Mohler, somewhat long winded, in his own words, here.
The Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., one of the key leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, plans to vote for President Trump in the fall, a reversal of his position in 2016 when he argued that support of Trump risks destroying evangelicals’ credibility. One of the country’s best religion reporters, Sara Pulliam Bailey, in The Washington Post yesterday.
Trump formerly “The Great Evangelical Embarrassment” (Mohler’s phrase in WAPO, 2016), is now his guy for 2020. Boom! One might say that he just blew up his credibility but more likely, he’s just proving that he is behind the white evangelical curve in support of Trump no matter how erudite the explanation. Jeffress and Graham beat him to it by four years.
“In retrospect, I made my vote of minimal importance,” he said. “I don’t intend to do that in 2020. There’s a bit of regret in that.” In 2016, Mohler said he did not vote for a Democrat or a Republican and declined to say how he ultimately cast his vote. [also from SPB’s WAPO article of yesterday]
Back in November, John Fea asked, “Can Albert Mohler Unite a Southern Baptist Convention Divided over Donald Trump.” Guess not, now that he’s a Trump supporter along with Graham and Jeffress. No election for SBC president this year, though. Maybe he can unite the convention in 2021, though I’d think the chances are slimmer.
Dwight McKissick, in a tweet yesterday: “To juxtapose the Republican platform against the Democrat platform, with one(R) representing a “Christian worldview” merits to me a response from the SBC.” Er, from whom in the SBC? Ronnie Floyd? Russell Moore? JD Greear?
White evangelicals voted overwhelmingly, above 80% I believe, for Trump last time. Seems to me that the voting demographic of white evangelicals doesn’t have a lot of room to grow, regardless of which influential SBC leader endorses Trump for 2020. Also seems to me that non-white evangelicals aren’t likely to care about any white SBC influencer changing his mind and if Mohler is an influencer, it’s probably not with non-white evangelicals. This change of heart should solidify his position.
Alan Cross, contributor here and tireless tweeter, wonders why an SBC seminary president, SBC leader, feels compelled to endorse a candidate. We can all exercise our freedom to speak, blather, and bluster. If Russell Moore attempted to do the same, I’d favor getting a new ERLC leader. I’m not interested in the SBC being a minor part of the Republican party. I think I am mostly with Alan on this, but then Mohler is a meta-SBC guy, not just a seminary president. Feels compelled to talk about everything, I suppose.
Southern Baptists always speak for themselves, not for every church, pastor or person who identifies as Southern Baptist.
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This isn’t the first time Mohler has changed his mind about something or someone. As long as he doesn’t sidle up to Paula White in the Oval Office to be at the front in a photo op. He’d have to elbow Jack Graham out of the way to get there anyway.
Anyway, Bart Barber has already explained why he will likely vote for Trump this year, unless the president blows it.
I didn’t vote for Trump in 2016. Haven’t decided about 2020. I can’t see voting for Biden/Harris-Abrams-Klobuchar-Warren whomever. Biden, I hate to look at the guy. Looks like a Peruvian mummy his skin is so tight.
And, yes, I’m in a high risk category for COVID-19 but am doing fine, hunkered down. Thanks for asking. I’ve got an old Snapper mower I’m turning into a Bush Hog to clear out some of my property.
