A 'New Day' for Christians Under Trump Administration? - CBN News Jennifer Wishon

A 'New Day' for Christians Under Trump Administration?

01-11-2017

CBN News Jennifer Wishon

WASHINGTON -- For nearly a decade, it seemed like Washington sent conservative Christians to wander in the wilderness, and now they feel a sense of deliverance. 

"The Christians are being treated horribly because we have nobody to represent the Christians," Donald Trump told CBN News shortly before he announced he was running for president.

Throughout his campaign, Trump reinforced his promises and since winning the election he's appointed one Christian conservative after another to his cabinet.

"I will be the greatest representative of the Christians they've had in a long time," Trump continued.

A 'New Day' in Washington

And now the vast majority of evangelicals who helped send him to the White House are ready to reap their rewards. Those include the appointment of pro-life Supreme Court justices and banning late term abortions.  

"A baby in the womb that has all its vital organs, has eyelashes and fingernails, can hear and respond to its mothers voice and feel pain deserves legal protection as a member of our human family. And he's agreed to sign that into law," said Penny Nance.

As president of Concerned Women for America, an author and a fierce advocate for the unborn, Nance says it feels like a new day in Washington.

"I really believe God listened to the prayers of the faithful around this country as we reached out one more time and said give us another chance," Nance said.

Freedom to Live Their Faith

There's also an expectation the new president will enforce the constitutional right for Christians to live their faith and obey their consciences. It's an issue that led to an historic turnout on election day.

"I think there's no more important issue at home or abroad than freedom of conscience or religious liberty," said Charles Haynes, founder of the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute.

"In this country, people seem to get the idea that now in the public square people of faith should be quiet about it, keep it in their homes or their churches or their places of worship but actually that's absurd. I mean, for most believers of any faith, practicing one's faith means practicing it all the time," Haynes continued.

"I don't want to equate persecution in the United States compared to what's taking place in China or anything like that, but you're seeing people of faith squeezed out," said Frank Wolf, fellow at the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative.

"We're finding a hostility in the media. We're finding it's okay to ridicule a Catholic priest or a Christian missionary - they're almost the brunt of a joke," Wolf said.

Christians wished it was a joke when the U.S. Civil Rights Commission issued its September report on religious freedom.

Commission chairman Martin Castro wrote "The phrases 'religious liberty' and 'religious freedom' will stand for nothing except hypocrisy so long as they remain code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, Christian supremacy or any form of intolerance."

"This report was appalling to me because it really essentially said, when there's a conflict between principles in our public arena, nondiscrimination for example and religious freedom, guess what? Nondiscrimination always wins, religious freedom never has a voice," Haynes said.

We've entered an era, he says, where the claim of religious freedom is perceived as an effort to deny someone else their rights.

Frustration Turns to Relief

"By using language that suggests that Christians who object or who want accommodation are just by definition bigots is very wrong and dangerous," Haynes continued.

It's a frustration that has turned to relief for Christians with the new arrival of an advocate in the White House and Christians happy with Trump are thrilled with his vice president. Former congressman Frank Wolf served with Mike Pence in the house.

"We have one of finest men that I've ever served with as vice president. Mike Pence is honest, ethical, decent, moral man of great faith and so the opportunity and I think President-elect Trump has been very sympathetic," Wolf said.

He adds that the church needs to keep the lines of communication open with both the new president and Congress to keep this agenda moving in the right direction.

Evangelical Women 'Speak Up' for Donald Trump - BOB ESCHLIMAN CHARISMA NEWS

The "Evangelical Women for Trump" group includes Cissie Graham Lynch (far left), Gabrielle Jackson Bosche (second from left), and Penny Nance (far right). The group was put together by Pam Pryor (back). (Twitter photo)

Evangelical Women 'Speak Up' for Donald Trump

11/2/2016 BOB ESCHLIMAN  CHARISMA NEWS

Not only are women of faith are voting, a good many of them are voting for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, despite what the liberal mainstream media might have you believe.

That's the message a group of Spirit-led women were sharing from Trump Tower in Manhattan Wednesday morning.

The group, led by conservative Christian political operative Pam Pryor, a former spokeswoman for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin who now serves as the GOP nominee's Christian outreach director. She was joined by:

• Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of the Rev. Billy Graham and daughter of the Rev. Franklin Graham. She works at her family's charitable organization, Samaritan's Purse. She recently wrote a commentary titled "Why I am unapologetically voting for Donald Trump."
• Gabrielle Jackson Bosche, a millennial evangelical Christian entrepreneur who has written two books and counsels businesses on how to incorporate millennials into the workforce. She is a blogger, podcaster, and frequent contributor to The Stream.
• Penny Nance, president and CEO of Concerned Women for America—she is taking part as a private citizen outside of her involvement with CWA—who was one of the evangelical women who had to be won over by Trump after the GOP presidential primary race. She previously served in the Bush Administration and at the FCC, but now advocates for issues ranging from life to defense of Israel on Capitol Hill.

They were also joined by Chonda Pierce, a Christian comedienne who is known as "The Queen of Clean," who recorded a statement to be played during the event. She has been devoting up to 15 minutes of her routine to the 2016 presidential election lately, and recently made a number of social media posts about the need to elect Trump.

The women were slated to participate in a Facebook Live video posted to Trump's official Facebook page. Their goal is to counter the liberal mainstream media's theme that women—particularly women of faith—refuse to vote for Trump.

"It's based on the idea that three evangelical women—each with her own story—can respond directly to this theme of division," Pryor said. "As Christians, we understand this election is binary, and there's only one logical vote when we're talking about the Supreme Court, religious liberty, and the defense of Israel."

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Mega-Christian Leaders Having Private Meeting With Donald Trump - TODD STARNES CHARISMA NEWS

Mega-Christian Leaders Having Private Meeting With Donald Trump

 5/23/2016 TODD STARNES  charisma news

Donald Trump has agreed to meet privately with some of the nation's most prominent Evangelical leaders. (Reuters)

Donald Trump has agreed to meet privately with some of the nation's most prominent Evangelical leaders—a meeting seen as critical to garnering support from social conservatives, Fox News has learned.

"Our goal is to be able to have a conversation that could lead to a better understanding of what Donald Trump has to offer to the country," said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.

Perkins is one of the key conservative leaders spearheading the gathering—set for June 21 in New York City. Perkins, along with Bill Dallas of United in Purpose, worked with Dr. Ben Carson to arrange the meeting.

As many as 500 conservative leaders from around the nation are expected to attend the invitation-only event.

The meeting was convened by a who's who among evangelicals—including Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd, James Dobson, Ralph Reed, Penny Nance, Bob McEwen, Tim Wildmon of the American Family Association, Kelly Shackleford of First Liberty and mega-church pastors Jack Graham and Ed Young.

"I want to be actively supportive of a candidate who can help turn this nation around," Perkins told me. "With Trump, I'm not there yet. I hope to be there—but I'm not there right now."

Perkins said Trump will not be delivering a speech. He will be there to answer questions. There will be no straw poll. There will be no endorsement from the conservative leaders.

"There is no preconceived outcome here," he told me. "I'm hoping we can have a conversation that could lead to helping conservative leaders make a decision about what to do in this election."

The meeting comes as a small but vocal number of Christian leaders are urging people of faith to stay at home on Election Day.

And that's why Tony Perkins is worried.

"Our goal is to be able to have a conversation that could lead to a better understanding of what Trump has to offer to the country," he said. "If we don't try, the outcome is not going to be good."

Specifically, the leaders want to hear detailed plans on potential Supreme Court nominees and the vetting process. They also want to hear about Trump's policies regarding religious liberty, pro-life issues and possible vice presidential candidates.

"A vice presidential pick is going to be very crucial," Perkins said. "Mr. Trump doesn't have a track record—so I am going to rely very heavily on who he is going to pick as a running mate."

Floyd, the president of the nation's largest Protestant denomination, said he just wants to do the right thing.

"The vast majority of Southern Baptists are very much where I am today—we're trying to figure this out," he told me. "We're trying to navigate through these waters that are very uncertain and very difficult."

Floyd had strong words for Christian leaders who are suggesting voters should simply stay home.

"We cannot change what exists or even alter it or adjust it sitting on the sidelines and prognosticating about the situation," he said. "We have a biblical responsibility, but we also have a responsibility as citizens of the United States to express the privileges afforded to us—that men and women have died on the battlefield to give us—and I'm not walking away from that."

Floyd said the conversation with Trump is a way for Christians to share their hearts with him.

"None of us have endorsed Mr. Trump, nor have we condemned Mr. Trump," he said. "This is about the possibility of being able to appoint the next four Supreme Court justices. This is about the dignity of human life from the womb to the tomb. This is about religious freedom. I'm not about to sit at home and not express something. I'm accountable to God, and I believe I'm accountable to my fellow Americans."

But at the same time, he acknowledged that many people of faith are struggling to come to terms with some of Mr. Trump's past statements—statements that are contrary to biblical teachings.

"Could you vote for him? That's the question at hand," Floyd said.

Todd Starnes is host of "Fox News & Commentary," heard on hundreds of radio stations. Sign up for his American Dispatch newsletter, be sure to join his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter. His latest book is God Less America.

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Where is Israel on Evangelical Christian Voters' List of Priorities?

9/1/2015 PAUL STANLEY/JNS.ORG  charisma news

Mike Huckabee (l) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister's office)

Seventeen Republican presidential candidates are vying for the support of evangelical Christian voters from the swing states of Ohio and Florida, to the cornfields of Iowa, to the small towns of the Deep South.

Within the varied spectrum of 2016 election issues such as the economy, immigration, and health care, do evangelicals highly prioritize candidates' positions on Israel and the Middle East?

Major evangelical leaders in America are saying, "Yes."

"Studies show us there are approximately 90 million Christians in America who consider their beliefs to be evangelical," Tony Perkins—president of the Family Research Council (FRC), a Christian education and lobbying group—told JNS.org. "Of that number around 9-10 percent have what we call a 'biblical worldview,' in that they believe what the Scriptures say pertaining to Israel. That's a large number of voters who can definitely make a difference in a primary or general election."

Perkins said, "Among core evangelical voters, Israel is easily one of the top 10, maybe even the top five issues when considering who to support in a presidential primary. The Old Testament tells us that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed and it's certainly important to be on the right side of God's Word."

The reference by Perkins is to Genesis 12:3, which states, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (NIV).

In August, former Arkansas governor and GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders in Jerusalem. It was part of a decades-old ritual for Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister who has visited Israel about 40 times since the 1970s—far more than any other current presidential candidate, Democrat or Republican.

"Israel should be top-of-mind when evaluating GOP presidential candidates," Huckabee told JNS.org.

"I have known Prime Minister Netanyahu for 20 years," he said. "I went to Israel not to seek his endorsement, but to endorse him because his voice is so important. Netanyahu leads a people who are realists. They know what it's like to have people threaten to kill them. They take it seriously when a government (Iran) for 36 years promises to wipe them off the face of the Earth."

While Huckabee's Israel trip was the latest to make headlines, the FRC is organizing a Holy Land visit in October for supporters who will be joined by two GOP candidates, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker took his first trip to Israel in May.

Two-Pronged Strategy

Political operatives say that candidates' trips to Israel are focused on securing campaign donations from influential Israeli government and business leaders who can infuse much-needed cash and hopefully help deliver the support of pro-Israel voters back in the U.S.

But ultimately, are these visits to the Jewish state more educational or political in nature?

"Both," said Penny Nance, CEO of Concerned Women for America, a Christian women's activist group.

Nance, along with political strategist Ralph Reed and author Joel Rosenberg, penned an op-ed in The Christian Post about presidential contenders visiting Israel in the immediate aftermath of the November 2014 U.S. midterm elections. They posed seven questions that they argued candidates must answer to win the White House. The fifth question reads in part, "Does the candidate have a clear and coherent view of the U.S. vital interest in the Middle East, including a demonstrated, consistent, long-standing support for Israel and a solid understanding of why Israel matters to the U.S.?"

According to Nance, there are "a number of reasons those aspiring to win the GOP nomination need to understand and embrace Israel."

"First, visiting Israel is an educational experience in understanding their economy, security challenges, and what's important to their citizens," she told JNS.org. "At the same time, you are telegraphing to evangelical voters why Israel is important and that you sincerely care about its future. Finally, you want to raise money and appeal to pro-Israel voters."

Tremendous Pool of Potential Pro-Israel Advocates

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) asserts that the evangelical Christian community plays a vital role in U.S.-Israel relations, the influential pro-Israel lobby's core priority. As such, AIPAC enlists Christian clergy to garner nationwide support for Israel, stating on its "Your Church and AIPAC" webpage that polls consistently show how support for the Jewish state "is highly related to adherence to evangelical beliefs and frequency of church attendance."

"As Christians, we should be Israel's strongest supporters and friends and we need to translate that into political activism," Rev. Philip C. Morris, Jr. argues in an AIPAC video.

AIPAC also notes the significance of evangelical support to the entire pro-Israel community by stating, "20-25 million Americans define themselves as evangelical Christians, representing a tremendous pool of potential pro-Israel advocates."

Evangelical Perspectives on Israel and the Middle East

According to February 2014 Pew Research Center findings, a plurality of Christians (29 percent) and Jews (31 percent) say the U.S. is not supportive enough of Israel. Nearly half of white evangelical Protestants (46 percent) claim America does not provide enough support for Israel.

Notably, when Pew polled Americans in 2012 about U.S. foreign policy—specifically, what actions America should take if Israel attacks Iran to stop Iran's nuclear program—64 percent of white evangelicals answered, "support Israel," compared to 39 percent of the general public.

In March 2013, LifeWay Research reported that 72 percent of white evangelicals support Israel in its ongoing conflict with the Palestinians, compared to 49 percent of Americans overall. Fifty percent of white evangelicals claim Israel cannot peacefully coexist with an independent Palestinian state, compared to 33 percent of American Jews and 41 percent of the general public.

With the Iran nuclear deal garnering much public attention, most of the GOP contenders are quick to remind prospective voters of the ramifications of a country whose hostile intentions toward the U.S. and Israel are seen all too often.

"Radical Islam poses an imminent threat to national security, both in the United States and Israel," Huckabee told JNS.org. "With Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, combined with 'Death to America' chants, and with a steady stream of global terrorist attacks, GOP voters understand that this toxic ideology must be defeated if we are to survive. While Russia, China, and North Korea have more firepower, they are considerably less likely to attack us than Iran, Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and other hardline Islamists."

Besides Huckabee, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is the presidential candidate who perhaps best personifies evangelical voters' support of Israel. In Cruz's candidacy announcement speech in March at Liberty University, the only remark to inspire a 30-second standing ovation was about Israel. Cruz declared, "Instead of a president who boycotts Prime Minister Netanyahu, imagine a president who stands unapologetically with the nation of Israel."

Presidential candidates and evangelical voters not only care about Israel, but recognize its significance to their faith. A July poll by LifeWay reveals that 70 percent of evangelicals believe that the God of the Bible has a special relationship with the modern nation of Israel. 

"No country is more intertwined with the ancient biblical narrative than Israel," said Scott McConnell, vice president of LifeWay, "and evangelical Americans see a contemporary connection with the nation."

Bethany Blankley contributed to this article. For the original article, visit jns.org.

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