Pastoring in the Trump Era

by John Ellis

Not long into 2020, I observed to a friend that COVID, Trump, BLM, CRT, etc. haven’t created divisions among us; they’ve revealed the divisions that were already there. Two summers earlier, I had begun to become aware of the deep divisions within our churches and faith communities. Unity was (and is) not as prevalent nor as strong as many believed (still believe). I wrote about my experience during the summer of 2018 here.

My observation was neither unique nor incredibly insightful. Many others have observed the same phenomenon. Kristin Du Mez is a historian who is doing invaluable research and work in helping us to see how these rifts were often inevitable. Her book Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation had laid bare much of the toxic, rotten foundation of white evangelicalism. I’m thankful for her book and her continued work and writings. This past weekend, she wrote an article largely comprised of a Twitter (now X, I guess) thread from a pastor lamenting what’s happening, specifically how ex-president Donald Trump and MAGA world is wreaking havoc among professing Christians. While I’m no longer an elder in a church (a pastor), Sean Muldowny’s thread resonates with me. I appreciate his courage and honesty. I’m sharing Du Mez’s article containing Muldowny’s prophetic words with the prayer that it will provide courage to those, especially pastors, who despair at Christian nationalism and Trump’s syncretistic hold over many people in our churches to speak out against the idolatry in our faith communities.

You can read Dr. Du Mez’s article by clicking here.