During the last election cycle, prominent Christians of all stripes voiced their opinions about the American political landscape. Eugene Peterson, however, did not speak out at that time.
Perhaps this is because the 84-year-old was busy finishing his final book, “As Kingfishers Catch Fire: A Conversation on the Ways of God Formed by the Words of God.” Or maybe nobody took the time to ask him what he thought. Regardless, I wanted to hear Peterson’s thoughts and decided to ask him about Donald Trump and the state of American Christianity. The author of the best-selling “The Message Bible” did not mince words when speaking about either topic.
RNS: You mentioned earlier that these are difficult times. What do you think of what we’re experiencing right now, politically? What are your views of Donald Trump and the political mood animating our world?
EP: I think we’re in a bad situation. I really do. Donald Trump is the enemy as far as I’m concerned. He has no morals. He has no integrity. But I have good friends who think he’s wonderful. But I think they put up with it less and less. People are getting pretty tired of him, I think. Some of us were tired of him before he was elected. I think we can put up with it, though. I don’t think it’s the end of the road.
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RNS: In “As Kingfishers Catch Fire,” you say that we are facing some of the same cultural situations in our world that you identified years ago. For example, you talk about an “undercurrent of fear fueled by neurotic or manipulative religion.” Can you explain what that means?