Historical Context for Insurrection of January 6, 2021 by Trump Supporters
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The Shifting Values of Conservative Christians
Only weeks after “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965 during which peaceful protesters who crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge were beaten by State Troopers, Rev. Jerry Falwell gave his response during a sermon;
“Believing the Bible as I do, I would find it impossible to stop preaching the pure saving gospel of Jesus Christ and begin doing anything else— including the fighting of Communism, or participating in the civil rights reform... Preachers are not called to be politicians, but to be soul winners.”1
This was the position of many conservative Christians of the era, including those who opposed the efforts of Dr. King, the Civil Rights movement, and the pursuit of Black Americans seeking equal rights. By the 1970’s, Jerry Falwell reversed course and stated;
"The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the Devil to keep Christians from running their own country.”2
Jerry Falwell started the Moral Majority in 1979 which began a trend of Evangelical Christians using political action and government authority to achieve the aim of “running the country.” The organization disbanded in 1989.3 The movement’s greatest achievement culminated in helping elect Donald J. Trump to the presidency in 2016, a man without governing experience, lacking moral character, but compliant to the wishes of religious leaders. 81% of Evangelical Christians supported his candidacy. A similar percentage supported his presidency, and by association, endorsed his poor character. The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s did not make the mistake of becoming politically partisan. They exercised their Christian influence in society and upon government using appropriate Biblical justice and social justice methodology.
This era of American history will be remembered as unBiblical compromise in the service of political power to bring America “Back from the Brink” in the words of one of the politically motivated Christian groups during the 2020 election cycle.4 These actions are an illustration of the phrase, “The Ends Justify the Means,” and represents a departure of the Biblically focused Evangelical movement of the early 20th century. Spiritual renewal and revival was the focus of the past. Today the focus is more on forming political alliances and working to Christianize government.
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The Shifting Values of Conservative Christians
Only weeks after “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965 during which peaceful protesters who crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge were beaten by State Troopers, Rev. Jerry Falwell gave his response during a sermon;
“Believing the Bible as I do, I would find it impossible to stop preaching the pure saving gospel of Jesus Christ and begin doing anything else— including the fighting of Communism, or participating in the civil rights reform... Preachers are not called to be politicians, but to be soul winners.”1
This was the position of many conservative Christians of the era, including those who opposed the efforts of Dr. King, the Civil Rights movement, and the pursuit of Black Americans seeking equal rights. By the 1970’s, Jerry Falwell reversed course and stated;
"The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the Devil to keep Christians from running their own country.”2
Jerry Falwell started the Moral Majority in 1979 which began a trend of Evangelical Christians using political action and government authority to achieve the aim of “running the country.” The organization disbanded in 1989.3 The movement’s greatest achievement culminated in helping elect Donald J. Trump to the presidency in 2016, a man without governing experience, lacking moral character, but compliant to the wishes of religious leaders. 81% of Evangelical Christians supported his candidacy. A similar percentage supported his presidency, and by association, endorsed his poor character. The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s did not make the mistake of becoming politically partisan. They exercised their Christian influence in society and upon government using appropriate Biblical justice and social justice methodology.
This era of American history will be remembered as unBiblical compromise in the service of political power to bring America “Back from the Brink” in the words of one of the politically motivated Christian groups during the 2020 election cycle.4 These actions are an illustration of the phrase, “The Ends Justify the Means,” and represents a departure of the Biblically focused Evangelical movement of the early 20th century. Spiritual renewal and revival was the focus of the past. Today the focus is more on forming political alliances and working to Christianize government.
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1 Jones, Robert P. White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity(p.103). Simon&Schuster. KindleEdition.
2 Ibid.
3 Moral Majority | Definition, History, Mission, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Moral-Majority
4 America On the Brink. (2020, October 1). Truth & Liberty Coalition. https://truthandliberty.net/voteyourvalues
2 Ibid.
3 Moral Majority | Definition, History, Mission, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Moral-Majority
4 America On the Brink. (2020, October 1). Truth & Liberty Coalition. https://truthandliberty.net/voteyourvalues
©2021 Bryan Hudson
