Today’s political landscape relies heavily on God’s role in government. Leaders and politicians claim to be on God’s side or, more explicitly, that God chooses their side. In this article, I want to explain how this notion is theologically flawed and look at God’s role—or lack thereof—in elections. The separation of church and state protects politics from entering religion and vice versa.
The Limits of Divine Intervention
The idea that “God has chosen our leaders” distorts Scripture. Throughout history, God has empowered humanity with the freedom to make choices—both wise and foolish. I want to illustrate this by using an analogy often used by process theologians to explain that God is not a controlling God and is not in control. Consider the game of chess. There are countless potential moves and outcomes. God, in omniscience, knows every possible combination but does not know which move we’ll ultimately make. The choice is ours, as it always has been, to elect leaders and chart our paths.
Here is some good news: we don’t have to blame God for bad election results. God can’t guarantee outcomes. Thank goodness God is not in control. To assume God elects presidents is to think that our participation—campaigning, voting, and engaging in political discourse—is in vain. A fundamental assertion of process theology affirms God allows life to unfold according to our desires and choices.
People Elect Kings and Presidents
In the Old Testament, Israel elected kings despite the prophetic warnings of the consequences (1 Samuel 8). God wasn’t a fan of the idea, but let it go. Perhaps it was a testament to God’s respect for His gift of free will for humanity. The people desired leaders who mirrored their values, beliefs, and faith, choices that often led to abuses of power, oppression, and misrule.
Today, we see parallels in how voters elect leaders based on shared ideologies, religious affiliations, or a couple of “must-have options on the menu,” often overlooking other critical issues. The consequences are profound, as seen in the recent election in the U.S., where a majority of voters once again chose Donald Trump, a convicted felon and sex offender whose promises and policies continue to sow fear, hate, violence, polarization, and racism. He continues to threaten all marginalized communities, the same people Jesus sought out. I argue that Trump was not God’s choice to win the 2024 elections and become president for another 4 years.
The Convenience of Divine Endorsement
Historically, political parties, particularly the Republican Party, have leveraged religious language to bolster their platforms. Religion as a political tool is not a coincidence but a result of alliances between evangelical leaders and political power brokers (Nixon, Reagan, Bush), thus creating a foundation for Christian nationalism. Christian nationalism is a political movement that seeks to advance and preserve what it sees as traditional Christian values in the political sphere, claiming a divine mandate over government policy and law, a concept antithetical to the separation of church and state. Christian Nationalism practically seeks to merge religious beliefs into the fabric of all U.S. policies and structures.
Regarding political strategy, there’s no denying that invoking God can be a powerful tool. For instance, the Republican Party, especially, has leveraged this alignment, ensuring that God’s name and message serve as persuasive points in rallying voters. These alliances frame the Republican party as “God’s party,” therefore manipulating Christians to reject any other ideological choice that goes against ‘God’s will,’ ‘God’s chosen ones ‘ or ‘God’s divine plan’ to make America great again. This nationalism resonates strongly with the Evangelical base, but it’s essential to remember that Jesus was not a White Republican citizen of the U.S. The “politics of Jesus” are so far away from any Republican or Democrat leader.
Some Christians point to biblical passages to claim that God picks political leaders. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities,” Paul wrote to the Romans, “for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Romans 13:1-2, NRSVUE). This passage has been historically abused and invoked by figures like Hitler and Mussolini to justify oppressive regimes. Paul is not issuing a call for passive submission to all leaders; it’s a call to be cautious and vigilant, to seek justice while respecting authority, and not endorsing unethical and immoral leaders as “God’s chosen.”
It’s also important to recognize that following every mandate from a government is not always compatible with God’s heart. While Paul’s words in Romans 13 emphasize respect for authority, they do not endorse blind obedience to government mandates, especially when those directives contradict God’s principles of mercy, justice, compassion, equality, and righteousness. History shows us that governments can, and often have, acted in direct opposition to divine values, as seen in regimes that justify violence, discrimination, and oppression.
So, while Paul’s message promotes a respectful posture toward governance, it also calls believers to a higher loyalty to God’s values, even if that means questioning or resisting leaders from what is good and just. If loving your neighbor, welcoming the stranger, and making peace is not part of the government’s plan, be suspicious of your leader’s allegiances.
Our Responsibility and Consequences
Ultimately, voting is both a privilege and a duty. It is our moment to cast a ballot that reflects our values, ethics, faith, and collective responsibility. We must bear the consequences of electing leaders who fail to uphold justice, integrity, and the pursuit of the common good. Poor choices lead to suffering, such as the climate crisis, ecocide, deforestation, violence, wars, bombs, and nuclear weapons. God’s role is not to shield us from these outcomes but to give us agency to exercise our free will and allow us to learn from our choices.
We’re responsible for making informed, compassionate, and conscientious choices, knowing that these decisions shape our immediate community and the world.
