Carter’s renunciation of the Southern Baptist Convention is illustrative of what might happen next with evangelicals who reject the movement. In 2007, Carter founded the New Baptist Covenant, an effort to gather various Baptist groups to work toward unity and heal theological and political divides. The former president convinced 30 Baptist organizations representing more than 20 million Americans to join his collective. The glaring exception was the Southern Baptist Convention. Whatever sway Carter held over his fellow Southern Baptists was significantly sapped the moment he declared he was no longer a part of the group. The same fate faces anti-Trump evangelicals who pretend to leave.
Even if a National Department of Evangelicalism existed allowing individuals to revoke their membership, there is a very good reason for them to stay put. By claiming to leave evangelicalism, these leaders are creating a vacuum of blind Republicanism within the movement and they compromise their ability to induce the change they wish to see. As with most movements, evangelicalism is more easily changed by inside pressure than outside protests.
Trump keeps his friends close, so it’s likely his evangelical base will hold some level of influence over his policy and behavior. This sizable religious group needs as many principled dissenters as it can muster to hold the Trump administration’s feet to the fire on protecting minorities, immigrants, and the poor as the Bible commands.
If evangelicals give into their frustration and disassociate themselves from their religious community, countless people may suffer the consequences of their absence. Anti-Trump evangelicals must, instead, stay put. Their community needs them. And so does America.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member