The Golden Calf: A Small Reflection on Donald J Trump’s Religion

Last updated on: January 27, 2017 at 11:28 am by James Ford

The Golden Calf: A Small Reflection on Donald J Trump’s Religion 2017-01-27T11:28:02-08:00 James Ford

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Donald John Trump, our new president if you haven’t heard, isn’t particularly good at conveying his religious values, or, even basic knowledge of the religion he professes. He has tried to put money into a communion plate and once referred to communion as taking “my little wine” and “my little cracker.” Once, when asked what was his favorite verse from scripture all he could come up with “an eye for an eye,” perhaps an accurate summation of a part of his personality, but not where most would go when asked that question. He has freely admitted he rarely attends church, basically only Christmas and Easter.

So, it might be surprising that he does indeed have a religion. He says he is a Presbyterian. And in his childhood the family belonged to the First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens. In fact there is a picture floating around of the young Donald Trump with his confirmation class. So, he is right in that sense, he is a Presbyterian, if not one who belongs to a congregation. But, that does not in fact point to his real religion.

From his early teen years he was raised in the Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan. The minister throughout his youth, who officiated at his first marriage, and whom he continues to cite on occasion, was the Reverend Norman Vincent Peale. Dr Peale was, of course, the author of the continuous best seller The Power of Positive Thinking. As a preacher he emphasized an up-by-your-boot-straps approach to life and that one could succeed in life through visualizing success, often with specific meditative disciplines.

Daniel Burke, CNN’s religion editor, tells us Dr Peale, the preacher the forming Donald Trump listened closely to, “was also an enthusiastic champion of the free market, writing columns such as, ‘Let the Church Speak Up for Capitalism.’ His parables were often about businessmen who had bulldozed their way to the top, not Samaritans who crossed the street to help a stranger.” It seems Mr Trump was an eager acolyte of this part of Dr Peale’s I hasten to add more complicated message.

And, then there’s today. Mr Burke cites how “Some years ago, after services at her Florida megachurch, Paula White received a call from Donald Trump. At the time, White’s star was rising. She co-pastored a Tampa megachurch with 25,000 members and hosted a show broadcast on Christian television. White says Trump told her he was a fan from afar and quoted three of her recent sermons back to her.” So, Mr Trump may not go to church much, but he watches church services on television. And, he has favorites.

The Reverend White is a full on Prosperity Gospel preacher. Wikipedia tells us that Prosperity Gospel, also called the Health and Wealth Gospel, and the Gospel of Success, “is a religious belief among some Christians, who hold that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one’s material wealth.” The Prosperity Gospel has a complicated history and draws upon diverse sources. And, while Dr Peale was not precisely a proponent of what has come to be called the Prosperity Gospel, he does seem to have opened the door wide for young Donald Trump to walk through.

It’s teachings are condemned by many more traditional Christians, well, and many in the progressive and liberal wings of the tradition as well. Conservative Christians frequently denounce it as a heresy. Not that that means a lot to me personally. But, what they mean when they say that is how the Prosperity Gospel is so materialistic that it substitutes money for God. That’s where the liberals see a problem, as well.

And this is Mr Trump’s religion. Tom Gjelten writing for NPR’s All Things Considered tells us how Mr Trump currently “surrounds himself with prosperity preachers.” And then offers us as evidence some quotes from the president about “Paula White (‘a tremendous person, tremendous woman’), Mark Burns (‘I don’t know if you’ve watched him on television’) and Darrell Scott (‘phenomenal guy’).”

White, Burns, and Scott carry the Prosperity Gospel all the way to its logical conclusions, identifying sin with poverty, and salvation with prosperity. And, by prosperity, we mean health and wealth. Here and now. In this world. If you have it, you deserve it, you have earned it, and so God has poured blessings on you. Proof of the pudding.

And, of course, if you’re not wealthy, if you’re not healthy…

This man ran a political campaign telling the poor and dispossessed that he was here to support them. His religion suggests otherwise.

You want a scriptural image for this religion? Go to Exodus 32. Think Golden Calf.

This isn’t rocket science. The god of the new president is the Golden Calf.

And whatever his words, as we go forward I believe we’re going to see policies that follow his deeply felt beliefs. If he does otherwise will be the surprise.

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