Has the row over Donald Trump’s ‘Christ-like’ image been fuelled by misunderstanding and unrealistic expectations about his alleged Christian faith?
Jewish Chronicle and Times columnist Melanie Phillips thinks so. Writing in her Times column on April 14, she expressed the view that the AI-generated image, first posted on social media by a Trump supporter last February, was more likely “a bit of pagan kitsch” rather than a conscious impersonation of Christ.
She wrote: “Since his AI self was dressed in indeterminate red and white robes and was surrounded by an American flag, the Statue of Liberty, eagles and jet fighters, this was more likely a bit of pagan kitsch depicting Trump healing the world through the exercise of American power.”
This is surely perceptive. A more theologically-aware President would have realised that the image, which he has now deleted after the furore from his evangelical supporters in the US, was bound to draw a comparison with Jesus Christ. But the likelihood is that the thought never occurred to Trump for the reason that Phillips stated. He was attracted to the image because it made him look like the embodiment of American benevolence.
Although it is impossible to be dogmatic about this, it would appear that Trump has not yet grasped the Christian message of salvation. US evangelist Franklin Graham clearly thinks so otherwise he would not bothered to write to Trump last year urging him to accept Jesus Christ as his Saviour.
Referring to a comment Trump made to reporters on Air Force One last October that he might not be heaven-bound, Graham wrote: “Maybe you responded in jest, but it is an important issue to know for certain that your soul is secure and will spend eternity in the presence of God. The only One who can save us from Hell is Jesus Christ. You can't save yourself; I can't save myself."
Graham exhorted the President: “God requires us to turn from our sins and, by faith, believe in our heart that Jesus came to earth, died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and God raised Him to life on the third day. If you accept that by faith and invite Him to come into your heart, you ARE heaven bound, I promise you.”
Graham closed his letter by promising prayer for Trump and quoting the promise of salvation in the Apostle Paul’s New Testament letter to the 1st Century Church in Rome: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
On Palm Sunday, Trump posted Graham’s letter to him on social media. But in the light of his gaffe over the AI image this should almost certainly be interpreted as a gesture to his evangelical supporters rather than an endorsement of the letter’s theological content.
It is very possible that unrealistic expectations entertained by Trump’s evangelical supporters in the US about his Christian faith have fuelled their outrage over the AI image. Arguably, Phillips and Graham are more realistic about the extent of Trump’s faith.
Julian Mann, a former Church of England vicar, is an evangelical journalist based in Lancashire.
