John Buttrick writes from his Vermont Folk Rocker in his Concord home, Minds Crossing. He can be reached at johndbuttrick@gmail.com

‘In America, more than perhaps anywhere else in the Western world, petitions to God (prayer) are still a routine fixture of politics – leading off congressional sessions, political conventions and inaugurations,” according to McKay Coppins, writing in the Atlantic magazine.

Yet, the content of prayers is seldom noticed or reported as part of the coverage of these events. Seldom, if ever, are the gist of opening prayers recorded in the minutes of conventions, town meetings or legislative sessions. Even so, Coppins makes the case that these prayers and expressions of religious ideation give direction for the meeting’s agenda and influence the discussion and actions to follow. Those obligatory prayers at the Republican National Convention were a prism through which to view the chosen candidate and to define the relationship of the political party with citizens and the government.

Traditional prayer petitions have called upon the deity to give the gathered people and their leaders insight and wisdom as they follow the meeting’s agenda. For example, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki prayed at the opening of the Republican Convention, “We pray that you assist our elected officials and candidates always to protect our freedoms, to preserve our democracy, and to govern fairly. Grant them the wisdom every day to place the good of our nation above personal interest and to cherish our union. Teach us all to respect justice and our equality before the law.” This traditional prayer focuses upon seeking help for leaders and the people to do the right thing.

However, as the Republican Convention progressed, there was a departure from the traditional opening prayers. Rather than asking God to help leaders and followers do the right thing, prayers began to expect God to do the right thing by supporting the chosen candidate. Franklin Graham prayed, “You alone are the one who saved him (Trump).” Trump is to be treated as the chosen one. Pastor Lorenzo Sewall from Michigan observed, after describing the nation as being in turmoil and dysfunctional, “Could it be that Jesus Christ preserved him for such a time as this? Could it be that God wants to use him for such a time as this?”

Coppins explains that Republican Christians “now seem convinced that God has anointed (their candidate for president) who, like those prophets of old, is prepared to defeat the forces of evil and redeem the country.”

The danger in assuming a presidential candidate has been appointed by a higher power is to view any who are against that candidate as against God. They are corrupt and evil. Joel Tenney, an evangelist, said to the convention delegates, “The corruption in Washington is a natural reflection of the spiritual state of our nation.” He then issued a warning to those who would stand in the way of God’s will being done on election day, “When Donald Trump becomes the 47th president of the United States there will be retribution against all those who have promoted evil in this country.” Read, those who have opposed Trump.

This is trajectory of the Republican campaign beginning to view their presidential candidate as already chosen by God, suggests that the candidate has the power to be the savior of the corrupt world. The Republicans are seeking to frame the political debate as good verses evil. They have quoted a biblical verse from Ephesians, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Who are “the rulers of the darkness?” They are the party and the presidential candidate who do not support the chosen one.

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There is just enough truth in the view of an imperfect country struggling with racism, phobias, economic inequity, a distorted view of women, and hegemony; to demonstrate an ideology of spiritual wickedness that must be overcome. But spiritual warfare means that human beings cannot alone improve their plight. A God-anointed president, who can defeat the evil spiritual forces, becomes necessary. It is also the demise of the democratic election of the president, chosen by the people. It leads to labeling, mocking the other, conspiracy theories, and the demonization of the opponent. It imposes guilt upon all who seek solutions through a democratic government.

However, there is another option, the option of affirming the positive potential of “flesh and blood” human beings instead of the divine rule of a king or queen. There is the option of choosing a democracy where the president is chosen by a vote of the people, not by rubber-stamping an already “chosen one.”

The country’s problems are human problems that can be solve by human beings together with their elected president. The other way has failed for centuries. Therefore, let prayers be for wisdom when voting for president and wisdom to reach our human potential for love of neighbor, justice, and peace.