The political earthquake caused by Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential election is continuing to draw a variety of responses by leaders and organizations from evangelical communities.
The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) issued a press release calling on all Americans to join the evangelical body in praying for Trump and the Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, “and all those chosen by voters to serve in Congress, state and local offices.”
As the election concludes, the NAE also thanked publicly officials and workers diligently administering the American electoral systems, despite some security threats looming in the current difficult political climate.
“Elections inevitably produce winners and losers,” said NAE President Walter Kim. “We pray for God’s guidance and blessing on those who have won, that they will be good stewards of the responsibilities entrusted to them, and that they will listen and speak to all Americans, including those who feel left out or unheard.
“We pray for consolation for those who lost their races, as they seek new ways to constructively bless the nation with their time and talents.”
As some voters express disappointment with results, the NAE also implored them to express feelings peacefully, “looking to build bridges of understanding rather than fanning the flames of division.”
“As evangelical Christians we pray for all our leaders, whether they received our votes or not. With the prophet Jeremiah, we pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation in which we live (Jeremiah 29:7),” Kim said.
“We seek to live at peace with our neighbors, to speak truth to those in power, to care for those in need, to protect the vulnerable and to love all people made in God’s image, including those with whom we may have profoundly different perspectives.”
Meanwhile, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, a Christian rights law firm, issued a statement on LinkedIn saying that the Biden-Harris “radical agenda and relentless overreach” had been “soundly rejected” by American voters.
The law firm, recalling its experience battling for the rights of Christians “challenging that overreach” in court cases, suggested three actions for the new Trump administration, to “restore freedom and common sense.”
Firstly, rejecting censorship and protecting free speech: “The Biden-Harris administration embraced censorship as a way to punish and silence dissent: pressuring social media companies to de-platform people, targeting concerned parents for FBI investigation, and more,” stated ADF International. “Let’s restore the freedom to speak our minds: the most basic test of any free society.”
Secondly, eliminating gender ideology from public policy. The legal rights group said gender ideology had been infused into federal policy, giving an example of “Title IX” which the United States Courts defines as “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
ADF International reiterated that this legal concept had jeopardized many fundamental rights. The group also suggested it had harmed women and girls; and undermined basic safety, fairness, and privacy.
“No political agenda can alter the truth: we are indelibly created male and female. Embracing this reality is essentially to protect women, children and parental rights.”
Thirdly, fortifying the rule of law. ADF International accused the Biden-Harris administration of continually undermining core constitutional freedom such as federalism and the separation of powers. “It even entertained the radical notion of packing the Supreme Court,” opined the legal body in its statement. “Let's bring back the rule of law, dismantling the administrative state and protecting the judiciary.”
Lastly, ADF International outlined optimism for the recent election to mark a change in government involvement in civil life.
“We're hopeful that this election will mark a turning point away from government overreach and toward the rule of law. Our Constitution is durable for a reason: it was built on ideals that have safeguarded freedom for generations. ADF will always defend it.”
