“Christless Conservatism”

There are threats from the Left and from the Right. The threats from the Left are more apparent and in fact worse. I touch on those a lot, so in this blurb I won’t expound upon them. My concern on the Right is the development of a “Christless Conservatism.” From the late 1970s to 2010, the Religious Right (think: Jerry Falwell, James Dobson) encouraged Christians to vote for candidates who both lived according to godly principles and who supported Christian beliefs. Take George W. Bush. Christians supported him because of his lifestyle and his policies. Things changed with Trump. A brash businessman who acted very ungodly at times was now supported by millions of evangelicals. We’ve supported him, even though his private life has not modeled Christ. We’ve done this because of the policies he supports. Unfortunately, much of conservative culture has now adopted ungodly practices, too.

Take gambling. This market has exploded, especially with young men with their phones. Didn’t we used to think this was bad? Now I fear many conservatives either support it or don’t care. Donald Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm is one of the biggest investors in Polymarket, an uber-popular betting firm. The normalization of gambling shows moral drift. Another example of moral compromise is the overlooking of promiscuity. Several figures popular within the conservative world promote sexual sin, whether through word or deed. I will not name them, for some things are better left unsaid (Eph 5:12). Those who promote sexual sin do not serve the cause of Christ, brothers and sisters, no matter their politics. Our ethic must be better than “the ends justify the means.”

We may win politically, though I fear that this comes at moral costs. In a fallen world, this may be the best we can do. I grant that. Still, we must stay vigilant against all threats to the gospel—whether they be wokeism or a Christless conservatism. Our country needs prayer. The Republican Party needs revival. Our hope is in Christ, not politicians. They disappoint and fail, but Christ never will. May all worship His holy Name.

Pastor Chance Sumner