How Abortion Twisted Up Trump and Evangelicals (with Pete Wehner)

29 snips

Sep 7, 2024

In this conversation with Pete Wehner, a columnist at The Atlantic and former George W. Bush speechwriter, insights into the intersection of evangelicals, Trump, and abortion are unveiled. They share personal journeys shaping their pro-life beliefs while critiquing the current pro-life movement's political entanglements. The discussion reframes the abortion debate through biblical roles of king, prophet, and priest, urging for a balanced approach to moral issues beyond single-issue politics. The complexities of evangelical support for Trump and the challenges of upholding character in politics are thoroughly examined.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Trump's Shift on Abortion

Trump abandoned his pro-life stance, removing it from the GOP platform.
He criticized Florida's six-week abortion ban as too restrictive.

INSIGHT

The Twister Effect

Evangelicals and Trump are contorting themselves to maintain a united front.
They are deeply intertwined, making a break difficult.

INSIGHT

Trump's Appeal to Evangelicals

Trump's actions initially aligned with evangelical interests, fostering loyalty.
Over time, evangelicals accommodated Trump's flaws, and he gained cult-like status.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Host Curtis Chang and guest Pete Wehner (columnist at The Atlantic and former speechwriter for George W. Bush) share their personal journeys to their pro-life convictions, while also explaining how their views depart from much of the politics and practices of the current pro-life movement. They examine how this issue has distorted evangelicals, Trump, and the Republican Party. Curtis also reframes the politics of abortion through the Old Testament offices of “prophet, priest, and king,” offering a way to understand how Christians can most helpfully integrate their religious beliefs with their social engagement.

Listen to Songs For the After Party, get sheet music, lyrics, and prayers for your church.

Bring The After Party course to your church or small group!

Let the Good Faith podcast “Stack Your Shelf.” Enter HERE to win 16 books by friends of the pod.

Join Curtis Chang in person:

See Curtis Chang and David French at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC
See Curtis Chang and Tim Alberta at Wheaton College

For a window into the hermeneutical debate over Exodus 21:22-25:

Read this pro-life analysis of the text from an article in Christianity Today (written in 1973 but still relevant)
Read this balanced take (also from a pro-life writer) of the problems with “proof-texting” practiced by both sides
For an even more detailed overview about the interpretive challenges in play with Exodus 21 and other passages, read Mako Nagasawa’s book, Abortion Policy and Christian Social Ethics in the United States.

Referenced in this episode:

Read Charles Krauthammer’s Washington Post opinion piece from February 15, 1985 "Abortion Debate: Just Words"
Watch the trailer for Juno, Diablo Cody’s 2007 film about teenage pregnancy
Pew Research Center What the data says about abortion in the U.S.
Crisis pregnancy care through Avail NYC and Claris Health

Explore Peter Wehner’s work:

Read Peter Wehner’s The Atlantic article from August 27, 2024: Trump’s Evangelical Supporters Just Lost Their Best Excuse
Read more of Peter Wehner’s opinion pieces in The Atlantic