Trump 2.0: evangelicals react

Evangelicals and other Christians are digesting the news that Donald Trump is heading back to the White House for a second term.

Writing on social media platform x.com, Graham Nicholls, director of evangelical umbrella organisation Affinity in the UK, wrote today: 'Praying for the USA and the world as we transition to a new duly elected returning President of one of the most powerful nations in the world. Whoever you wanted to win, there's only ever one winner and He already won.'

Danny Webster, Director of Advocacy at the Evangelical Alliance, pointed to a graph showing which issues mattered to voters for each of the two main presidential candidates. 'It feels to me as though this graph tells us a lot about the result last night - if economy and immigration mattered most to voters, then it’s clear who they thought had the answers,' he wrote.

And Grace Baptist pastor Ryan Burton King quoted Daniel 2v21: 'He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings...'

Miracle of voting

Meanwhile, Krish Kandiah quoted an article about the 'miracle of disliking an election result,' stating: 'The act of voting is, in itself, an act of loving your neighbour. Because, if you’ve voted, you’re not looking to bomb, torture, or kill in order to get your way. And this is beautiful. It’s an extraordinary paradox, it’s called the loyal opposition: if you lose the election, you’re prepared to stand on the opposite benches. You don’t take to the hills because you don’t like the results.'

Pro-life supporters have also hailed the election result. Jonathon Van Maren, again on x.com, wrote: 'What does it look like to be a pro-life politician? Governor Ron De Santis passed strong protections for the unborn, took on abortion activists, spoke on the issue constantly, and refused to back away from defending the voiceless. He defeated Amendment 4, with the help of his beautiful wife, who was also a champion. While politicians across America ran from the issue, DeSantis put himself in front of the babies. Tens of thousands of lives will be saved as a result.'

Daniel F Wells, pastor of St Elmo Presbyterian Church in the US, posted: 'John Wesley on voting (October 6, 1774), 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy 2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against, and 3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.'

Repentance

The focus of others was less on the external result of the vote than the internal need of humans to repent, with Professor John Lennox posting 2 Chronicles 7v14: 'If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.'

And social media account @SpurgeonBooks posted: 'The most advanced politics beneath the sun are nothing compared with living for the bleeding saviour.'

UK evangelical MP and former Liberal Democrat party leader Tim Farron posted: 'I do lots of talks about how Christians should think about politics, I even wrote a book about it. In short: 1) Don’t panic, all empires are temporary, God is sovereign and 2)…but do care deeply, do not give up on your neighbour, serve them and contend for their welfare.'

David Bennett, a well-known orthodox writer on same-sex issues wrote simply: 'Jesus is Lord. No other name, leader, or party. His name be hallowed. His will be done.' He later posted: 'Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” —John 18:36.'

Meanwhile, Carl Beech, president of Christian Vision for Men, wrote: 'We denigrate millions of people who don't agree [with our own political view]. They aren't all ignorant or stupid. I've long said that the left don't listen or engage with the very real fears and pain of ordinary people anymore. This is what happens.'

Professor George Yancey, a Christian sociologist, posted: 'It is heresy to place partisan political demands as the price for salvation or sanctification. It denies the essence of our faith.'

Evangelical Christian and former Conservative MP Miriam Cates posted: 'Liberalism & progressivism have failed vast sections of society, eroding economic & cultural security for millions of voters in the US & in the UK. Yet progressive liberals are *still* surprised when those who’ve been left behind by their policies reject them at the ballot box.'

Meanwhile, for the Church of England, the liberal Archbishop of York spoke on Radio 2's 'Pause for Thought' in which he says he was speaking on 'the interconnectedness of things, on our beautiful individuality & our vital solidarity...'

Former Queen's Chaplain Gavin Ashenden, who is now a Roman Catholic, posted the Latin Christian hymn beginning: 'We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting. To thee all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therein.'