Princeton’s Kevin Kruse Calls 2016 Election Time of ‘Reckoning’ for Religious Right

... Many powerful Evangelical leaders like Jerry Falwell Jr., the president of Liberty University, have vouched for Trump’s religious conviction, according to Kruse. They lent Trump their support and urged their followers to do the same. “This has been the difference maker I think,” Kruse said.

Kruse ended with a discussion of the growing division among Evangelical Protestants over the election. After a recording of Donald Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women surfaced this past month, many prominent Evangelical leaders who stood with Trump have rescinded their support.

“I previously called Donald Trump a good candidate with flaws. Now I regret I did not more strongly condemn his moral character. I cannot commend Trump’s moral character, and I strongly urge him now to withdraw from the election,” Kruse said, quoting Wayne Grudem — an Evangelical theologian.

According to Kruse, Beth Moore, a popular Evangelical author, called herself “one among many women sexually abused, misused, stared down, heckled, talked naughty to. Like we liked it. We didn’t. We’re tired of it.”

Finally Kruse quoted Jen Hatmaker — a prominent Evangelical lecturer. “This is disgusting. We will not forget. Nor will we forget the Christian leaders that betrayed their sisters in Christ for power.”

Based on the current trends in this election cycle, Kruse concluded that “tremendous change is upon us.”

“The old cross-denominational coalition of the religious right, one that had been in place since the 1970s has been deeply fragmented,” he said. ...