On February 7th President Trump signed an Executive Order creating the White House Office of Faith. The Office of Faith, like everything else Trumpian, is built around a lie.
The smoke and mirror/bait and switch language of the Executive Order creating the Office of Faith claims to protect religious freedom. In reality the office exists to promote Trump-loyal proponents of Christian Nationalism, The Prosperity Gospel, and heretical biblical interpretations pointing to Donald Trump as God’s anointed and saved-from-an-assassin’s bullets, messiah.
To carry out the “work” of The White House Office of Faith, President Trump – consistent with his record of appointing the unqualified, unprepared but TV attractive sycophants to high office – has named theological grifter and seller of $1,114 “resurrection seeds” televangelist huckster, Paula White-Cain as The Office of Faith’s leader. In that role, White-Cain has direct access to Trump, serves as his spiritual advisor, and leads bible study/prayer sessions pumping up all senior members of the administration to carry forward the Trump revenge-based agenda.
A vociferous preacher of the Prosperity Gospel, White-Cain owns a private jet, millions of dollars in real estate and has an estimated multi-million-dollar net worth all gained from tax exempt contributions to her several Florida based ministries.
Fueled by such outward, self-proclaimed signs of God’s blessings, do not expect White-Cain to walk into the Oval Office and challenge Trump’s cruel actions to withhold funds here at home and around the world providing food for starving children. Empty stomachs are just signs of faithlessness and a need for intercessory prayer.
Paula White-Cain does not have a college education. She does not have a graduate seminary degree. No matter. She claims on her website a far greater degree and certification. Paula proclaims herself to be a vessel who receives God’s direct and daily instruction. Conveniently, the messages which she receives and makes public are all supportive of Trump’s policies leading to empty food banks, fueling culture wars, supporting tariffs, and ICE deportations – without legal recourse – of black and brown people.
Widely respected Christian journalist, Tim Alberta (and no supporter of Paula White-Cain) says that it is no exaggeration to call White-Cain “the most politically accomplished pastor of the twenty-first century.”
I long for a true vessel for God’s message. Someone like the Old Testament Prophet Amos, for instance, who spoke truth to power in ancient Israel saying such things as “…you sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. You trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.” (Amos 2:6-7).
Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State observes that Paula White-Cain is a “Christian Nationalist power broker who has spent much of her career operating in the shadows to influence public policies that discriminate against women, LGBTQ+ and religious minorities, and the nomination of judges who will support those harmful policies.”
Another Passover remembrance and another Easter celebration is upon us. Respectively, they are celebrations of freedom and the message that love transcends the graves of hate.
Such a message will not be that of the White House Office of Faith. Paula White-Cain will pass over that message. It does not play well before MAGA crowds and those believing – as does she – that Messiah Trump is the chosen one who promises to make all the white folks in a reformed, restored, saved America really great and very rich…again. This is another blasphemous lie that if believed will be at our national peril and our soul’s demise.