A “Hagar Moment” for Evangelicals

The 2016 presidential elections has been said to be a “Hagar Moment” for white self-identified Evangelicals.  By that, blogger Joseph Rossell means we are facing a similar conundrum to that of Abraham … who undermined God’s will because he lacked faith that God would provide for him in a challenging situation.  Similarly, Evangelicals risk sacrificing their Christian witness by taking matters into their own hands for political convenience.

Pew Research Center released a poll on July 13th that showed white Evangelicals currently support Republican candidate Donald Trump even more strongly than they did Mitt Romney in 2012.  Whether the candidate is islamophobic or bigoted, Christian values appear not to matter.  If anything, making this tradeoff seems to increase popularity with Evangelicals.

“Yes, it’s true that electing a liberal like Hillary Clinton may have consequences for America in the future,” says Rossell.  “It could mean a more liberal U.S. Supreme Court and the White House promoting liberal policies for another four years.  But as people of faith, Evangelicals know that God can redeem even the most dire situation.”

Rossell warns that “Christians must be careful not to make an idol out of winning at politics.  It is better to lose an election than to destroy the credibility of our social witness, especially when it is not clear if the candidate Evangelicals seem to be backing is either more competent or ‘Christian’ than the alternative.”

Moreover, turning Trump, or any candidate, into a “political savior” demonstrates a lack of faith in God to work His will in history for the good of His people.  Whatever happens in the next 4-years, Christianity and the Church will outlast the next American president.  There are no easy answers, except that followers of Christ must maintain their faith in God to accomplish His purposes.

The 2016 presidential election hearkens back to a dilemma confronting the Biblical patriarch Abraham.  God promised to provide Abraham an heir.  Yet faced with years of Sarah’s infertility, the father of Israel took matters into his own hands.  He had a son named Ishmael through his wife’s servant Hagar in an effort to expedite God’s plan. (read Genesis 16)  The Lord eventually delivered on His promise by providing Isaac … in His own time.  But Abraham’s ill-advised decision created all kinds of problems – centuries of strife between the Ishmaelites (Muslims) and Israelites (Jews) to this day.

Also, remember the absurdity of attempting to discern the future through the murky tides of politics.  It usually proves impossible to tell how the American cultural and political landscape will shift in the coming years and decades.  For example, who could have envisioned at the time of Roe v. Wade (1973) the current rising pro-life tide in the United States … particularly among American youth?  Persistently endeavoring to change the culture through prayer and advocacy has worked.

Thankfully, we can rely on God for the cultural and political future of America.  Our job as Christians is to pray fervently and evangelize zealously.  Christian organizations can redouble their advocacy efforts.  In other words, we must keep the main thing – the main thing – and do what we do best.

This election is a “Hagar Moment” for Evangelicals.  Let’s not take the easy way out or compromise our social witness; for doing so will only produce bigger problems in the future.  Instead, we need to have faith that God will provide while continuing to serve Him faithfully.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel