A Former Pastor Of Trumps Church Says He Never Saw Him There
President Donald Trump gave Bible literacy legislation a shout-out on Monday with a tweet praising states that are starting to make a turn back to an unspecified time when public schools apparently relished in Bible study.
As The Washington Posts Mark Chancy noted, there was no such time in American history.
And as Trumps former pastor noted, in any case, the president cant exactly speak with much authority on the subject.
Pastor David Lewicki responded to Trumps tweet on Tuesday morning, explaining how he served as a pastor at New York Citys Marble Collegiate Church for about five years in the mid-aughts.
Despite being on the member rolls, Trump never showed. Not to Bible study and not even to a service, according to Lewicki.
I assure you, he had the option to come to Bible study. He never opted in, Lewicki wrote. Nor did he ever actually enter the church doors. Not one time.
I was s pastor for 5 years . I assure you, he had the option to come to Bible study. He never opted in. Nor did he ever actually enter the church doors. Not one time.
David Lewicki
The pastor then followed up with a pointed quote attributed to Irish political figure Edmund Burke: Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing.
On the campaign trail, Trump spoke about his religious upbringing and even name-checked Marble, where he married his first wife.
Attitudes Toward Racial Minorities
Conservatives views of black people, Hispanics, and Asians improve the more frequently conservatives attend religious services. Specifically, favorable feelings toward black people increase from 48 percent among Trump voters who never attend church to 73 percent amongthose who attend more than once a week a 25-point increase. Similarly, favorable feelings toward Hispanics and Asians increase from 63 percent and 60 percent, respectively, among secular Trump voters to 72 percent and 80 percent, respectively, among churchgoing Trump voters.
Figure 2
Frequent conservative churchgoers also say they care more about racial equality. More than two-thirds of churchgoing conservatives say racial equality is an important issue to them personally. In contrast, 51 percent of nonreligious conservatives say racial equality is not an important issue.
Figure 3
A conservatives own racial identity also becomes less salient to them the more frequently they attend church. Indeed, nonreligious white Trump voters are about three times as likely as churchgoing white Trump voters to say their white racial identity is extremely important to them .
Reduced emphasis on their own racial identity might contribute to conservative churchgoers being less concerned about future prospects of a so-called majority-minority nation. While six in 10 churchgoing Trump voters agree that demographic change will enrich American society, less than half of secular Trump voters agree.
Figure 4
Are There Denominational Differences
Nearly three-fourths of Trump voters identify as either Protestant or Catholic. Might participation in either of these two faith traditions have different effects? Statistical tests suggest not. A series of tests comparing the impact of religious attendance among white Protestant Trump voters and white Catholic Trump voters reveals that participation in either faith, in most instances, is a significant predictor of improved attitudes toward racial and religious minorities. Furthermore, these tests indicate that the small differences that do exist are not statistically significant. Trump voters who attend either Protestant or Catholic religious services weekly are more likely than their secular counterparts to have warm feelings toward these population groups .
Among white Trump voters, Catholic church attendance significantly predicted more favorable attitudes toward black people and Jews, as well as immigrants at the p .05 level and towardHispanics and Asians at the p .10 level. It did not significantly predict more favorable attitudes toward Muslims. Protestant church attendance among white Trump voters significantly predictedmore favorable attitudes toward black people, Hispanics, Asians, Jews, Muslims, and immigrants. These differences may in part be the consequence of there being fewer white Catholic Trump voters than white Protestant Trump voters surveyed with a lower number, there is less certainty around the white Catholic Trump voters estimates.
Recommended Reading: Mary Fred Trump Kkk
Was Donald Trump America’s First Atheist President
Christians worldwide are called to observe penance and develop a closer relationship with Jesus Christ during the Lenten season. Self-reflection and repentance, key pillars of Lent, are tools of atonement for past sins and are innate to the moral teachings of Christ. It’s difficult to imagine a true Christian who wouldn’t welcome the opportunity for forgiveness. In contrast, former President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he has never asked God for forgivenessa foremost doctrine of Christianityand has questioned his need to do so if no sins were committed.
This broaches the question: Was Donald Trump America’s first atheist president?
Though faith is a private matter only known to the individual, our actions provide outside indicators that can be explored. Trump’s formative religious exposure was as a congregant of the Marble Collegiate Church in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan, where he attended services with his parents. The church’s head pastor, Norman Vincent Peale, a conservative icon and author of the seminal work, The Power of Positive Thinking, had a lasting effect on Trump’s self-confidence. Peale is often considered to be more of a motivational speaker than an evangelist, delivering his message on radio programs, in newspapers and in a monthly publication.
Ben Pryor is an American politics researcher and writer.
Trump Himself Is A Presbyterian
Donald Trump at the Coast Guard Academys commencement ceremony.
Donald Trump himself is Christian, but he is not Catholic. Instead, Donald Trump identifies as a Presbyterian.
Growing up, Trump and his family attended the Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan, one of the oldest Protestant congregations in North America. This remained Trumps church as he grew up, and this is where he was married to his first wife, Ivana, according to The Huffington Post.
Eight other U.S. presidents have been Presbyterians: Ronald Reagan, Dwight Eisenhower, Woodrow Wilson, Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland, James Buchanan, James Polk, and Andrew Jackson.
There has still only been one Catholic president: John F. Kennedy, and during the election of 1960, this was a major issue in the campaign, with Kennedys opponents saying that he would not be loyal to the United States but instead to the Vatican.
Recommended Reading: When Did Trump Get Impeached
Donald Trump Goes To Church Every Sunday
by John D. Pierce | Dec 1, 2020 | Opinion
President Donald Trump may be golfing most Sundays, but his presence in Americas churches will be felt for a long, long time. While his glowing face may not appear among the worshippers, he is most assuredly there.
As he aims a nine-iron toward a manicured green, under the watchful eyes of the Secret Service, his churchgoing followers, whove marched in lockstep from Parler to the pews, are listening out for anything their pastors might say that doesnt jibe with the baptized bigotry of white Christian nationalism.
The irony, of course, is that one so uninterested in and uncomfortable with the basic beliefs, values and trappings of the Christian faith can appeal so overwhelmingly to those long engaged in congregational life. They are willing, even eager, to shape their faith accordingly and demand it of others.
In many churches, the sermon accommodates those desires. It is a mere regurgitation of Tucker Carlsons latest diatribe dipped in religious language and certitude, yet more fitting for a super-spreader political rally than a time and place designated for the worship of God.
Power-thirsty celebrity preachers provide religious cover for this blatant advancement of a false gospel of fear, discrimination and exclusion all in stark contrast to the life and teachings of Jesus who supposedly is the reason for gathering. And, also, we might note: the reason for calling oneself Christian.
Do You Religiously Go To Church Every Sunday
Nope, because on Sunday, the Sabbath is not celebrated so Rule 4 is essential, and the Sabbath is important, and Sunday isnt celebrated. It is a pagan religion based on Gods Sun , hence Sunday was developed from sun worship in Babylonian mythology. On a Christians account, Saturday falls as a sabbath. Do you go to church on Sundays?
Recommended Reading: Did Trump Donate His Salary To Military Cemeteries
Read Also: What Is President Trump’s Iq
Michael Avenatti Sentenced 4 Years For Stealing Money From Stormy Daniels
Former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump spent their Easter in Florida, attending church before spending time with family at an Easter egg roll at their Mar-a-Lago estate.
The 45th commander-in-chief and former first lady attended a morning worship service at the Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., where senior pastor Todd Mullins acknowledged their appearance to fellow churchgoers in his sermon.
Speaking about the importance of Easter as a holiday, Mullins pointed out the churchs famous guests, saying, It is also our privilege, my privilege, today to welcome the president and Mrs. Trump, too.
The former first couple was met with cheers, to which both responded with waves and smiles.
In a statement after the service on the special guests, Mullins whose father, Tom, was a member of Trumps Evangelical Executive Advisory Board during his term said, We always welcome everyone to join us at Christ Fellowship in celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.
Following the service, the duo returned to their Mar-a-Lago estate to spend time with family at an Easter egg roll taking place on the property.
Seen in attendance were Donald Trump Jr., his five children, his partner Kimberly Guilfoyle, Eric Trump, Lara Trump and their son and daughter.
Im not sure theyre working all that hard for it but its a good tradition nonetheless and they had fun, Trump Jr. joked in a Rumble video Sunday.
Trump Recently Named Callista Gingrich Ambassador To The Vatican
President Donald Trump recently announced that Callista Gingrich will be his ambassador to the Vatican.
I have always been a very spiritual person, Callista Gingrich said in 2011, according to NPR. I start each day with a prayer, and pray throughout the day, because I am grateful for the many blessings that God has bestowed upon us.
Gingrich is also the CEO of Gingrich Productions, a production company that produces documentaries, some of which are about religion, such as Rediscovering God in America.
Recommended Reading: Melania Trump Prostitution
How Is Presbyterian Different From Baptist
Christians, in the case of Baptists, are those who dont believe in God, but do in God and children, in the case of Presbyterians. A Presbyterian believes that baptists and purified children must be born a Christian. Its not that Presbyterians dont believe in redemption, but that they believe in a destination they pursue.
Recommended Reading: How Many Times Did Trump Lie During The Debate
Department Of Homeland Security
In 2020, Joseph V. Cuffari, the Trump-appointed Department of Homeland Security Inspector General, declined recommendations from DHS career staff and members of Congress to conduct an investigation into the clearing of Lafayette Square. As a result of his decision, a variety of unanswered questions remain surrounding the Secret Services adherence to its own use-of-force and related policies. Because Cuffari blocked the proposed review, its unclear if a full picture will ever emerge of who was in charge or what happened inside the Secret Services Joint Operation Center, which normally plays a key coordination role when protestors are cleared from Lafayette Square and its environs. Secret Service official Anthony Ornato, who had received the unprecedented permission to temporarily take a leave of absence to become a White House political advisor, had reportedly organized the photo-op. The Project on Government Oversight noted that it remains unclear whether Ornatos role in the events of Lafayette Square ever came under scrutiny.
Read Also: Trump Donates Salary To Rebuild Military Cemeteries
How Do Religious Trump Voters Compare To Clinton Voters
To be sure, conservatives who attend church regularly dont take the same positions as liberals on most of these issues. For instance, churchgoing Trump voters are less likely to have warm feelings toward Muslims compared to Hillary Clintons 2016 voters. Churchgoing Trump voters are also more likely than Clinton voters to say immigration should be harder , to oppose offering a pathway to citizenship , to say illegal immigrants are a drain on society , and to be frustrated with language barriers .
Although churchgoing Trump voters are relatively more opposed to the death penalty than their secular counterparts, still more than two-thirds support it compared to about one-third of Clinton voters. And, even though an overwhelming majority of Trump-voting churchgoers say poverty is an important issue, that figure still falls short of the 97 percent of Clinton voters who feel similarly.
There are a few exceptions, however, where churchgoing Trump voters coalesce with Clinton voters. In particular, both groups have similarly warm feelings toward racial minorities and Jews, and they have similar attitudes about trade.
Even still, Trump voters, regardless of religious participation, take more conservative positions than Clinton voters on most issues. Thus, attending church regularly does not turn conservatives into liberals. However, religious attendance may pull conservatives in a liberal direction on key cultural issues polarizing the nation.
Donald Trumps Religious Background And The 2016 Presidential Election
Professor of History and Law, Ohio State University
Now that the Republicans are about to nominate Donald Trump as their partys presidential nominee, a look at his religious background seems in order. It will likely tell us how well he will fare with churchgoing voters, and especially the most committed Christians among them, this fall.
One key factor in this area is generational. American religion has changed a lot over time, and Trumps generation was a distinctive one in terms of what religion was like when they were growing up. Donald Trump is an early baby boomer. Like Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Trump was born in 1946, the first year of the post-World War II baby boom. Trump grew up in New York City during an era when a higher fraction of Americans engaged in weekly religious observance than at any other time in modern American history.
Trumps parents were Presbyterians, and they and their five children attended Marble Collegiate Church in lower Manhattan. Donald Trump retained a connection to that church in his adult life. He and his first wife, Ivana, were married there in 1977. Though not currently an active member, Donald Trump has stated publicly that he considers Marble Collegiate to be his church.
The author gratefully acknowledges of the assistance of Reverend Tim Ahrens of First Congregational Church in Columbus, OH and Professor David Brakke of the Ohio State University History Department in preparing this blogpost.
Don’t Miss: Trump Lies How Many
