Ideas

The Euangelion According to Trump

Editor in Chief

In those days Donald Trump issued a decree that a tariff should be taken. Was it good news?

US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs at the White House.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs at the White House.

Christianity Today April 4, 2025
Brendan Smialowski / Getty

Has Donald Trump gone too far? With the stock market down 5 percent in one day yesterday and other economic losses cascading today, will his most loyal supporters thus far, evangelicals, turn on him? Depends on what evangelical means.  

After surviving the Access Hollywood tape in 2016, four indictments and a felony conviction, and criticism for treatment of immigrants, it would be ironic if tariffs, of all things, brought Trump down. A Gallup poll last September found “trade with other nations” only the 20th out of 22 issues important to voters.  

But The Washington Post’s banner headline this morning proclaimed disaster: “Onslaught of tariffs ripples across globe.” Columnists like Thomas Friedman of The New York Times said, “Trump, with his grievance-filled gut,” doesn’t understand “the U.S.-engineered global free trade system.” If so, Trump has “sown the wind, and we as a nation will reap the whirlwind.”

Friedman did not cite the Bible, but that expression comes from Hosea 8:7—“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up.” The whirlwind is a biblical metaphor for God’s power and might: Nahum 1:3 says God’s “way is in the whirlwind.” But how do we discern, amid turbulent times, what is blowing the wind? 

The Bible doesn’t give us answers about tariffs. The Bible does give us answers about how character (Prov. 10:8–10) and thoughtful judgment carry over into decision making. It’s on those questions that evangelicals should apply discernment.

Will we? It depends on the definition of evangelical. Pollsters ask voters to self-define whether they are evangelicals, but even back in 2016, American church historian Thomas Kidd complained that (as the headline over one of his articles put it) “the term ‘evangelical’ has become meaningless.” Kidd wrote that many call themselves evangelicals because they think, “I watch Fox News, so I must be an evangelical” or “I respect religion, and I vote Republican, so I must be an evangelical.”

Some headlines have complained about “hijacking the word, ‘Evangelical.’” I’d argue, though, that Trump’s evangelical voters represent a far older meaning of the term, even though only half attend church weekly, according to a Pew survey, and nearly a quarter, “more than 17 million … don’t go to church.” 

Evangelthe root of evangelicalism, long ago meant “glad tidings,” particularly in relation to political news regarding a leader. Cicero in ancient Rome six decades before the birth of Jesus used the Greek word euangelion that way: “Does Brutus really say Caesar is going over to the right party? That is good news [euangelion].” In 9 BC, an appointee of Roman emperor Augustus used the term to show his fealty: “Augustus was the beginning of the good tidings [euangelion] for the world that came by reason of him.”

The idea was that the emperor was a savior, and all who heard that should celebrate such good news. The four Gospels in the Greek are four euangelions. Luke in chapter two of his euangelion probably played off the political meaning when he wrote concerning the birth of Jesus, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken.” Luke wanted us to put our trust in Christ, not Caesar.

Donald Trump won election by saying, “I am your retribution” (now on T-shirts) and “I’m being indicted for you.” The word evangelical used theologically today refers to a specific core of Christian beliefs and implies frequent church attendance, but both in loose polling usage and the word’s early history, defining Trump’s core supporters as evangelical makes sense. Many put their faith in Trump sacrificing himself for us (and taking revenge on our enemies). 

But the president’s actions, particularly since his second inauguration on January 20, have created a quandary for his supporters who actually are evangelical, defined theologically. What happens when the two euangelions come into sharp contrast?

Has Trump gone too far? I’ve thought that harsh treatment of sojourners would change many hearts, but that hasn’t happened. Some remain true believers in him. Now that he is reaching into wallets, we’ll see whether attitudes toward the new euangelion change. If tariff decisions do reap a whirlwind, what then? 

Marvin Olasky is executive editor of news and global at Christianity Today.

Our Latest

Why Many Black Christians Reject the Evangelical and Mainline Labels

The history of a prominent church pastored by MLK in Alabama shows the reason African Americans often don’t embrace either term.

News

Pastor Abducted in Nigeria Amid Escalating Kidnapping Crisis

Armed gang continues to hold him after family paid the ransom.

Review

The Liturgy of American Charisma

Historian Molly Worthen studies dynamic leaders, eager followers, and their shared efforts to “consecrate a new reality.”

Inside the Ministry

The Next Gen Initiative

Casting a captivating vision of following Jesus for the next generation.

News

Where Refugees Were Seen as an Opportunity from God

In Sweden, a church continues to advocate evangelism of Muslims, despite criticism from all sides.

Revival of the Nerds

On Twitch streams and in Discord chats, “nerd culture” ministers reach out to a demographic long misunderstood by the church.

Christian Gamers Find Their People

Video-game developers, speculative fiction authors, and table-top enthusiasts got together to play at an expo for “Christian storytellers in popular culture.”

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube