The Paradox of the Biblical Servant Leadership and American Presidency in the Context of American Evangelical Christianity

This chapter addresses biblical, theological, and social-psychological reasoning for the rise of authoritarianism and nationalism within the American Evangelical communities in the United States today. Has the American presidency as an image of the imperial ruler and a messianic figure been mystified to an extent that dictatorship is inevitable “to rule all the nations with a rod of iron”? (Revelation 12:5, NRSV). If so, how is this image of leadership reconciled with the image of the Suffering Servant (Isiah 53) and the Son of Man who sat down once with his Twelve Disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35 NRSV)? Further, how is dictatorship reconciled with the evangelical identity of servanthood and sacrifice? Servant leadership and social-psychology research may shed some light on the potential danger of authoritarianism and the contrast between the New Testament concept of servanthood and human hunger for leadership power, a thirst for obedience, and a desire for submission to authoritarian leaders. Attempts have been made to understand the distinctions between American evangelicals, fundamentalism, civil religion, and Christian nationalism. Attempts have also been made to understand the paradox of why most evangelicals overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump, who showed the least servant leadership characteristics as an American president, and what were the biblical servant leadership justifications for evangelicals to vote for him. In the conclusion section, recommendations have been made for further study and research.