overthrow the Roman government back in first-century Palestine, and he will not satisfy those people--of any country--who seek to bring about his kingdom through political or military force. In God's eyes, no nation or country is "first," and "America first" is a political concept, not a religious one. Christian Nationalism, from a religious standpoint, is a heresy, and anyone who leads people of faith into such a movement is at great fault as a leader. Franklin Graham, Kenneth Copeland, and others have proven themselves to be such leaders, and they will answer to God for the damage they have done by urging people to support Trump's regime. This topic deserves entire books of its own, but I am not as concerned about this group of Christians as I am about the second one. Christian Nationalists may, in many cases, be Christian in name only. That is, they may have adopted an American, regional form of "Christian" culture without ever having been truly converted; they may have followed a cultural ideal rather the person, Jesus of Nazareth. I am not responsible to those Christian Nationalists who are not actual converts in the same way I am responsible for the followers of Jesus who have been misled.
This second group--the Jesus followers who have been deceived and led wrongly--are people who thought Trump was God's man because he identified as pro-life, which, in a quite limited worldview, applies to abortion and not much else. Trump claimed to be against socialism, which these Christians were convinced is incompatible with Christianity--they failed to make a distinction between types of socialism, not understanding that a democratic socialist system is not the same as a dictatorial one. Anyway, they believed that by supporting Trump they were protecting America and the Church. They are followers of Jesus. And, as true followers, they are now in a state of grief and confusion.
I suspect that many true followers of Jesus who had been led to be supporters of Trump were shocked and dismayed at the insurrection that occurred on January 6. As Christians, they were not in favor of violence or treason; they certainly did not intend to hang anyone. At first they thought that this violent uprising was down to a few bad people who had infiltrated the march. And yet, Trump never really denounced these actions. Furthermore, God did not place Trump in the presidency for a second term. All that was predicted--by Trump, by Qanon, even by certain congresspersons--did not come to pass.
So, where are these Christian Trump supporters now? They are between a heresy and a hard truth. Either the evil conspiracy is much more powerful than they thought, and God's purposes were thwarted, or they have been lied to and an entire framework of thinking and believing must be reevaluated.
My responsibility now is to act toward these Christians with a firm gentleness. I must continue to say what is true: that there was no widespread election fraud and that President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris are legitimate. That Trump's divisive, hateful words and behavior are the facts, not mere passing jokes or somehow misunderstood or taken out of context. That he personally encouraged hatred in general and white supremacy activity in particular. That he failed consistently to express the wisdom or compassion of someone who is a friend of God. I am making fairly simple observations here; I am not judging his soul, which is loved by God as much as my soul is. I can believe that God loves Donald Trump and also believe that the man was a great danger to us all.
I must create an atmosphere in which a well-meaning Trump follower feels safe enough to admit that she or he was fooled, deceived, misled. I must offer acceptance, a listening ear, an open door, and an open heart. If I consider the Christian Trump follower to be an enemy, then I have defeated the cause for healing and unity. And I have shut the door to faith-filled conversation.
Most of all, it's my responsibility to demonstrate that the Trump supporter's needs and wounds are legitimate and worthy of our attention. Why was half the nation ripe for this man's lies? Half the nation is financially insecure, is worried about healthcare, is afraid that outsiders will take all the jobs. Half the nation has been brainwashed into seeing the threat in people of color rather than in people of power. I must communicate to my wounded sisters and brothers in Christ that they are not forgotten and will be cared for. They will be heard, and loved.
