Donald Trump's past sins certainly don't seem to be affecting his current status among evangelical voters. The Donald leads the Republican field among evangelicals with 32 percent of their support, polling far ahead of candidates who frequently tout their religious beliefs, including Southern Baptist preacher Mike Huckabee, Bible quoter Rick Santorum, and son of a preacher Ted Cruz.
But while Trump's popularity among evangelicals is undeniable, the reason behind that support isn't so clear. As The Boston Globe points out, Trump's views don't always align with the evangelical mindset:
Trump says he can't remember ever asking God for forgiveness for anything. If he has a favorite Bible verse, he refuses to name it. He has downplayed the importance of Holy Communion, flippantly saying, "I drink the little wine, which is about the only wine I drink, and I eat the little cracker." [The Boston Globe]
Trump met his second wife at the church where he married his first wife and, until several years ago, he was in favor of abortion rights. He has attended a gay wedding and has said that the Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage ought not to be further debated.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
For some evangelicals, these facts may not matter as much as the fact that Trump is "unfettered by the political correctness." While Trump doesn't represent a "Christian agenda or an evangelical agenda," head of the Palmetto Family Council Oran P. Smith points out that he does represent "a willingness to push back hard against things."
Some counter that Trump's surge is a passing trend. Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary told The Globe: "There are too many people in the race that have far more social conservative and religious credentials than Donald Trump — and fewer wives."
Read the full story at The Boston Globe.
-
One great cookbook: ‘The Woks of Life’The Week Recommends A family’s opinionated, reliable take on all kinds of Chinese cooking
-
Digital addiction: the compulsion to stay onlineIn depth What it is and how to stop it
-
Can Trump bully Netanyahu into Gaza peace?Today's Big Question The Israeli leader was ‘strong-armed’ into new peace deal
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to ChicagoSpeed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in OregonSpeed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
