Donald Trump was elected into office on November 18, 2016 as the 45th President of the United States after a surprising win over Hillary Clinton. His four month campaign has made international headlines as many of his statements were reported as either controversial or false. Ministers from different Christian groups were one of the many who were vocally open on opposing Trump.
Ultimately, Trump’s win and appointment to office was something that shocked the world and even America could do nothing about it. Many people went upset and sort of traumatized by his election that ministers relayed encouraging words to help the public overcome their feelings of helplessness. Sermons about politics have been heard every so often in Sunday masses starting with the sermon given before Trump’s Inauguration.
Just recently, Ministers led by Rev. Kelvin Sauls of Holman United Methodist Church, Rev. Eddie Anderson of McCarty Memorial Christian Church and Rev. Dr. Anthony B. Pinn from Rice University in Houston, has emphasized the role of the church in the “Trump Era.” The leaders suggested for preachers to continue listening to people’s anxieties, recommend prayer and take action to alleviate stress in America’s people today.
Many listeners loved the preaching they hear on every Sunday mass because they believe it helps with the healing process. To accept and understand that Donald Trump is also a child of God is being implied but what uplifts the people more is the willingness of the church to stand by their moral beliefs and demanding respect and understanding from the President as well. Many of these sermons have encouraged the public enough to create pastor shirts for their favourite leaders.
The leaders of faith are calling the public to prepare for the next political front in the US and that is the 2018 election of Senators and Representatives. To participate is to call for action against “Trump-ocrisy” as Rev. Sauls call it. “We have to start with the reminder that if you don’t vote, this is what you get. There’s a moral and ethical obligation to try to create the world in which we live,” suggests Rev. Dr. Pinn.