A recent survey of over 1000 protestant pastors, conducted by LifeWay Research has revealed that more than half of Protestant Pastors in the USA will vote for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential elections.
The results found that 98% of pastors will vote in the presidential election while only 2% will not. When they cast their ballot, the majority of pastors, however, are more likely to vote for President Trump (53%) over Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden (21%), while 22% remain undecided. The remaining 4% will vote for another candidate altogether.
LifeWay Research conducted the same poll at the previous presidential elections back in 2016 at which time Trump’s support base amongst protestant pastors was a mere 32%. Fast forward to 2020 and support for Trump has actually increased amongst evangelical preachers.
On a denominational level, LifeWay’s 2020 survey showed that Pentecostal (70%) and Baptist pastors (67%) are more likely to vote for Trump than pastors in the Restorationist movement (49%), Lutherans (43%), Presbyterian/Reformed (24%) or Methodists (22%).
Interestingly, among African American pastors the results of the survey were flipped with 61% indicated that they would vote for Biden and only 6% saying they plan to vote for Trump. Meanwhile, younger pastors, aged 18 to 44, are the least likely age demographic to back the president for reelection (41%).
What Pastors are looking for in a president
You might think that matters of justice and equality should matter most to Christian pastors. Not so, according to the LifeWay Poll. When it comes to the factors that pastors found most important when deciding who to vote for, 70% said that a candidate’s view on abortion was the most important issue.
Additionally, 65% believe that it is important for a presidential candidate to protect religious freedom and 62% said that the candidate’s ability to nominate justices to the Supreme Court was a key factor. Clearly, maintaining power, and protecting and perpetuating the religious system, is of paramount importance to evangelical ministers.
Also of great importance to the protestant pastor: The candidate must improve the economy (54%) and protect national security (54%).
Only 53% of respondents thought that the president’s character and conduct was an important factor when deciding who to vote for — making it less important than stamping out abortion, protecting religious freedom, choosing a conservative supreme court justice, improving the economy and protecting America’s military interests.
Even fewer Pastors thought it was important for the President to be able to address racial inequality in the USA (51%), while a measly 35% said that the candidate must be able to slow the spread of COVID-19. I guess the lives of unborn babies matter more than the lives of the elderly, the infirm and the immuno-compromised.
What about the priorities of Jesus?
Forgive my candor, but might I suggest that the key priorities for a Christian — and especially a Christian leader — ought to reflect the key priorities of Christ. Christ did not come to build a religious system that needed to be protected by the government. He came to build a network of believers that could function in spite of the government. If he really is the Son of God, then he doesn’t need to be protected by people.
Further, Christ did not come to build buildings for worship, nor to protect and serve the interests of some nations over others, nor to build economies, nor to wield power, nor to moralize and impose beliefs on others.
He simply came to restore humanity to the divine. And perhaps his priorities were best summarized in his own words, in Luke 18–19:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me.
He has chosen me to tell good news to the poor.
He sent me to tell prisoners that they are free
and to tell the blind that they can see again.
He sent me to free those who have been treated badly
and to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness.”
Goodness. Kindness. Justice. Freedom. Humility. Love.
I’ll vote for that.
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