Peter Leithart on How Christians Should Respond to the Election

Peter Leithart offers a wonderful and beautiful reflection on how Christians should respond to the election of Donald Trump.

For the first time in decades, the GOP offered a candidate whose pro-life convictions are wobbly and whose commitment to traditional marriage is non-existent. Four years from now, Roe and Obergefell will be untouched.

Trump did not call for national repentance. He electrified crowds with identity politics, scapegoating, and bread-and-butter talk about trade, jobs, security.

For a generation, we fooled ourselves into thinking a majority of Americans share our morals. It’s past time to get real.

What to do? Take Solomon’s counsel. In a world where everything solid melts into vapor, “there is nothing better than to eat, drink and be merry.”

Eat and drink at the Lord’s table. Sing Psalms.

Singing puts the election in its proper, subordinate place. When the world is crooked, we call the Judge to straighten it out. Ruled by fools or thugs, we lift the high King on our praises so He will scatter our enemies. Under pressures and threats, we sing to steel ourselves for martyrdom.

At the Lord’s table, we consume the Crucified to share His cross. We proclaim the Lord’s triumphant death to powers and principalities. We feast in defiant joy because our Good Shepherd prepares a table in the midst of enemies.

Eating, drinking, and singing isn’t an Epicurean retreat. It’s not a white flag. It’s the fundamental shape of Christian politics, and always has been.