Commentary: Trump, Comey, and Theology
The Politico-Religion of Pragmatism
#1379c
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Given 20-May-17; 10 minutes
description: An article in Christianity Today analyzing "The Theology Beneath the Trump-Comey Conflict" reveals that James Comey's favorite philosopher—theologian is moral "pragmatist" Reinhold Niebuhr, the subject of the former FBI director's master's thesis. Niebuhr, who believed that those in politics should use the force of government to correct or balance social wrongs, was also the favorite theologian of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter, John McCain, Madeline Albright, and Martin Luther King. Some have claimed that Comey's efforts to target and control those whom he felt had exceeded their authority (namely, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump) explains his recent administrative behavior. The so-called moral "pragmatism" of Reinhold Niebuhr has produced bitter political fruit. Political authority not based on God's Law will never bring one scintilla of deliverance from the social and moral evils consuming our nation and culture.