1. "The evangelical left once had a home in the GOP. What happened? A push from political operatives redefined the qualifications for Republican officeholders."
What became of this centrist strand of American evangelicalism? One common view holds that as the Democratic Party grew increasingly hostile to “traditional” values, evangelical voters had little choice but to abandon their moderate coreligionists in favor of staunchly conservative politicians who could be counted on to defend their interests in Washington. They learned to elect “street fighters” instead of “nice guys,” as Jerry Falwell Jr., the former president of Liberty University who resigned this week in the wake of scandals involving his personal conduct, put it in 2018.
But this account badly misreads the history of the evangelical movement. In reality, it was not a grass-roots reaction against the growing secularism of the political left that drove moderate and liberal evangelicals out of politics. It was, rather, a brief and coordinated campaign of primary challenges from the right.
2. "Why evangelicals will support Donald Trump in 2020"
There are many rational and moral reasons to vote for Trump and his policies in 2020 as there were in November 2016, if not more. The difference between 2020 and 2016 is that Trump is running on a platform of achievements, not only promises.
Trump has protected the unborn, appointed conservative judges to the judiciary, supported Israel with abandon and has relentlessly advocated for religious freedom.
He’s also done it all on an unprecedented scale.
3. "We are evangelical Christians not voting for Donald Trump this time"
While the president has delivered on some issues of concern to us, such as economic reforms and trade deals, his immigration policies are cruel, undermining his pledges to life and religious freedom. For instance, while we cherish unborn lives, we also value the lives of thousands of children who were separated from their mothers or fathers by the “zero tolerance” policies of the administration at the Mexican border in 2018.
Our commitment to life also compels us to do everything that we can to end human trafficking. The administration has decided to suspend the life saving elements of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, the passage of which evangelical Christians proudly championed under George Bush and the flouting of which evangelical ministries like World Vision and International Justice Mission have decried.
...
Denying asylum to those fleeing persecution is not a commitment to life. Since many are fleeing persecution on account of their faith, it undercuts the pledge of the president on religious freedom. As the alarming findings from evangelical ministries Open Doors and World Relief note, the number of refugees from countries where Christians face the most persecution is on track for a decline of 90 percent this year versus 2016.
4. "Larry Flynt: My Final Farewell to the Falwells"
Ironically, Falwell Sr. and I actually became friends later. We enjoyed many cordial visits, participated in debates across the country, and even exchanged Christmas cards. I have to concede that his friendship with me proves that, for the most part, he was practicing an essential tenet of his faith, forgiveness, and was a sincere Christian.
Which is more than can be said for many of his fellow televangelists—the sorry parade of charlatans like Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, Paula White, and all the other prime-time Elmer Gantrys—including the son, Jerry Falwell Jr. They’re obsessed above all with sexual behavior, ignoring and subverting the core message of Christianity—humility and compassion for the downtrodden—while embracing “prosperity gospel,” which is to say the gospel of greed above all other values.
