I am writing in response to the recent wave of adulation for Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, paired with the broader progressive jeremiad against those who dare to challenge the Episcopal Bishop of Washington and her pointed rebuke of Donald Trump ...
By Dr. Tim Orr
I am writing in response to the recent wave of adulation for Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, paired with the broader progressive jeremiad against those who dare to challenge the Episcopal Bishop of Washington and her pointed rebuke of Donald Trump during the National Cathedral’s prayer service at his 2025 inauguration. In her remarks, Budde criticized Trump for his alleged moral failings and lack of alignment with the progressive ideals many within the Episcopal Church embraced. What struck me then—and continues to resonate today—is not simply the tone of moral superiority but the larger trend this moment represents within progressive Christianity: the troubling reduction of theological truths to political talking points, where figures like Trump are elevated as cultural adversaries, assuming a role akin to Satan in their secularized eschatology.
The intensity of the rhetoric surrounding Budde’s rebuke reveals something far more significant than a mere critique of Trump’s character. It highlights a dangerous shift within progressive Christianity—a substitution of the biblical understanding of evil with a political adversary. For many progressives, Trump has become the personification of all that is wrong with the world—patriarchy, nationalism, bigotry, and opposition to social justice—while the Gospel’s cosmic struggle between good and evil has been reimagined as a political battle between progressivism and Trump. This shift distorts theology, prioritizing political activism over divine truth and human salvation.
What is emerging in this framework is a new kind of fundamentalism, one that I will explore in greater detail in my next series of blogs. While claiming the moral and theological high ground, this movement risks making politics its ultimate focus and salvation its secondary concern.
In contrast to the progressive framework, early 20th-century Christian fundamentalists and later Evangelicals maintained a clear and theologically grounded understanding of evil. Rooted in Scripture, their view of Satan as the ultimate adversary portrayed him as the architect of humanity’s rebellion against God and the cosmic enemy of His kingdom. Fundamentalists and Evangelicals interpreted the cultural and moral challenges of their time—such as the rise of modernism, secularism, and liberal theology—as evidence of Satan’s influence. This theological lens provided a spiritual depth to their resistance, framing their actions within the broader narrative of God’s redemptive plan.
Sermons, writings, and theological discourse from these circles consistently emphasized vigilance against the schemes of Satan. This focus united believers around a common mission: to rely on God’s power to resist evil and to advance His kingdom on earth. While fundamentalists and Evangelicals were often criticized for their perceived rigidity and overly dualistic worldview, their emphasis on Satan served a crucial purpose. It reminded believers that their battles were not merely cultural or political but deeply spiritual. By grounding their efforts in the larger reality of spiritual warfare, they upheld the biblical truth that the ultimate struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of darkness (Ephesians 6:12).
In progressive Christianity, however, the concept of Satan is conspicuously absent. Instead of identifying evil as a cosmic force opposed to God’s purposes, progressives have reimagined evil in purely political and cultural terms. For many, Donald Trump has become the embodiment of this secularized understanding of evil. His presidency, policies, and rhetoric are seen as the antithesis of the progressive vision for a just and inclusive society. Trump is not merely a political opponent; he has been elevated to the role of a cultural and moral symbol—a representation of all that must be dismantled to achieve progressivism’s utopian aspirations.
This substitution reveals the ideological underpinnings of progressivism. Unlike fundamentalists and Evangelicals, who rooted their worldview in Scripture, progressives operate from a framework that places ultimate faith in human effort and political activism. Their eschatological vision is a societal redemption achieved through systemic change, cultural transformation, and policy reform. Within this framework, Trump becomes the ultimate roadblock, the personification of everything standing in the way of their utopia. Just as fundamentalists saw Satan as the spiritual force working to thwart God’s kingdom, Trump is viewed by progressives as the political and cultural force obstructing their vision of equity, inclusivity, and global justice.
Progressivism’s vision of history is deeply rooted in the optimism of 19th-century liberal theology, which envisioned the kingdom of God as a human achievement through education, reform, and activism. Progressives view history as a linear path of moral improvement, with humanity steadily advancing toward greater justice and enlightenment. This narrative places hope in human institutions and political systems, which are seen as the primary means of achieving societal redemption.
This is why Trump’s election in 2016—and the subsequent policies of his administration—provoked such visceral reactions among progressives. His presidency was seen not just as a political setback but as a moral crisis that threatened to derail the progress of history itself. Policies on immigration, national sovereignty, and free speech were viewed as regressive, reinforcing systems of oppression that progressives believed they had overcome. Trump’s focus on nationalism, individual freedom, and constitutional principles starkly contrasted to the progressive vision of global governance, equity, and collective responsibility.
Bishop Budde’s remarks at the National Cathedral exemplified this progressive eschatology. Her critique of Trump was not merely a rebuke of his character but an indictment of everything he represented. By framing her opposition to Trump in moral and quasi-theological terms, Budde elevated the progressive political agenda to a sacred cause, with Trump cast as the ultimate adversary. In doing so, she revealed the extent to which progressive Christianity has conflated political activism with the Gospel, replacing the biblical framework of sin and redemption with a secular narrative of systemic oppression and liberation.
This shift comes with significant theological and cultural risks. Just as fundamentalists and later Evangelicals were sometimes criticized for overemphasizing Satan to the detriment of God’s redemptive work, progressives risk becoming so consumed by their opposition to Trump that they lose sight of their ultimate purpose. Their fixation on Trump as the embodiment of evil fosters a reactionary posture, reducing their movement to mere opposition rather than constructive vision.
Moreover, progressivism’s reliance on human effort to achieve societal redemption is inherently flawed. The Christian Gospel acknowledges that justice and peace are ideals worth pursuing but cannot be fully realized in a fallen world. By placing their hope in political systems and cultural movements, progressives are setting themselves up for inevitable disappointment. History has repeatedly demonstrated that human institutions cannot deliver the utopia they promise.
At its core, the progressive vision of utopia is fundamentally at odds with the Christian understanding of the kingdom of God. As revealed in Scripture, the kingdom of God is inaugurated by Christ and brought to fulfillment through His divine power. It acknowledges the world's brokenness and the need for God’s intervention to bring about ultimate justice and peace. Progressivism, by contrast, places its hope in human ingenuity and activism, often neglecting the limitations of human nature and the pervasive effects of sin.
This theological distinction explains why Trump provokes such strong reactions among progressives. For them, he is not just a political figure but an existential threat to their vision of redemption. His presidency exposed the fragility of their utopian aspirations, revealing the deep divisions and moral complexities that their framework often overlooks.
The response to Bishop Budde’s rebuke of Trump during his inauguration highlights the growing theological shallowness of progressive Christianity. By replacing the biblical understanding of evil with a political adversary, progressives have traded theological depth for ideological expediency. Their fixation on Trump as a secular Satan reveals a misplaced faith in human institutions and a distorted vision of redemption.
As Christians, our hope must be grounded not in political movements or cultural agendas but in God's sovereignty and the redemptive power of the Gospel. The kingdom of God is not something we can build through human effort; it is a gift inaugurated by Christ and brought to fulfillment by His divine power. Progressivism, with its reliance on human-centered solutions, will inevitably falter. We can only find true hope in a broken world by returning to the biblical framework of sin, redemption, and God’s ultimate sovereignty.
Baker, J. (2023). Cultural conflicts: Trump’s presidency and progressive backlash. Journal of Political Ideologies, 28(2), 134-150.
Hawkins, M. (2023). Free speech and progressive politics: Examining Trump’s impact on intellectual diversity. Academic Freedom Quarterly, 15(3), 45-60.
Johnson, R. (2023). Global governance vs. national sovereignty: The ideological clash of our time. International Policy Review, 19(1), 88-102.
Smith, T. (2023). Immigration policies and the progressive ideal: The case against nationalism. Migration Studies, 11(4), 220-238.
Tim Orr is a scholar of Islam, Evangelical minister, conference speaker, and interfaith consultant with over 30 years of experience in cross-cultural ministry. He holds six degrees, including a master’s in Islamic studies from the Islamic College in London. Tim taught Religious Studies for 15 years at Indiana University Columbus and is now a Congregations and Polarization Project research associate at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University Indianapolis. He has spoken at universities, including Oxford University, Imperial College London, the University of Tehran, Islamic College London, and mosques throughout the U.K. His research focuses on American Evangelicalism, Islamic antisemitism, and Islamic feminism, and he has published widely, including articles in Islamic peer-reviewed journals and three books.