‘In a rare moment of Christian ecumenism, white evangelicals, mainline Protestants, Roman Catholics and Black church leaders agree that there’s no glory to be found in this legislation. They have leveled distinctively religious criticism at Mr. Trump’s signature piece of legislation. Their issues with the legislation vary, but they seemingly all note that the ravenous greed at the core of this law threatens to devour the poor.
I am glad to see this pushback, but none of these policies can be called a surprise. What many feared has become a reality: treating diversity as a threat, dehumanization of migrants and policies that favor the wealthy at the expense of the poor.
For too long this administration has presented itself as the only defender of Christianity while it engages in merely symbolic gestures like posting Bible verses or publicizing worship services in the White House. Frederick Douglass described this type of performance: “Religion simply as a form of worship, an empty ceremony, and not a vital principle, requiring active benevolence, justice, love and good will towards man.” I fail to see how you can shout glory to God one minute and laugh about the harsh conditions of Alligator Alcatraz the next.’
The problem is that such ‘pushback’ represents a small minority of Christians, the majority of whom support Trump’s dehumanization of migrants and victimization of the poor.
