By Victor Ochieng
Christian leaders who support a given political figure will always use the Bible to justify the acts of such leaders. Those who support President Donald Trump will tell you there is no way Trump could’ve become president of the most powerful nation if it weren’t for the hand of God.
That’s why we’re coming across books like “God and Donald Trump,” a book by Stephen Strang, a renowned Pentecostal and longtime publisher of the widely read Charisma magazine. This easy read was handed over to the president shortly after he landed in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum.
The book is an easy read touching on spiritual hagiography, some Fox News stories, and prophecy. In general, the book speaks less about the president but more about the charismatic Pentecostals who came to the president’s support very early in his campaign. This lot now views the election of Trump as nothing else but the fulfillment of God’s will.
This kind of writing was also very common during President George W. Bush’s tenure. He became subject of up to four books and a documentary, entitled “George W. Bush: Faith in the White House,” with all these published during his first term in office.
Granted, the case of George W. Bush was different. His mid-life was well documented, capturing a person who was living the life of a born-again Christian; he attended church services regularly in Texas and spoke passionately about Jesus in a manner that clearly sounded natural.
As a result, writers such as David Aikman used Bush’s Christian faith and the work ethics that defined the White House as a clear demonstration that he was a man raised by God. They often cited his love for exercise, his focus on eating healthy food and his way of handling his staff as proof that he was a true servant of God.
That kind of flow can’t be found in President Trump.
Strang had a very short moment with Trump during his campaign and never even conducted an interview with him before writing his book. That’s why in his book, he chooses not to spend much time talking about the president’s personal religious life. In some cases, he tries to make some cases, including claiming that Trump’s children are “a reflection of his core values,” but he spectacularly fails to touch on his three marriages.
Many of those who supported Trump from the very beginning were charismatic church leaders like Darrell Scott and Paula White. These leaders were mainly drawn to Trump and vice versa because of their love for worldly prosperity, which is packaged in the prosperity gospel. This is the lot that believes that God rewards His loyal servants with health and financial success.
Strang then argues that many of the conservative religious leaders who supported Trump during his 2016 presidential campaigns did so out of fear of globalism.
Sadly, to this very day, many Americans believe it is God who made Trump president.
“Millions of Americans,” declared Jeffress at a July 2017 event. Many “believe the election of President Trump represented God giving us another chance—perhaps our last chance to truly make America great again.”
In fact, according to these people, Trump beating Hillary Clinton was a clear show that he was truly fronted by God. But even more so was the rise of Trump to sail through the battle for the GOP ticket. Not so many people believed he’d clinch the ticket, with many treating him as a joker. But even when many of Republican Party members expressed their doubts about his ability, he surged forward and surprised his opponents.
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