In his recent article, "'Lord, Help Us Make America Great Again,'" McKay Coppins offers a "close reading of the prayers delivered before the president speaks." He carefully examines the prayers offered and Scripture texts cited before Donald Trump takes the stage at his campaign rallies, concluding that these prayers depict Trump as a divinely anointed leader set to save America from its moral decline. They mix politics with spiritual warfare, portraying Trump's opponents as enemies of God's will.

I appreciate Coppin's careful attention to how Scripture and prayer reveal the mindset of many of Trump's supporters—perhaps even of Trump himself. He documents the shift in perspective that began with viewing Trump as flawed but useful by God (a Cyrus character) to God’s appointed man (nearly a Messiah character). Trump used to be perceived as a bad guy who might be providentially guided to act in morally good ways. Now, he is perceived not only as morally good but also as godly and as God's man.

The criticism against Christians, especially Pentecostal Christians, is fair. At the same time, Christians who support Harris and other democratic nominees may be guilty of the same vices. Although prayer and Scripture don’t feature to the same degree as their Republican counterparts, Democratic candidates and their supporters also utilize both in their campaign appearances. I would be interested in what a companion article examining the Biden and Harris campaigns' use of prayer and Scripture might reveal.

In the drama of the election cycle, Christians on both sides cast their opponent in an anti-Christ role and their own in a Messianic role. It is no surprise that when these candidates take the stage, prayers and Scripture are leveraged to prop them up in their respective roles.

Why is this happening? In part, the problem indicates a distorted understanding of Scripture that perceives the United States as a major player in God's redemptive plan, situated in a covenant relationship with him. Other elements of misguided political theologies also contribute to the problem. But if we can bracket out some of these issues, it seems to me that Christians—genuinely or culturally—on both sides have real fears about the future of the country and they want to find relief from those fears in God’s providence and power.

While I appreciate Coppins' critique of Trump and his "Christian" MAGA supporters, I think the truly constructive question is, “What should we pray for political candidates?” This question is not unlike that deep and searching question that inspired the disciples to request, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1).

When it comes to praying for political candidates, I'm not sure the best way to answer this question outside of reciting the Lord’s prayer (Your kingdom come, your will be done…). Still, a good starting place is 1 Timothy 2:1-2, which affirms the desire to pray for political rulers and identifies the desired end of that prayer: "that we may live peaceful and godly lives in all godliness and holiness." We should pray for our governmental leaders (and candidates), and we should also train our hearts toward godliness and holiness.

Beyond this instructive biblical text, I look to the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). The BCP includes prayers that emphasize our responsibilities as voters, various civil, our enemies, and our president. The ACNA 2019 BCP includes a prayer "For the President and All in Civil Authority" that proves instructive.

O Lord our Governor, whose glory fills all the world: We commend this Nation to your merciful care, that we may be guided by your providence, and dwell secure in your peace. Grant to the President of this Nation, the Governor of this State [or Commonwealth], and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them continually mindful of their calling to serve this people in reverent obedience to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

This prayer, and others like it, offer words for Christians who genuinely want to know how to pray for our country, our current political leaders, and the candidates for office. But this prayer, like all of those cited in Coppins' article, has a distinct political theology embedded within it. I would propose that the political theology embedded in this prayer, and in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, is superior to the political theology embedded in the prayers and Scripture selections by both the Left or the Right.

This election cycle will reveal the functioning political theologies held by individual Christians and their churches, and it will undoubtedly bring about the abuse of Scripture and misdirected prayers by many Christians on the Left and the Right. But I’d like to think that the majority of Christians are not represented at political campaigns—instead, they are pursuing faithfulness in their families and their churches, requesting, "Lord, teach us to pray."