It used to be just evangelical ministers and preachers who invoked spiritual warfare against “the Left.” Now politicians do it as well. Here is the Miami Herald ‘s Ana Ceballos on DeSantis’s recent visit to Hillsdale College, a liberal arts college in Michigan:
While visiting a private Christian college in southern Michigan that wields influence in national politics, Gov. Ron DeSantis rephrased a biblical passage to deliver a message to conservatives.
“Put on the full armor of God. Stand firm against the left’s schemes. You will face flaming arrows, but if you have the shield of faith, you will overcome them, and in Florida we walk the line here,” DeSantis told the audience at Hillsdale College in February. “And I can tell you this, I have only begun to fight.”
The Republican governor, a strategic politician who is up for reelection in November, is increasingly using biblical references in speeches that cater to those who see policy fights through a morality lens and flirting with those who embrace nationalist ideas that see the true identity of the nation as Christian.
He and other Republicans on the campaign trail are blending elements of Christianity with being American and portraying their battle against their political opponents as one between good and evil. Those dynamics have some political observers and religious leaders worrying that such rhetoric could become dangerous, as it could mobilize fringe groups who could be prone to violence in an attempt to have the government recognize their beliefs.
“I think, at best, DeSantis is playing with fire,” said Brian Kaylor, a Baptist minister in Missouri who has studied the interaction between religion and politics for over two decades. “If asked, I’m sure he would tell you he is not telling people to literally go and fight. But this rhetoric in this political environment is dangerous.”
Christian nationalism for many conservatives has become a political identity, and unlike conservative politicians in the past who used their faith to inform their arguments, DeSantis is more aggressive, using war imagery to describe the political debates as a battle over who will be the better American. The biblical reference DeSantis is using is from Ephesians 6, and calls on Christians to spiritually arm themselves against the “devil’s schemes.” In DeSantis’ speeches, he has replaced the “devil” with “the left,” as he tries to mobilize supporters ahead of his reelection bid in November and possibly a run for the White House in 2024. “The full armor of God passage is a favorite amongst certain types of Pentecostals who really do see the world in terms of spiritual warfare,” said Philip Gorski, a comparative-history sociologist at Yale University who co-wrote the book “The Flag and the Cross: White Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy.”
Read the rest here.
Hillsdale and DeSantis are trying to bring Hillsdale’s “1776 Curriculum” to Florida schools.
RECOMMENDED READING
How dangerous is Ron DeSantis? 
How Hillsdale College, the “champion of American exceptionalism,” is shaping civics education in Tennessee 
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis believes he is God’s anointed one There is a historical precedent for Ron DeSantis’s sending of aslyum-seeking Venezuelan migrants to Martha’s Vineyard
I remember how much controversy was stirred back in 2002 when George W. Bush delivered his “Axis of Evil” speech. Many questioned the appropriateness of casting our fight against Al Qaeda in the language of “good vs. evil.” Hate? For sure. Evil? Many concluded that the state probably shouldn’t make sweeping moral pronouncements. Twenty years later, we not only have political leaders casually using the categories of good vs. evil, but they casually direct such judgments at their fellow citizens.
I think a major trend I have seen develop since then is a direct and inappropriate coopting of Scripture to serve political ends. What angers me is that the context is completely disregarded. Our warfare is NOT against flesh and blood. We evangelicals, unfortunately, seem to have a habit of lifting Scripture out of context. It’s also developed from our devotional habits of reading one or two verses along with a commentary that may also have nothing to do with context. Bible illiteracy is now bearing its logical fruit.
So true Chris. But you can’t question the ‘Biblical’ bona fides of many of these people… they think they’re more Biblical (and probably more Biblically ‘literate’) than most other Christians… at least anyone to their ‘left’ in any way.
Speaking of which; maybe DeSantis is more nuanced, but his base isn’t when it comes to the ‘Left’… there’s a reason they hate RINO’s so much… because they’re just a little too ‘left’ of the hater! So when his base thinks of the “left” it’s a very broad swath of their fellow citizens and neighbors, etc… I have a friend who lives in DeSantis kingdom… He’s very combative against the ‘left’ I’ve made it clear to him many times that I’m a centrist, even conservative on many issues… but he doesn’t treat me as if that’s true… he speaks to me/treats me like I’m a member of this vile group way on the ‘left’ somewhere. I try to stay connected despite his belligerence and because I want to be a positive example of a different way… but I’m definitely in his huge out-group, the ‘left’. So I tend to feel DeSantis language is squarely aimed (via his base) at church-going, Bible-believing, hard-working, family-man Christians like me…
That gets me to my final point. Maybe DeSantis wouldn’t explicitly encourage violence… (as Brian Kaylor suggests above) but I don’t buy the notion anymore that some of these politicians don’t want harm… I’m starting to take them at their insinuating words… I think they DO want their base to threaten and intimidate and strike fear in people not part of their tribe… I think they DO want some pushing/shoving to start… because they (the politician) believes it will get them more power or more goals (idealized ends) reached! Maybe this is too conspiratorial, but I think they like the chaos it creates; I think they like the division it sows(added benefit to them… purifying the tribe of any and all dissenters… they like that!) So I think a lot of these characters know full well what they’re doing…
The faculty and students at Hillsdale should rebuke DeSantis for his misuse of Scripture. They could also figure out that the right is as much a threat as the left.
“While visiting a private Christian college in southern Michigan that wields influence in national politics, Gov. Ron DeSantis rephrased a biblical passage to deliver a message to conservatives”
He didn’t rephrase a biblical passage, he purposely misquoted it for his own political agenda.
In doing so the true meaning is lost. I can’t speak for all Christians, but personally I find it offensive. Is it sin? I don’t know.
Sadly this is becoming a common practice with politicians.