Although the U.S. Constitution separates church and state, and the first thing American school students learn is that the separation of church and state is a fundamental principle of the U.S. Constitution, religion is not actually separated from American politics.
The U.S. Constitution, appears to be a secular document, beginning with the phrase “We the People,” with no mention of the words “God” or “Christianity.”
The reference to the word “religion” in the Constitution is used in a completely opposite manner to emphasize non-discrimination among citizens based on their beliefs. However, religion plays a significant and influential role in the lives of Americans and in elections.
One indication of the influence of Christianity on Americans is the phrase “One Nation Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, and the phrase “In God We Trust” engraved on the dollar bill.
Thus, American studies suggest that America's experience represents the opposite of the European model of complete separation between church and state, where American society tends to be religious, at least outwardly.
Article VI of the Constitution states that no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States, and the First Amendment to the Constitution states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.
Although the U.S. Constitution separates church and state, American newspapers and research centers focus on the religion and religious denomination of each candidate and what they have said about religion in their election campaigns, indicating that religion is not separated from politics despite the Constitution.
On June 6, 2024, the Pew Research Center stated that voters who supported Joe Biden, then Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump had completely different views on the role that religion should play in American government and politics. It seems that Trump supporters are more inclined than Biden and Harris supporters to favor a broader governmental role in supporting religion.
A greater percentage of Trump supporters compared to Biden and Harris supporters also believe that religion—especially the Bible—should have an influence on government policy.
Religion in Political Discourse
After surviving an assassination attempt on July 13, 2024, former President and current candidate Donald Trump said in a campaign speech, “In a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side,” according to a report on Variety on July 18. Evangelical preacher and Trump’s spiritual advisor, Paula White, quickly claimed that Trump survived because God was protecting him.
She posted on X with a picture of Trump and a figure standing behind him, claiming it was Jesus Christ, saying, “GOD IS WITH HIM! PRAY FOR PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP AND HIS FAMILY!!”
https://x.com/Paula_White/status/1812280224379519277
Prior to this, White had gathered several prominent pastors and religious leaders for an emergency 40-minute call to pray for God to support Trump against their mutual enemy Biden during the televised debate on June 27.
In January, while launching his presidential campaign in Iowa, Trump, who was raised in the Presbyterian Church, announced proudly that he has received over 300 endorsements from faith leaders in all 99 counties in Iowa.
A Reuters poll conducted in July revealed that 65% of Republicans believe there was divine intervention to save Trump, and that “God's hand saved Trump!”
In a report on the religious dimensions of the U.S. election battle, Dr. Kobby Barda, a senior Zionist researcher in the study of religions at the University of Haifa and an expert in American political and geostrategic history, stated that religion plays a role in elections, particularly within the Republican Party, which believes in evangelicalism and Christian Zionism.
He added that Anglo-Saxon whites (Protestants) feel marginalized. They are the original inhabitants and founders of the country, but they have begun to feel marginalized. After all presidents were from their group since the founding of the country (with the exception of a brief period for Kennedy), Obama (a black man) served two terms, followed by Biden (a Catholic).
This suggests that they feel threatened by further marginalization. Therefore, they used religious (evangelical) rhetoric to support someone who is not religious, which indicates that the issue is racial or factional, but it is cloaked in religious attire. Through this, a group with its own agenda (the evangelicals in this case) exerts control.
Trump benefits from the support of Pastor Robert Jeffress, one of the most prominent pastors of the historic First Baptist Church in Texas, which has 14,000 members.
Religion has also appeared in Biden's Catholic camp. Before withdrawing from the presidential race, Biden, a Catholic (who is considered “God's enemy” by Trump's evangelical supporters), stated that he had been open about his faith throughout his political career.
In his victory speech as President-elect in 2020, he referenced the Catholic hymn “On Eagle's Wings,” and mentioned that he had received public support from 1,600 pastors and religious leaders during the election, which was described as the largest religious initiative to support a Democratic candidate in modern American history.
The Role of Religion and the Church
The previous and current elections have shown that the endorsement of presidential or executive and legislative candidates by pastors plays a strong role in their campaigns.
American politicians are aware that a pastor's endorsement makes a candidate appear supportive of the values and principles important to religious Americans, adding a moral and religious dimension to their campaign and increasing their appeal to religious voters.
Dr. Tobin Miller Shearer, a history professor at the University of Montana, stated in a report in The Conversation on January 3 about the entanglement of religion and the church in U.S. elections: America describes itself as a democracy that values freedom and secularism, yet the church plays a direct role in influencing voter opinions, and presidential candidates seek the blessing of pastors and religious leaders.
He added that in the 2016 race, evangelical voters partially contributed to Trump's victory, with more than 55% of weekly churchgoers supporting him, and Trump's securing 66% of the white evangelical vote tipped the scales in his favor against his rival, Hillary Clinton.
He added that Biden won over Trump in 2020 because he successfully attracted his fellow Catholics to his camp and convinced some evangelicals to vote for him as well. Biden received support from 1,600 Catholic, Protestant, and evangelical leaders.
Dr. Tobin Miller Shearer noted three main trends that are emerging in the 2024 election, with the period leading up to the election witnessing an intensification of apocalyptic rhetoric, increased claims of divine support, and relative silence from the evangelical community regarding the rise of Christian nationalism.
The first trend is the prevalence of apocalyptic discourse, which has long played a prominent role in American politics, along with historical claims of divine authority for democracy to challenge democracy.
The second trend is the claim by many political leaders in the United States that they have a divine mandate.
He confirmed that the shift from historical claims of divine authority for democracy to divine authority to challenge democracy has already become clear and evident.
The third trend is the increasing talk about white supremacy and Christian nationalism by white racists who claim that divine providence favors whites in general.
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