Donald Trump: “Many people have told me that God saved my life for a reason and that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness, and now we are going to fulfil that mission together”.
Kamala Harris: “I know many people feel like we are entering a dark tunnel but for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case, but if it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant billion stars, the light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service”.
81 per cent of white evangelicals and 56 per cent of Catholics supported Trump
Exit polling at the US presidential election indicates Trump won 81 per cent support from white evangelicals, marginally down from 84 per cent in 2020. The poll also found 56 per cent of Catholics supported Trump, 15 per cent more than supported Kamala Harris, trebling the margin from the 2020 election. Only 21 per cent of Jewish people voted for him, and 33 per cent of other religions. The poll published in The Washington Post, was by Edison Research, which has conducted exit polling for 20 years on behalf of the National Election Pool consortium of ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News. The findings are from interviews of 22,205 randomly selected voters as they left voting centres and by phone, text, email or online. The poll suggests 25 per cent of voters were Catholic, 40 per cent Protestant and 25 per cent no religion. 62 per cent of Protestants voted for Trump. 72 per cent of “no religion” voted for Harris. Among Hispanics, 64 per cent of Protestants and 53 per cent Catholics voted for Trump. The Jewish Chronicle has analysed several polls examining the Jewish vote. Bob Smietana from the Religion News Service analyses the polling data here
Right to abortion passed in seven out of ten states
Abortion was on the ballot in ten states. Reuters reports on the results in all of the states here. In seven states, the guarantee for abortion rights passed. In Florida and South Dakota, bills failed. In Nebraska, a bill adding the right to access abortions to the state constitution failed, but another measure enshrining the state’s current 12-week ban, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, passed. RNS report here.
Voters’ view of candidates’ religious affiliation
Pew Research has published a poll showing that more people have become convinced of Donald Trump’s affiliation to religion over the past year, despite his loose description of himself as a non-denominational Christian. But fewer people were convinced of the strength of Kamala Harris’ faith, despite it being well reported that she was a lifelong Baptist and regular churchgoer. In a February poll, four per cent of US adults said Trump is very religious, 25 per cent said he is somewhat religious, and 68 per cent said he is not too religious or not religious at all. The poll was repeated in early October and found the positive numbers had increased. Six per cent said he is very religious, 31 per cent that he is somewhat religious and 62 per cent said he is not too religious or not religious at all. For Kamala Harris, known as a regular churchgoer, but a late entry to the presidential race, the only poll was made in October. It found four per cent said she was very religious, 35 per cent somewhat religious and 58 per cent not too religious or not religious at all.
Southern Baptist Convention president: “The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice”
Clint Pressley, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the second largest denomination in the US, posted on Twitter/ X: “Thanks be to God for a decisive result in the presidential contest and for pro-life victories in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Congratulations to President-elect @realDonaldTrump and Vice President-elect @JDVance. I and millions of my fellow Southern Baptists will be praying for you. ‘The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice.’ – Psalm 97:1”
US evangelicals say protect the vulnerable and live in love and peace
Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, said in a statement that the new Trump leadership should “listen and speak to all Americans, including those who feel left out or unheard. We pray for consolation for those who lost their races, as they seek new ways to constructively bless the nation with their time and talents. The NAE calls on fellow citizens who are disappointed in some or all of the election results to express themselves peacefully, looking to build bridges of understanding rather than fanning the flames of division… We seek to live at peace with our neighbours, to speak truth to those in power, to care for those in need, to protect the vulnerable and to love all people made in God’s image, including those with whom we may have profoundly different perspectives.”
Catholic bishops’ president says duty to treat people with civility
The president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Timothy Broglio, has issued a statement saying whoever occupies the White House, “the Church’s teachings remain unchanged, and we bishops look forward to working with the people’s elected representatives to advance the common good of all. As Christians, and as Americans, we have the duty to treat each other with charity, respect, and civility, even if we may disagree on how to carry out matters of public policy. As a nation blessed with many gifts, we must also be concerned for those outside our borders and eager to offer assistance to all”.
ECUSA leader urges Trump to act with compassion and uphold dignity
The Presiding Bishop of The US Episcopal Church, Sean Rowe, has issued a pastoral letter to all church members urging them to be agents of peace and reconciliation and saying he hoped Donald Trump would govern wisely and justly. “We urge President Trump and members of Congress to exercise compassion toward the immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees we serve and to know that, at every turn, we will stand for the dignity and human rights of all of God’s people. We are Christians who support the dignity, safety, and equality of women and LGBTQ+ people as an expression of our faith. I pray that President Trump and his administration will do the same”.
US Muslims’ “deep frustration and disillusionment” over Gaza policy
The Council on American-Islamic Relations urged Trump to “prioritise fulfilling his campaign pledge to pursue peace abroad, including an end to Israel’s war on Gaza”. In a statement,its National Executive Director Nihad Awad said: “It is important for Democratic and other elected officials to recognize that Vice President Harris’ steep drop in support in key states compared to President Biden’s 2020 victory resulted, in part, from the deep frustration and disillusionment that many young, Muslim, Arab, Black, and other voters feel with the Biden-Harris administration due to its steadfast financial and military support for Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza”. It urged American Muslims to oppose “a mass deportation of all undocumented families, reinstating the Muslim Ban, or weaponizing the Justice Department against activists, including college students speaking out against the Gaza genocide”.
Jewish organisations pledge advice and prayers
The chair and CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Harriet Schleifer and William Daroff, released a statement saying there were many challenges ahead: “Whether it is confronting the threat of a bellicose Iran and its nuclear aspirations, Israel’s just war against Hamas, Hezbollah and other terror proxies, or the domestic battle against antisemitism and other forms of hate, President-Elect Trump will have to grapple with a host of issues of great import to our community. We stand ready to provide our help, counsel, and prayers, in the hope that the new administration’s success will be the entire country’s”. Jewish News compiles reactions to the Trump victory from Israel and Britain.
Other news
Keir Starmer has invited Jewish and Muslim leaders to Downing Street for a breakfast event next week, interfaith week. Jewish News says he is concerned that “understanding between some communities in the UK is not as deep as he had thought and that existing structures are not strong enough to withstand current pressures placed on them”. Story here.
A letter has been sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury urging him to listen to British Jews critical of Israel. Written and coordinated by the Campaign Against Misrepresentation, it has attracted 600 signatures and urges the archbishop to listen to a wide range of opinion on Israel among British Jews, saying the Board of Deputies’ support for Israel is deplorable and is not representative of them.
The Church of England has appointed the Rev Dr Richard Sudworth as the new Director of Faith and Public Life, responsible for shaping the church’s engagement with public policy, social ethics and interfaith relations. He is currently the lead on interfaith relations.
