The heat does not seem do die down in Christian circles regarding this year’s election.
Most of the heat that I have seen this year has come from Christian leaders belittling people who are voting for Donald Trump.
I heard a discussion on NPR about why some evangelicals were voting for Trump by a well known SBC leader. The reasons given were: 1) They were betraying their values; 2) They were racist or nativist; 3) They weren’t really evangelicals, but just nominal church attenders; and 4) Deep down they sought authoritarian rule (and yes, Hitler came up).
So, of all the motivations ascribed by this Christian leader to why some Christians were voting for Trump, the most charitable was – they are just barely Christian, if at all.
No charitable explanation or understanding was offered.
Well, now we have one of the most respected systematic theologian in Southern Baptist Reformed circles, Wayne Grudem, writing an article stating why voting for Donald Trump is not only morally permissible, but a moral good.
http://townhall.com/columnists/waynegrudem/2016/07/28/why-voting-for-donald-trump-is-a-morally-good-choice-n2199564
Do any of you believe this will change anyone’s mind?
Do you think it will tamp down all of the apocalyptic anti-Trump rhetoric we have heard?
Do you think it might at least cause some to apologize for ascribing motives to Christians that are not warranted?
I personally don’t believe this article will change anyone’s mind or cause them to reconsider past behavior. It has to do with the psychology of humans.
Once people have put a stake in the ground like, “No Christian in good conscience can vote for Donald Trump”, it takes too much psychologically to walk that back.
I have all kinds of close friends, probably because I am not in church work. So it is not hard for me to truly accept and affirm people who think differently.
Christians are often unfairly criticized for being very judgmental. But this election cycle has produced some harsh rhetoric.
In addition to being concerned about the future of the USA, I am concerned about the health and fellowship of the body of Christ. And when people are labeled and lampooned, especially by Christian leaders, it does great damage to the body.
I believe that Mr. Grudem’s greatest contribution in writing this article will not be to shed light, but to turn down the heat.