How Trump Lost an Evangelical Stalwart

[babylonsister]

How Trump Lost an Evangelical Stalwart
The editor in chief of Christianity Today explains his scathing editorial about the president’s behavior—and the damage he argues his fellow Christians are doing to the Gospel.
Emma Green
December 19, 2019


Evangelicals just received an ultimatum: Abandon President Donald Trump, or betray your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Christianity Today—the magazine founded by the famous preacher Billy Graham, and the longtime forum for mainstream evangelical thought—has published an editorial calling for Trump to be removed from the White House. The editor in chief, Mark Galli, acknowledged that “the typical CT approach is to stay above the fray and allow Christians with different political convictions to make their arguments in the public square.” But the facts are “unambiguous,” Galli wrote. “The president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit one of the president’s political opponents. That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral.”

Within hours of the article’s publication, the magazine’s website had crashed and Galli had been invited to speak on CNN and NPR, among other outlets. To be clear, Galli’s editorial in no way signals that evangelicals are about to defect, en masse, from Trump or the Republican Party. Christianity Today, also known as CT, mostly appeals to well-educated readers who are moderate in every way, including politically and theologically. Much of its readership is international, and many older print subscribers might not even register the small, seismic event that just happened on CT’s website. And polling over the past few months has consistently shown that white evangelicals remain among Trump’s staunchest supporters.

What’s significant about Galli’s statement is how directly he makes the case that his fellow Christians have a responsibility to call out Trump’s immoral behavior. Otherwise, he writes, they risk damaging their ability to share the Gospel with the world. Christians have been divided over Trump since he became a serious presidential candidate in 2016. Now, less than a month away from retirement, Galli wants them to unite against the president.

I spoke with Galli shortly after his editorial was published this evening. Our conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

more...

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/12/christianity-today-trump-removal/603952/

[Igel]

1. Not sure he was Trump's to lose.

That it was published 8 days before the writer retires isn't coincidental.

[uponit7771]

5. +1, and they already have their judges

[Permanut]

2. Franklin Graham said his father "would be very disappointed".

Listened to right wing thumper wacko Bob Dutko on Detroit's WMUZ, earlier today. Dutko is one of the "Christian" Trump worshippers. He vigorously defended Franklin Graham, and of course condemned Christianity Today. Other hucksters weighed in with similar condemnations: Jerry Falwell Jr., Robert Jeffress, Eric Metaxas, Dana Loesch, et al.

The Trump worship is strong in these cult members. I hate citing sources for this garbage, but here goes:

[link:https://www.christianpost.com/news/trump-franklin-graham-8-other-evangelicals-react-to-christianity-todays-call-to-remove-president.html|

[walkingman]

3. After the politicization of religion these last 30 years I think they have all lost

any credibility they might have had. They have rationalized their dogma for centuries and it all sounds like mumbo jumbo to me. Whatever floats their boat but please keep it to yourself. I have always viewed religion as a personal thing and I don't really care what you believe......period.

[keithbvadu2]

4. Supporting Trump is how the big wigs witness for their faith.

Supporting Trump is how the big wigs witness for their faith.