Many people have rightly sounded the alarm about the rise of Christian nationalism in the USA. Yet the growing idolatry of the person of Donald Trump (and other authoritarian leaders in other nations) among people who call themselves Christians also must be called out and resisted. What is at the root of this adoration of the “strong man”?
I find myself recalling in detail the seminary courses in psychoanalysis and pastoral care we took in France. There we learned that a newborn child focuses all its needs on the mother. But as, gradually, the infant perceives that the mother is ‘weak’ – meaning, she seems also to feel desire for someone other than the infant, namely the father – the child begins to orient herself to the father, or whoever fills the place of the father. In time, however, the child begins to see that the father, too, is ‘lacking’ – that he is not all-powerful and complete in himself.
Unconsciously, the child denies this awareness and deep inside yearns for a more powerful ‘father’. This leaves an opening for idolatry – the ‘worship’ of a surrogate or pretender ‘father’ who seems to offer security or even power to anyone insecure in their identity.
The authoritarian leader presents as all powerful, satisfying a need in adherents for defense from perceived enemies, financial success, innocence before accusers (and revenge against them), control over the unknown, and supreme power.
The all-powerful authoritarian can never admit losing, wrong-going or failure, and must be right, successful, in total control, and unstoppable, offering loyal subjects a kind of psychological and spiritual covering they feel they need.
The breakdown of the family resulting in an increase in single-parent households, and absence of a father has certainly led to a kind of “father hunger,” visible in the rise of criminal gangs. Equally this father hunger lurks behind political party loyalties, nationalism, White (and other) ethnic supremacy movements, and the success of many “influencers” to lead people astray. See this fascinating article “Why the world is attracted to neo-authoritarian leaders.”
The prophet Samuel led Israel, the people of God, during a time of political instability. As he got older and weaker, and his sons looked like lame successors, God’s people expressed to Samuel their desire for a king so they could be “like the other nations.” Samuel was highly disturbed by their choice, to which the Lord responded:
“Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Sam 8:7).
Here God’s respect for human choice seems strangely “democratic,” in that God gives the green light to Samuel to give them who they are electing. Yet the Lord offers a stunning critique that seems highly relevant now. He identifies their choice as idolatry, adding:
“Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day — in that they have forsaken me and served other gods — so they are doing to you also” (1 Sam 8:8).
God identifies the people’s desire for a powerful king as idolatry, which evokes the first of the ten commandments in Exodus 20:1-4.
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth” (Ex 20:2-4).
Here in 1 Samuel 8, the Lord makes a direct connection between people’s desire for a king (or president) and idolatry—placing something or someone else “before” or “in the place of” the only Creator, the Father, who alone brings people out of “slavery.”
God tells Samuel to let the people have the king they desire, but to warn them of the consequence:
“Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them” (1 Sam 8:9).
The prophet Samuel offers a scathing critique to the people. And the prophet Jeremiah too speaks to God’s people of the consequences of trusting in a human being.
“Cursed is the person who trusts in man (humankind, Hebrew- adam), and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. For that one will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant” (Jer 17:5-6).
This stands as a solemn warning to voters now. Yet people who claim to follow Jesus must be clear about the alternative we offer.
As followers of Jesus, we confess by faith that he is the Son of God who most fully reveals the Father (Jn 1:18; 14:6; Col 1:15), to whom we owe full allegiance. Jesus came also as Israel’s King, a title placed over his head at his crucifixion, and when he is lauded “King of kings” (1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14; 19:16). He is the world’s Savior, the only one who has defeated death, and who will destroy every ruler, authority and power (1 Cor 15:24), when the Kingdom of God is fully established.
We must remember though that Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders of his time, and largely by God’s people- who were easily influenced to call for his execution. Jesus did not offer people the security of the rule of law they desired, embodied by the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus refused violence (even against the Roman Empire), and all forms of political power. He calls his disciples into the same posture:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mt 20:25-28).
Jesus reveals a Father who comes in humility, pouring out his life in service to others, seeking and saving that which is lost, at the cost of his very life. The Apostle Paul alerts us that “the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18).
Confessing Jesus as the world’s Savior, as King, and as Son of God who reveals the Father means placing him at the highest place, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Eph 1:21). This requires dethroning from our hearts all false, pretenders—idols that aggressively pursue for our allegiance—whether that be individuals (politicians, presidents, influencers, celebrities, billionaires) or institutions (USA or any nation, democracy, political parties) or powers (money, stock market, military) or anything in all of creation. Paul identifies idolatry as predatory, advising: “flee from idolatry” (1 Cor 10:14).
However just like someone in active addiction cannot be simply told “stop using!”, we must seek and promote healing from the traumas and wounds to our souls that make us susceptible to addictions, or to false father substitutes.
Now in this time of political and economic uncertainty it is time to confess Jesus as President of presidents, pledging our allegiance to him, and not to earthly alternatives. He is the Prince of Peace, and we must deliberately elect to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Col 3:15). It is this peace that offers true security, far beyond what any human leader or system can offer. Loving the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength will lead to the outcome described in Jeremiah 17:7, which goes far being the prosperity or security that the Make America Great Again agenda or the Democratic Party are able to offer.
“Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. “For that one will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit” (Jer 17:7-8).
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