A MAGA Idol: Why Trump’s Un-Christian Behavior Makes Him a Hero to Conservative Christians
For eight years, Donald Trump has managed to secure the support of many evangelical and conservative Christians despite behavior that often seemed at odds with teachings espoused by Christ in the Gospels. If some observers initially viewed this as an unsustainable alliance, it is different now. Certain achievements during Trump’s presidency – notably appointments that shifted the Supreme Court to the right – have solidified that support.
He’s now the clear front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, even after he recently was found liable for sexually abusing a New York woman in 1996 and was indicted in a criminal case related to hush money payments to a porn actress.
The Distinction Between President and Pastor
Robert Jeffress, pastor of an evangelical megachurch in Dallas, has been a staunch supporter of Trump since his first campaign for president and is sticking by him even as rivals like South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence tout their Christian faith. “Conservative Christians continue to overwhelmingly support Donald Trump because of his biblical policies, not his personal piety,” said Jeffress. “They are smart enough to know the difference between choosing a president and choosing a pastor.”
“In many ways, Christians feel like they are in an existential cultural war between good and evil, and they want a warrior like Donald Trump who can win,” Jeffress added. Trump is eager to tout his faith-based record, stating: “No president has ever fought for Christians as hard as I have.”
Faith-Based Achievements and Political Outcomes
Trump’s great achievements, in the eyes of many evangelicals, include moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and appointing three Supreme Justices who have helped repeal the nationwide right to abortion. The following table summarizes these key achievements mentioned in the draft:
| Achievement Area | Specific Action |
|---|---|
| Judicial | Appointing three Supreme Justices who helped repeal the nationwide right to abortion. |
| Diplomatic | Moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. |
| Religious Liberty | Broadening religious-freedom protections in several cases involving conservative Christians. |
“I am certain that many Christians in the MAGA movement earnestly believe Trump has been ‘anointed’ for this purpose — to bring about certain political outcomes they desire,” said Robert Millies, a Chicago-based Catholic scholar.
The Cyrus Trope and the Narrative of Persecution
Robert Franklin, professor of moral leadership at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, noted that some evangelicals have likened Trump to Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who enabled Jews to return to Israel from their exile in Babylon. “This is a powerful trope, the bad man who makes good things possible, and is hence praised as a hero,” Franklin said. “Unfortunately, under this narrative, Trump can literally do no wrong. His wrong is right.”
Franklin also said that Trump benefits from a perception among some of his followers that he is suffering on their behalf. “The more he complains of persecution, the more people dig in to support him, and for a few, fight for him and make personal sacrifices (of money and freedom) for his advancement,” Franklin said.
Internal Church Dynamics and Warnings of Idolatry
In rural southwest Missouri, pastor Mike Leake of Calvary of Neosho said support for Trump within the mostly conservative congregation seems to strengthen the more he is criticized and investigated. “It further convinces them of their rhetoric that there is a leftist plot to undermine our nation,” Leake said. “So if everybody from the Left hates Trump, well, he must be on to something.”
However, Leake warned that many congregation members who strongly support Trump “are not our most dedicated members.” “Anytime we’ve seen someone go full on MAGA, we lose them,” Leake added. “Attendance and involvement drops. Giving drops. It’s all consuming — just as with any other idol.”
The Rev. Peter Daly – a retired Catholic priest – once wrote that “Donald Trump’s gospel is not the Gospel of Jesus.” In his piece, Daly depicted Trump as an uncharitable bully, prone to lying, lacking in empathy and tolerance. “He sees every opponent as someone to be shouted down or roughed up,” Daly wrote. “He is not a peacemaker.” Six years later, Daly tries to comprehend why so many conservative Christians remain in Trump’s camp despite behavior and rhetoric “that are antithetical to everything they stand for.”
“The embrace of Trump is really, finally a cynical calculation concerned with power, one that has the thinnest of possible Scriptural justifications,” Millies added.