The Evangelical Grip on a Secular State
I previously wrote an article called In God’s Name, which discussed the impact of religious leadership when intertwined with political leadership in countries. The second part of this article series looks specifically at the impact of evangelical leadership in US politics.?
The separation of church and state was a cornerstone of modern democracy, designed to preserve freedom of belief in a pluralistic society. Yet in contemporary America, this boundary has been steadily eroded by the growing influence of evangelical leadership. Far from merely guiding personal morality or spiritual life, this movement has leveraged its power to shape education, healthcare, migration, economic policy, and lawmaking. The zenith of this entanglement was the evangelical support for Donald Trump, a figure who embodied the antithesis of traditional Christian values but who nonetheless became their political champion. This paradox reveals a deeper truth, evangelical leadership in America is not simply about faith but about power, perpetuating ideologies rooted in imperialism, racial oppression, and exclusion.
The evangelical support for Trump exemplifies the dangers of their leadership in a secular state, tracing its roots to the same theological cowardice that upheld slavery, Jim Crow segregation, and imperialism. There is also an alarming link between evangelicalism and contemporary revisionist movements such as Project 2025—a right-wing policy blueprint created by The Heritage Foundation—but ever the pragmatist, as a former Christian myself I hope this piece can be a reminder that true Christianity, rooted in courage and justice, could lead to a more equitable and inclusive society.
Donald Trump: The Evangelical Messiah
Donald Trump’s rise to the presidency in 2016 was a contradiction. Here was a man whose personal life—marked by infidelity, corruption, and a glaring lack of humility—stood in stark opposition to the moral teachings of Christianity. Yet, he was embraced by a majority of white evangelical voters, who saw in him not only as a moral leader of the nation but a protector of their political and cultural dominance.
Katherine Stewart, in The Power Worshippers, describes how evangelical leaders framed Trump as a “flawed instrument” chosen by God to defend Christian values and appoint conservative judges. His presidency became a vehicle for advancing their long-standing goals including overturning Roe v. Wade, restricting LGBTQ+ rights, and dismantling the separation of church and state. This alliance was not born of theological conviction but of political expediency, exposing the willingness of evangelical leadership to compromise their faith in exchange for influence.
As Kristin Kobes Du Mez argues in Jesus and John Wayne, evangelicalism’s embrace of Trump was the culmination of decades spent cultivating a theology of militant masculinity and authoritarianism. Trump’s crassness and belligerence were recast as virtues, a reflection of a “warrior” leader who could protect Christian America from the perceived threats of secularism, Islam, diversity, and progressivism. This is not leadership rooted in courage or faith but in fear: fear of losing privilege, fear of cultural change, and fear of accountability for the injustices perpetuated in their name.
A Legacy of Oppression
This pattern of aligning with power to preserve dominance is not new. Christian leadership in America has a long history of theological cowardice, using religion to justify oppression rather than challenge it. During the era of slavery, many leaders selectively interpreted scripture to uphold the institution, portraying it as divinely ordained. Even after abolition, the same theological frameworks were repurposed to support Jim Crow segregation, with churches often becoming bastions of white supremacy rather than sanctuaries of justice.
In the book Bad Faith, Randall Balmer highlights how the religious right’s political mobilisation in the late 20th century was not initially about abortion, as is often claimed, but about defending segregationist policies in Christian schools. The leaders of this movement cloaked their agenda in the language of religious freedom, much as their predecessors had done during slavery and segregation but the underlying goal remained the same, to maintain power and privilege for white Christians.
This legacy extends to imperialism, where evangelical theology was used to legitimise the subjugation of native Americans, and indigenous peoples and the expansion of Western colonialism. The rhetoric of a “Christian nation” served to justify violence and exploitation, casting these acts as part of a divine mission. Today, this imperial mindset persists in the rhetoric of Christian nationalism, which seeks to impose a narrow vision of Christianity on a diverse and secular society.
Evangelicalism and Project 2025
The intertwining of evangelicalism and right-wing politics is starkly illustrated by Project 2025, a policy blueprint spearheaded by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank with deep ties to evangelical leadership. Project 2025 is designed to prepare a conservative president to dismantle federal regulations, limit LGBTQ+ rights, and suppress climate change initiatives. It explicitly promotes policies that reflect the priorities of Christian nationalism, aligning with evangelical leaders’ vision of a “godly” nation.
This initiative reveals the long-term strategy of evangelical leaders to entrench their influence within government institutions. By advocating for the rollback of environmental protections, restricting reproductive rights, and enforcing religious exemptions in healthcare and education, Project 2025 seeks to reshape American society according to a conservative Christian worldview. Katherine Stewart warns in The Power Worshippers that such efforts are not simply policy debates but attempts to cement theocratic governance in a constitutionally secular country.
Project 2025 also echoes the historical use of religion to justify exclusion and oppression. Its proposed policies on immigration and education, for example, reflect the same xenophobic and hierarchical thinking that justified colonialism and segregation. This is not leadership that reflects the inclusive and compassionate teachings of Jesus but a continuation of the imperialistic mindset that weaponises faith for political gain.
The Consequences for Society
The evangelical pursuit of power has had far-reaching consequences for American society. In education, their influence has undermined scientific curricula and promoted the defunding of public schools in favour of private religious institutions. In healthcare, their opposition to reproductive rights and scepticism of public health measures has jeopardised the well-being of millions. On immigration, their support for draconian policies reflects a stark departure from the biblical mandate to “welcome the stranger” (Matthew 25:35).
Economically, evangelical leadership has embraced a prosperity gospel that equates wealth with divine favour, perpetuating inequality while neglecting the biblical call to care for the poor. Politically, their alliance with authoritarian figures like Trump and their support for Project 2025 have eroded democratic norms, prioritising the consolidation of power over the principles of justice and equality.
The result is an increasingly divided society where religious ideology dictates policies that should be guided by reason, empathy, and the common good. This is not the Christianity of which Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount but a distortion that serves the interests of the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable.
The Need for Brave Leadership
What does true Christian leadership look like in a secular state?
It is leadership rooted not in fear or domination but in courage and humility.
True Christianity challenges the powerful and uplifts the oppressed. It calls for justice, mercy, and love—not as tools for political gain but as ends in themselves.
Brave leadership would embrace pluralism, recognising that faith thrives not through coercion but through witness and example. It would champion policies that reflect the biblical mandate to care for the poor, welcome the stranger, and seek peace. It would reject the false idol of power, choosing instead to serve the common good.
As Jim Wallis argues in God’s Politics, the gospel is not owned by the right or the left, rather it is a call to transcend partisan divides in pursuit of a just and compassionate society. This vision of Christianity has the potential to heal divisions, restore trust, and reaffirm the values of a secular state.
The present danger of evangelical leadership in America lies in its willingness to sacrifice faith for power, perpetuating a legacy of oppression and exclusion. From slavery and segregation to the rise of Christian nationalism and initiatives like Project 2025, this movement has consistently prioritised dominance over discipleship. The embrace of Donald Trump and the push for policies that entrench inequality reveal a leadership driven by fear rather than faith.
Yet the gospel offers a different path, one of courage, justice, and inclusion.
?By reclaiming this vision, true Christian leadership, evangelical or otherwise, can help build a society that honours both the principles of democracy and the teachings of Christ. It is only through such brave leadership that Christianity can truly fulfil its calling—not as a weapon of division but as a force for healing and hope.
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Multi award winning ?? Dyspraxia Advocate | Founder of The Black Dyspraxic | Neurodiversity: Health Economist | Advocate | Public Speaker | Advisor | Researcher
18 小时前david mcqueen This was such a good read
Writer, Speaker, ExecCoach, Consultant, L&D
5 天前And your writing goes from strength to strength. The biggest compliment I can say about this piece is that those who need to read it will run away from it. Nothing scares bigots, haters and phobics more than truth. I wish you'd cited a few more Biblical principles, for no other reason than it would further reinforce the foundations of your argument. But that's a quibble — this is a compelling read, that balances analysis, passion and compassion. Anyone reading it open mindedly would find precious little to counter argue, let alone refute. TL;DR: I like this piece. A lot.
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5 天前Excellent article david mcqueen
Helping People Solve Every Day Problems | Client Relations Director | MBA
5 天前Thank you for writing such an insightful perspective on the current state of affairs in US leadership. It highlights a key issue which is the paradox of the President Elect appearing to be the Saviour of US ideals, while perpetuating fear and scarcity in the electorate. The article highlights the challenges we face globally with so many wars and disputes over territory, will evangelical motives play a role in these too?