Charles van Heck's Woodhull Journal

Donald Trump made two statements on Tuesday, August 19^th that should give us pause. The first is a social media post.

“The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future. This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. We have the ‘HOTTEST’ Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our Museums.”

The intent of this post was to pressure the Smithsonian to review its content to either remove or adjust any content that is problematic in “tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.”

A second comment made by Trump appears to be out of character. This was made on “Fox & Friends.”

“I want to try and get to heaven, if possible,” he explained. “I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.”

He believes his prospects for heaven depends on resolving the Ukrainian war. One person preventing Trump from succeeding in reaching a peace agreement is his friend in the Kremlin whom some in Ukraine call сатана (Satan) or чорт (cohort or devil). The other person is himself for listening to the чорт.

I am saddened by both statements. There is, at least in my reading, an apparent contradiction. In the first, Trump expresses disregard for human beings who are non-white. He willingly attempts to erase their history and their cultural heritage. At the same time, he is indifferent to the suffering of others unless it benefits him personally (e.g. a Noble Peace Prize). In the second, he is searching for comfort, hoping his achievements will result in his salvation— his ability to avoid another “Hottest Country.”

The contradictions become more obvious when I examine the Administration’s domestic and foreign policies, and how these impact the lives of those suffering from racial discrimination, poverty, hunger, disease, and other forms of misery. Where is the compassion? Little discernment is necessary to realize the numerous crises that refute any justification for many of the Administration’s policies.

Most of us prefer to disregard the current state of affairs. We are either too ashamed of our inadequacy to be a voice speaking out, or too concerned with our personal socio-economic status/situation. Either way, we lack the capacity for outrage. Our silence is the conjecture of guilty bystanders, to borrow a phrase from Thomas Merton. Our silence is a denial of our ability to build the “Beloved Community,”

“Beloved Community” was first used by the theologian Josiah Royce in his 1913 book The Problem of Christianity. For Royce, the Church, as the Beloved Community, is comprised of individual person’s transformed by God’s love. The mission of the Church is to express that love not only within the members own clans, communities, and nations, but for all of humanity to create a universal community.

Martin Luther King’s sermon on Mahatma Gandhi expanded on the ethical reasons to establish the “Beloved Community.” King said:

“The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, so that when the battle’s over, a new relationship comes into being between the oppressed and the oppressor…. The way of acquiescence leads to moral and spiritual suicide. The way of violence leads to bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. But, the way of non-violence leads to redemption and the creation of the beloved community.”

The opening lines of Vatican Council II Lumen Gentium established both a vision and a claim of hope. “By her relationship with Christ, the Church is a kind of sacrament of intimate union with God and the unity of all humanity. That is, the Church is a sign and an instrument of such a union and unity.” The desire of the Church is to proclaim the kingdom of God, which is the “Beloved Community.”

A similar thought is found in Jewish theology. We live before eternity and are at one with the Infinite. Our acts and deeds, our words, are compared to the importance of what is eternal. Injustice— the oppression of others, in its numerous forms, is a denial of the divine nobility of both the oppressor and the oppressed. Our nobility as human beings is established in the acknowledgement that we are created in the Divine Image. Our souls are sparks, finite fragments of the Divine light, meant to illuminate the world, to bring healing. This, too, is the “Beloved Community.”

There are Protestant conservatives, liberals, and evangelicals who labor to build the “Beloved Community.” But, as in every denominational tradition , there are those who follow a false gospel and worship false idols.    

Christian nationalism, and the “evangelicals” embracing this ideology, say they are proclaiming the Gospel, but they spread a false gospel. In Jesus’ name, they give full attention to reforming civil society as white, patriarchal, nonegalitarian, and authoritarian. In other words, oppressive. A state established Christianity denies all citizens, regardless of their religious tradition, equal public freedom of faith. Christian nationalism also denies non-believers, particularly women and minorities their freedoms.

Those adhering to Christian nationalism are unconcerned with creating a just society. They tarnish the Gospel message: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39).

The prophet Isaiah provides a warning to them:

“And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; when you make many prayers, I will not hear; Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15).

 In these times of doubt, fear and insecurity, regardless of our faith traditions, or lack thereof, we are all summoned to build the “Beloved Community.”