Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, said nothing when the publication he heads published a piece during Holy Week questioning the inerrancy of Scripture and insinuating that perhaps Jesus was roped, not nailed, to a cross. He went silent, as well, when nearly 50 years of pro-life effort resulted in the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Yet he had no problem speaking out to vilify faithful Christians who favor a negotiated peace in Eastern Europe as guilty of “murdering Ukraine.”

The polarizing smear tactics of the larger culture are being adopted by Never Trump Christians with increasing intensity. Like the war in Ukraine, only one side of an argument is considered righteous. Christians who see things differently get tarred with negative labels. The ground for respectful disagreement in religious circles is shrinking. 

Trump’s election infuriated Christians who have a deep distaste for the man, and since the election, that frustration has become a steady drip of angry vitriol. Never Trumpers are even quicker to label their brethren as naive, bigoted, and grasping for power. 

What they choose to ignore is that many serious believers rightly saw this election as a binary choice. They aren’t racists or wild-eyed Christian Nationalists (whatever those are). They were just bone-deep sick of four years of being lied to about Biden’s mental state, millions of illegal immigrants pouring across the border unchecked, the disastrous retreat from Afghanistan, spending-fueled inflation, children on puberty blockers, and late-term abortion. It was (and is) too much, too dark, and too stubbornly left. So, no surprise, these same Christians poured into polling places to vote a big, fat “no.” They don’t deserve the trashing of Never Trumpers. 

Stoking the Fires of Animosity

After the election, Christians might have sorted out their differences privately or even taken the humble approach of admitting the opposing side has a point or two. After all, we’ve existed side by side for generations, Republicans and Democrats, in the same pews. 

But a triumvirate arose insisting that the only real Christians — intelligent and compassionate Christians — are those who live in resistance to a duly elected president named Donald Trump. Christianity Today’s Russell Moore and New York Times columnist David French joined with Duke Divinity professor Curtis Chang to found The After Party study and the “Good Faith” podcast, using leftist foundation funds to reshape political sensibilities within the church. 

Is the Christian public supposed to believe that the Rockefeller Foundation cares about biblical fidelity? That no hidden motives exist to mute the voice of Christians on public policies Christians generally favor and the left hates?

The “Good Faith” podcast and The After Party insist their efforts are nonpartisan. Users and listeners beg to differ. Framed as pastoral concern to help conservatives be nicer, the actual content reflects a steady, leftward push. The After Party studiously avoids taking unpopular stands on matters Christians care deeply about, such as the nature of marriage, born and unborn life, the primacy of parental rights, and nations with actual borders. 

Self-described journalist Tim Alberta and Chang spoke in the fall at evangelical school Wheaton College. Before a live audience, they bemoaned Christians who believe morality is central to character yet vote for a man with a checkered moral past. 

Fair enough. But exactly what paragon of Christian virtue would they put forth? Kamala Harris slept her way to power with a politician twice her age (yet French voted for her). Her husband reportedly impregnated his mistress. Joe Biden is a lifelong Catholic yet known as “creepy Joe” for good reason. Bill Clinton disgraced the Oval Office with his shenanigans, but his actual policies look sane now compared to the Obama years. 

Yet, somehow, according to Chang and Alberta, evangelicals have been snookered into fear-based idolatry when they exercise political muscle. They should concentrate on Jesus and the gospel and leave actual policy determinations to the experts who gave us boys in girls’ sports and pro-life grandmothers jail time. 

Letting Democrats Off the Hook

This year’s award for best use of shame-and-smear tactics, however, goes to French. Since the election, he has taken off the gloves. The Trump presidency is the result not of many constituencies that used to vote Democrat stitched together. No, this presidency and what French terms “chaos and cruelty” are the gifts of the white evangelical church, whom he calls to “repentance.” 

What makes French’s arguments inflammatory is that he willfully ignores the failings of Democrats. French chastises the current administration for pardoning “their own thugs” but will not mention Biden pardoning his influence-peddling son or many others, apparently by autopen. America has failed to live up to its ideals, but when searching for an example, French retreats to Jim Crow and slavery. What about the left’s recent and glaring failures to live up to ideals, like selling the body parts of babies or saddling children’s futures with unnecessary school closings? The last four years hold a plethora of possibilities for failed American ideals.

When asked if he could find anything notable in Trump’s policies, French reluctantly cited a more controlled border. Nothing else good to see here. He lays the failures of this administration squarely at the feet of conservative Christians. But he takes no responsibility for the sins of the radical Democrat leaders he supported. French wraps his finger-pointing in compassion and Jesus language.

As a marriage therapist and a Christian, this sort of shaming, where one party must always be “the bad one,” is a bright red flag. This is the kiss of death in relationships, and it’s a deep disservice to the church. 

It is also especially odd coming from Christians. Our theology insists all human nature is flawed and thus no one has a corner on goodness or truth. We see through a glass darkly until Jesus returns. It might be a good idea to cut each other some slack, clean up our own backyard, and work harder to “preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Since we are sitting in the same pews, and all that.