#Faith2016 News Roundup – Trumpvangelical Edition

Last updated on: June 24, 2016 at 2:18 pm by Jacob Lupfer

#Faith2016 News Roundup – Trumpvangelical Edition 2016-06-24T14:18:09-04:00 Jacob Lupfer

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(Note: This is part of a series of posts that highlight some of the best news and commentary on the role of faith in the 2016 election. See my previous posts from earlier in June.)

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Here are some stories from the past week that I found especially interesting or insightful.

If you are an evangelical, or simply wish to understand evangelicals, then you must read this reaction from the Reverend Dr. Ed Stetzer, a thoughtful, ecumenically-minded evangelical encourager.

I am worried that—whether he is elected president or not—the reaction to Trump’s campaign may harm the evangelical wing of the Church. Many evangelical leaders are embarrassed by the evangelical support of Trump. That’s reality. Yet, some of those leaders are responding poorly. Our gut reaction is to dismiss his supporters as not being “real” evangelicals, and to question their faith.

Stetzer offers a word of caution to evangelicals on both sides of the Trump question. Taking the long view, he reminds his readers that, “Win or lose, Trump Evangelicals will be around after the election as well, and the evangelical community loses if different views of Donald Trump divide us.”
At the Los Angeles Times, Peter Manseau has a concise piece on a provocative question, “Is Trumpism its own religion?”
For a thoughtful writeup of Trump’s meeting with evangelicals by a mainstream political reporter, see Katie Glueck’s Politico article. She clearly explains the dilemma evangelical elites face and how key leaders are resolving their concerns about Trump.
Many old-line Religious Right figures are more comfortable lining up behind Trump than younger, more pluralist leaders like Russell Moore and Eric Teetsel. So it was noteworthy that Michael Farris, who spent many years in the trenches advocating on homeschool and social-conservative issues, is speaking out against Trump. See Farris’ brief but dramatic Christian Post op-ed, as well as his piece for The Washington Post:
Now, we’re being asked to give up our character and just vote Republican. That may be the choice of many voters, but it’s not why evangelicals like me got involved in politics.

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Rev. Tom Reese, S.J. Elected Chairman of USCIRF

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June 25, 2016 James Dobson Says Trump Was Recently Born Again

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