A recent FiveThirtyEight piece explains why, in light of some fierce criticism by faith leaders of the government’s policy to separate families at the US border, it is doubtful that the support of Donald Trump by white evangelicals will waver at all.
White evangelicals support Trump, in part, because his view of “law and order” aligns with theirs and, since Trump’s immigration policy resonates with this view of law and order, white evangelicals will continue their support even if they don’t like the idea of separating children from their parents, because those parents are breaking the law and therefore bring these consequences on themselves.
Essentially, in light of Christian teachings about showing hospitality to the stranger, welcoming the foreigner into your land, caring for those in need, showing compassion to the downtrodden, and loving one’s neighbor, a high percentage of white evangelicals in the US opt for “law and order” – a Trump version of law and order, that is – over the teachings of Jesus and the Christian tradition.
This is notable, especially because the Scriptures have much to say about the nature of our Christian identity in light of how we treat the poor. James 2 is a classic Christian text in this regard. There we learn that we dishonor the poor when we mistreat them. Thus we know they are to be honored, and in fact God chooses them to be “rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.”
James has some stern words for the rich who oppose the poor by hauling them into court: “Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?” (James 2:7). That excellent name is Jesus, who always identifies with the poor. The oppressors themselves “are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9). James’s point couldn’t be more clear. Christians who support the oppression of the poor, who drag the poor into court, are called lawbreakers by the apostle James.
The rich who oppress the poor with their man-made laws blaspheme Jesus, and God convicts the oppressors in light of His law. The solution for this, a “biblical” solution, James calls the “royal law.” It is the law of the King – not an earthly king, but the One who is King over all. That royal law is the law of love, given in the Torah and taught by Jesus, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
We in the US are rich. Of course there are poor among us, too many, to be sure. But at a national scale we are undoubtably rich. Many of the immigrants at our southern border are poor. We in the US have laws, but these laws do not supersede the commands of God.
We understand that nations must have laws and that they must be enforced. And we also understand that it is ours to obey laws. Likewise, when laws are unjust or are unjustly enforced, it is our duty as Christians to speak up and to resist when necessary – because we won’t be judged only by the laws of our land but by God’s royal law of love.
We are resisting by reminding Christians to be more Christian than “American.” We are urging our evangelical siblings to practice the royal law of love, the biblical law that is the true mark of liberty: “So speak and act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:12-13).
Coming weeks and months will tell the tale of what white evangelicals in the US actually believe. Perhaps family separations at the border will spur a movement among evangelicals that will wake them from their slumber and enliven their love of liberty and mercy. Or perhaps they will carry on in their support of Trump and his allies because Trump’s vision for the world more closely aligns with theirs than does the teaching of Scripture itself. The one thing that is evident is that the two visions are not mutually compatible.
White evangelicals support Trump, in part, because his view of “law and order” aligns with theirs and, since Trump’s immigration policy resonates with this view of law and order, white evangelicals will continue their support even if they don’t like the idea of separating children from their parents, because those parents are breaking the law and therefore bring these consequences on themselves.
Essentially, in light of Christian teachings about showing hospitality to the stranger, welcoming the foreigner into your land, caring for those in need, showing compassion to the downtrodden, and loving one’s neighbor, a high percentage of white evangelicals in the US opt for “law and order” – a Trump version of law and order, that is – over the teachings of Jesus and the Christian tradition.
This is notable, especially because the Scriptures have much to say about the nature of our Christian identity in light of how we treat the poor. James 2 is a classic Christian text in this regard. There we learn that we dishonor the poor when we mistreat them. Thus we know they are to be honored, and in fact God chooses them to be “rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.”
James has some stern words for the rich who oppose the poor by hauling them into court: “Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?” (James 2:7). That excellent name is Jesus, who always identifies with the poor. The oppressors themselves “are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9). James’s point couldn’t be more clear. Christians who support the oppression of the poor, who drag the poor into court, are called lawbreakers by the apostle James.
The rich who oppress the poor with their man-made laws blaspheme Jesus, and God convicts the oppressors in light of His law. The solution for this, a “biblical” solution, James calls the “royal law.” It is the law of the King – not an earthly king, but the One who is King over all. That royal law is the law of love, given in the Torah and taught by Jesus, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
We in the US are rich. Of course there are poor among us, too many, to be sure. But at a national scale we are undoubtably rich. Many of the immigrants at our southern border are poor. We in the US have laws, but these laws do not supersede the commands of God.
We understand that nations must have laws and that they must be enforced. And we also understand that it is ours to obey laws. Likewise, when laws are unjust or are unjustly enforced, it is our duty as Christians to speak up and to resist when necessary – because we won’t be judged only by the laws of our land but by God’s royal law of love.
We are resisting by reminding Christians to be more Christian than “American.” We are urging our evangelical siblings to practice the royal law of love, the biblical law that is the true mark of liberty: “So speak and act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:12-13).
Coming weeks and months will tell the tale of what white evangelicals in the US actually believe. Perhaps family separations at the border will spur a movement among evangelicals that will wake them from their slumber and enliven their love of liberty and mercy. Or perhaps they will carry on in their support of Trump and his allies because Trump’s vision for the world more closely aligns with theirs than does the teaching of Scripture itself. The one thing that is evident is that the two visions are not mutually compatible.
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