Yes, Donald Trump met with a group of nearly 1,000 evangelicals yesterday in New York City. No, that doesn’t mean most Christians support the Republican presumptive nominee.
Sure, there are the Jerry Falwell Jr.s of the world who left yesterday’s meeting feeling “very impressed” and confident that Trump was showing a deeper understanding of the issues important to Christians (by which he means pro-life Supreme Court nominees, support for the nation of Israel, and religious freedom). In an interview with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren, Falwell, president of conservative Liberty University, summed up his take on the meeting by saying:
“I was honored to introduce him and I tried to point out to the crowd that we have such a simple choice this election. We can vote for somebody who has promised to support and defend the values that are important to conservatives and Christians and to appoint the right nominees to the Supreme Court, or we can vote for a candidate who has promised she will not do either of the above, she will do just the opposite.”
But Falwell’s comments, of course, don’t suggest that Christians more broadly support Donald Trump. The truth is that his continually shaky responses to questions related to his faith as well as the contradictions between his faith claims and his actions have many evangelicals feeling something very different.
For example, following Falwell Jr.’s early endorsement of Trump, Mark DeMoss, a former Liberty University board member, said, “The bullying tactics of personal insult have no defense—and certainly not for anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ.”
Here’s a sampling of just a few things Trump has said that have Christians—and hopefully everyone else—questioning whether Donald Trump is really a Christian.
First, his response to being asked during a Q&A at the Family Leadership Summit last year, whether he had ever asked God for forgiveness:
“I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I don’t think so. I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture. I don’t.”
Not exactly in line with a faith that preaches one’s repentance for sins as a precursor to salvation. And then came Trump’s response to the question “Who do you say Jesus is?”
“Jesus to me is somebody I can think about for security and confidence. Somebody I can revere in terms of bravery and in terms of courage and, because I consider the Christian religion so important, somebody I can totally rely on in my own mind.”
Not exactly the response the apostle Peter had when Jesus asked the same question of him. His answer was a much bolder declaration: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Then there was also Trump’s speech at Liberty University, wherein he didn’t convince everyone when he called the Bible his favorite book (his second, of course, being his own The Art of the Deal) and attempted quoting what he called “Two Corinthians.”
The day of Trump’s Liberty speech, Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, tweeted:
Trading in the gospel of Jesus Christ for political power is not liberty but slavery.
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) January 18, 2016
That tweet was followed a few minutes later by:
This would be hilarious if it weren't so counter to the mission of the gospel of Jesus Christ. #TrumpatLiberty
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) January 18, 2016
And Religion News Service put together a rundown of seven conservative Christians who do not support Donald Trump—including Moore, popular Christian author Max Lucado, and prominent pastor Thabiti Anyabwile.
Even Fox News host Todd Starnes pointed out one important aspect missing from Trump’s meeting with evangelicals:
Just got back from Trump's "conversation" with Evangelicals. No mention of Jesus.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) June 21, 2016