In 2016 when Donald Trump became President of the United States he did so with the help of the so called Evangelical Christians of America, as best told in Steve Strang’s book ‘ God and Donald Trump ‘. Trump a self professed Christian chose Mike Pence as Vice President who was emphatically a Roman Catholic ‘ born again ‘ into the Charismatic Evangelical movement in accord with John 3 verse 3.
Then the gates of the White House opened and the Johnson Amendment was immediately invoked to allow special favour towards American Pastors. At the inauguration Paula White a well known female evangelist spoke and in due course she became appointed a spokesperson come ambassador in the Administration. Regularly Pastors flooded into the White House to lay hands and pray for Donald. Franklin Graham son of Billy was one such Pastor and Trump with Pence attended Billy’s funeral in Carolina. Billy of course was favoured by many Presidents and had audience with HM The Queen.
Trump was undoubtedly influenced by the Evangelicals and whether he was ‘ born again ‘ I don’t know. His wife of course Melania was Roman Catholic and her faced beamed proud when they met the Pope Francis in Rome. Mike Pence was a true man of prayer and was renowned steadfast to the word and in Spirit.
The ascent of Joe Biden to the Presidency in 2021, marked a return to ‘ Once Again ‘ in as much as Irish heritage Biden was Roman Catholic. He was often seen attending Mass more often than not without his First Lady and latterly I’m told with VP Harris on the eve of the Inauguration. It was a Jesuit Priest Father O’Donovan who spoke at the Inauguration as once again the Catholics held centre stage. Once President , Biden quickly drew criticism from a Catholic Bishop in New York as he maintained his Democratic stance on abortion and gender acceptance in direct opposition to the current teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. For Joe this will be a challenge but the Confessional Box remains open for Joe and his counsel from the Jesuits founded on the principles of Ignatius mid 16th Century will help him through any or many ethical maze.
The two brands of Christian walk of Evangelical and Christian supposedly meet at the crossroads of Calvary where Jesus the Jewish Rabbi was nailed to the cross for all our sins and paid the price for our salvation. Constantine out of Rome 300 years after led the way for what became the Papal led Roman Catholic Church with 1.3 billion plus members today. The Charismatic Spirit led Movement came out of the Welsh and Azusa Street Revivals where access to Christ was as Martin Luther proclaimed Route One direct and not through man indeed a man behind a mesh in a Confessional Box.
Scandals of the so called flesh have struck both of course as Man’s weakness and propensity to fail abounds. It is interesting that as we return to mainstream accepted Christianity that old balance will undoubtedly return but it will be a shame if it returns to the Church of Compromise and the leaders fail to lead under those principles of the Abrahamic faith , Commandments and Consistent teachings of Jesus from that Sermon on the Mount and not from the Mounts of Government where Supreme Court Judges proclaim that their faith will not interfere with their Judgements, aka Amy Coney Stewart that recent appointee and Roman Catholic girl.
God’s man I still maintain was in the White House or the Right House at the Right Time for different reasons in 2016 and 2021 but it would not surprise me if we see the first female President of the USA sooner rather and later when ‘ Born Again ‘ and ‘ Once Again ‘ disappear to see ‘ Then Again ‘ take centre stage a non Christian leading a predominant Christian nation which one senses is now the destiny of America as it accepts its multi faith path in line with so many other nations today, Britain being one leading that charge forward led by Atheist Boris of Brexit fame.
VP Kamala, with Hindu mother is married to a Jew and perhaps Abraham will have a say in it all after all. Just saying ‘ Born Again, Once Again, Then Again ‘. Joe Biden is the oldest person to ever take office and we wish him well but it’s a very big ask for a very big job and it could soon be Kamala’s coming. We are entering a ‘ Then Again ‘ moment I’m sure.
qbitblogger 