Tempted by the favors of power
White Christians supported Trump by large margins. They should be careful what they accept in return.
Donald Trump has all but designated Christianity as his administration’s favored religion. This worries me as a priest and as a citizen.
I understand that the president is attempting to reward white Christians, who supported him by large margins while most of the rest of the country was voting for Hillary Clinton. But his gifts will only corrupt us—or, more accurately, keep us from repenting of the sins of privilege and complicity that corrupted us long ago.
Case in point: the president’s executive order suspending the refugee resettlement program and restricting immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The order would close our borders to desperately vulnerable people, many of whom have already done great service to our country. It flies in the face of biblical teaching and is an affront to the example of Christ, especially because it includes an exception for religious minorities living in the seven named countries. In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, Trump acknowledged this exception was intended to help Christians.
