It seems that, when the political scene just cannot get any stranger, it does. Now the Pope has weighed in and intimated that Donald Trump might not be a Christian. His reason for this analysis? Trump has proposed building a wall between the United States and Mexico in an attempt to halt the massive amount of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border. Pope Frances has stated that Christians build bridges and not walls. Therefore, Donald Trump, and by extension any American politician or citizen that favors a barrier at the border, is not a true Christian.
Predictably, Trump has fired back, and has said that, if ISIS ever goes on the march against the Vatican, which is a stated goal of the so-called Islamic State, the Pope better hope that Trump is the President of the United States.
Popes often meddle around in the affairs of nations so Pope Frances’ inclination to stir the pot is nothing historically new. It is, however, a bit out of character that a Pope would seem to make a statement designed to diminish a particular political candidate in an American election cycle.
It is no secret that Pope Frances is considered leftist when compared to his predecessors, which may have influenced his decision to weigh in against a Republican contender. But the Pope has, I believe erred on at least two counts:
It is a mistake to involve himself in an internal political matter of a sovereign nation, especially when he calls out a particular candidate. The Pope does this, presumably, because he considers immigration a moral matter and not a political one. Yet to hold an opinion on a moral or political matter is a far cry from publicly suggesting that a candidate who disagrees with the Pope’s position is Hell-bound.
And that, really, is the conclusion. Trump is not a Christian. Therefore, he will not inherit the Kingdom and eternal life with God. And, if you follow the statement to its conclusion, Donald Trump, a non-Christian, will go to Hell.
He has made a statement that opens the Holy Father up to charges of hypocrisy. If Christians do not build walls, has the Pope taken a look around Vatican City lately? The walls protecting the borders of the Pope’s secular domain are massive. And the Pope has at his disposal what amounts to a small army, all designed to protect him and those who live and work in the vicinity. There are currently 110 armed soldiers, members of the Swiss armed forces, who are assigned to the Pontifical Swiss Guard. They carry small arms and a halberd. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft. If the Pope can insure the safety of his realm, if he can have a wall and armed forces, why can’t American politicians propose the same?
And, the Pope does value his personal space. Just days ago, during a Papal visit, someone grabbed the Pope’s hands and pulled him forward. His guards rushed into to protect him against the overzealous admirer and the Pope reacted toward the person with visible and vocal anger that was caught on video.
In a recent survey 86 percent of American believed the Pope was wrong to comment about Donald Trump as he did. Only 7 percent agreed with him and 7 percent had no opinion on the matter. Ironically, the Pope’s criticism will only enhance the reputation of Donald Trump. Already, his supporters admire his ability to stand his ground against anyone who attacks him. And now, it’s The Donald vs. the Pope. The first round goes to Trump.
[David Epps is the pastor of Christ the King Church (www.ctkcec.org.). He is the bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-South, (www.midsouthdiocese.org) which consists of Georgia and Tennessee and is the associate endorser for his denomination’s military chaplains. He may be contacted at frepps@ctkcec.org.]
