Many pastors are afraid of taking bold stances on political matters at the risk of offending their congregation. Pastors often pretend that navigating election season is difficult, a sentiment that falls flat on the laity. Yet the 2024 election tells us the opposite is true. Evangelicals were quite united on this election, so much so, that pastors should quit pretending that their plight in keeping a church unified during an election season is difficult. The data is convincing and has been for multiple cycles.
Whereas Catholics and Mainliner denominations are generally split evenly or slight majority, Evangelicals have voted consistently to reject liberalism. Every other faith is divided by politics, except Jews who support the Democrats more vigorously than ever. They are the inverse of White Evangelicals, contrary to what Big Eva pretends.
White Evangelicals are in fact the most unified faith bloc in the country. Yet there exists an entire industry to sow division. David French, Curtis Chang, and Russell Moore have long individually acted to this end, but have combined in their efforts, receiving liberal grant money to do so.
Evangelicals For Harris was another well-funded operation, but their attempts at wearing sheep’s clothing fell flat due to their overt bloodlust. No amount of Russell Moore astroturfing or The Gospel Coalition’s trademark Third Wayism has succeeded in dividing the Evangelical vote. At best, and perhaps successful in this endeavor, they help suppress turnout. The biggest divide in the church is not whether to vote Republican, but whether to vote at all.
2 Responses
2 things I will say.
1. Barna study casts shade on the evangelical label in terms of very basic beleifs. Lifeway had a similar study recently:
https://www.christianpost.com/news/jesus-resurrection-two-thirds-of-americans-say-bible-is-factual.html
Cullout statistics:
1: US Adults on the resurrection how many believe the biblical accouints of Jesus’ Physical ressurection are accurate:
Among US Adults: 66% of U.S. adults believe
disage: 23%
uncertain: 11% are uncertain
(maybe that’s not surprising when you realize not all americans are going to be Christian, its not just immigration, muslims for example)
2: Self identified denom/beliefs on resurrection:
Evangelicals (90%)
black Protestants (89%)
Catholics (79%)
mainline Protestants (74%).
Further, those who hold Evangelical beliefs are more likely to accept the resurrection than individuals without such convictions (98% as opposed to 58%).
3: is the bible 100% accurate in all it teaches?
Acknowledge its authority to instruct on what must be done: 52%
Bible is they highest authority: 62%
I mean think about that?
In August 2020, Lifeway found that more than half of American adults, including 30% of Evangelicals, said Jesus wasn’t God, but most agreed He was a great teacher.
That means there must be a lot of Goats in some of these churches.
https://lifewayresearch.com/2021/12/08/christmas-celebrates-a-historical-event-americans-say/
The last sentence: “The biggest divide in the church is not whether to vote Republican, but whether to vote at all” is really what I experienced. Some Christians just don’t like Trump and didn’t feel comfortable voting for him. So really the conversation is more about Christian duty in society, rather than whether one should be a conservative. As far as Trump goes, I’m glad he won.