The Evangelical Right

The Evangelical Right has long been a staple coalition in the American political process, regularly injecting an uncompromising, quasi-Christian conservative ideology into the national discourse. It’s coordinated voting-block behavior has made the Evangelical Right a powerful force in our electoral system and consequently our legislative and executives bodies. Despite its long history and repeated appeals to supposedly unwavering moralities, understanding the choices of this capricious voting group has become increasingly difficult.

[pullquote]Despite the Evangelical Right’s long history and repeated appeals to supposedly unwavering moralities, understanding the choices of this capricious voting group has become increasingly difficult.[/pullquote]

The Evangelical Right claims to uphold “traditional Christian values,” which would imply that understanding traditional Christian values would be to one’s benefit when attempting to predict this coalition’s actions. Unfortunately, as a comparison of the Bible’s text to Evangelical politics reveals, that is simply not the case.

“He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” [1 John 2:9-11]

Roy Moore, a recently defeated senatorial hopeful in Alabama, was accused by a total of nine women of inappropriate sexual conduct. Three of the women said they had been sexually assaulted by Moore when they were 14, 16, and 28. His other mentionable qualities include supporting laws that would make homosexuality illegal, calling for a ban on Muslims serving in Congress, supporting Neo-Confederate groups, and even disagreeing with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He was a candidate thoroughly washed in bigotry and hatred.

Despite these potentially criminal accusations and plainly hateful statements, the Evangelical Right turned out in droves to cast their ballot for Roy Moore, nearly leading to a win for his campaign. Moore was clearly a man blinded by hatred and indecency who didn’t deserve the support of any voter whatsoever, but especially those claiming to uphold the principles of Christianity.

[pullquote]Moore was clearly a man blinded by hatred and indecency who didn’t deserve the support of any voter but especially those claiming to uphold the principles of Christianity.[/pullquote]

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” [Matthew 5:38-39]

Last August, President Donald Trump made a statement that included a threat of impending “fire and fury” against North Korea if it continued advancing towards nuclear competency. This threat was made in the wake of dictatorial regime’s continued testing of both nuclear explosives and rocket propulsion. President Trump’s statements contributed to the situation’s already tense atmosphere and had a broadly unnerving effect on the sense of security we usually take for granted as US citizens. The President was widely criticized for meeting Kim Jong-Un on his own psychotically reckless level and spreading such destabilizing rhetoric.

Nevertheless, only a few hours after President Trump’s speech, Robert Jeffress, a member of Trump’s Evangelical advisory committee, issued a statement wherein he praises Trump’s aggressiveness and says that “God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong-Un.” Statements like these bear little resemblance to Jesus’s own belief in turning the other cheek and do little to show that Robert Jeffress, whose sermons are broadcast live in over 195 countries weekly, is a man with ‘traditional Christian values.’

[pullquote]Statements like these bear little resemblance to Jesus’s own belief in turning the other cheek and do little to show that Robert Jeffress, whose sermons are broadcast live in over 195 countries weekly, is a man with ‘traditional Christian values.’[/pullquote]

“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” [Luke 14:13-14]

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a governmental assistance program that provides for the health insurance of over 9 million children from low-income families in the United States. As printed in The Washington Post, Timothy McBride, a professor of health economics at Wash U and the chairman of Missouri’s Medicaid oversight committee, says “CHIP is probably one of the most successful government programs we’ve enacted in the last couple of decades.” The program is set to expire on September 30th of this year and Congress has done nothing to extend its funding despite the recent passage of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Were the Evangelical Right’s lobbying efforts focused on protecting the poorest children among us from losing their much-needed health insurance? No. It was focused on repealing the 1954 Johnson Amendment which restricts religious institutions from engaging in political activities as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entities. These single-minded efforts were nearly successful, but the relevant item was eventually dropped from the bill.

The Evangelical Right does little in the way of promoting the values they claim to champion. They use Christianity to legitimize and unify a profoundly strange belief system. Understanding and predicting the Evangelical Right is so difficult because of its almost unending willingness to stray from the doctrine that supposedly guides it.

Josh Hill ‘20 studies in the Olin Business School. He can be reached at josh.hill@wustl.edu.