Trump Tower is not just his monument. That demographic voted for Trump by an margin, as he swept what is known as the Bible Belt states of the Deep South and parts of the Midwest. Trump is an infrequent churchgoer. His unfamiliarity with the Scriptures was evident when he mispronounced the name of a New Testament book in front of a religious-minded audience during the campaign.
The New York billionaire real estate mogul was caught on video disparaging women with crude remarks, and his sexual exploits were regular tabloid fodder in his free-wheeling bachelor days in-between his three marriages.
Part of the appeal was likely political. Trump, for example, promised to appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade and made other concrete promises to politically-minded evangelicals. Some evangelical leaders acknowledged that Trump is an imperfect vessel for their political goals, but were willing to overlook his personal foibles in favor of addressing social issues. But a major reason may well be cultural. What is called the Prosperity Gospel has made huge inroads in evangelical circles.
Many American followers of Jesus, a carpenter from a small village in Palestine who preached, according to the Gospels, a message of uplift for the poor, have interpreted Christianity in a way that honors those with wealth and power. Religion historian Kate Bowler notes that the prosperity Gospel is deeply rooted in American religion.
Today, preachers such as Joel Osteen, T. Jakes and Creflo Dollar preach that the death and resurrection of Jesus absolved not only sin but poverty. Privacy Policy Contact Us You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the provided link on any marketing message. Not all evangelicals embrace the Prosperity Gospel.
