ybvdadminuserNAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — President-elect Donald Trump has never visited Africa and is known to have made disparaging remarks about the continent. But as Christian leaders look to his inauguration this Monday (Jan. 20), they see areas of common cause.
Since the November elections, many church leaders have followed Trump’s interactions, public statements and activities. When it comes to defending Christianity, religious freedom and resolving world conflicts, they like what they see.
The Rev. Lambert Mbela, a bishop of the Redeemed Gospel Church, said he plans to watch Trump’s second inauguration and said the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, expected to begin Sunday with the first hostage exchange, is a good sign.
“I believe this (electoral victory) contributed to the peace deal,” he said. “I think he catalyzed it. My greatest expectation is that he is going to do something … that will change many things around the world.”
Nigerian Baptist pastor the Rev. Joseph John Hayab hopes Trump’s administration will support religious freedom and emphasize family values, as well as provide support for counterterrorism efforts against groups such as northern Nigeria’s Boko Haram and al-Shabaab, the Somalia based al-Qaida affiliate in East Africa.
“Many African churches hope that Trump will continue to champion religious freedom and support for Christians, especially in regions where they face persecution … ” said Hayab, a former chairperson of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the northern state of Kaduna.
He said Trump’s advocacy for traditional family values resonates with the view of many conservative communities in Africa.
“There might be hope for continued promotion of these values in U.S. foreign policy,” he said.
Hayab observed that conservative African churches have strong anti-abortion views and may align with Trump’s policies that restrict funding to organizations that provide or promote abortion services.
Backing this view is the Rev. John Gbemboyo Joseph Mbikoyezu, the coordinator of the Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference.
“He frequently spoke about abortion during his campaigns and promised to tackle the rampant killings,” said Mbikoyuzu. “Life is to be preserved and cared for, and these are values we stand for.”
In reality, Trump’s 2024 campaign opposed a federal abortion ban and omitted the explicit basis for a national ban in the Republican Party platform.
Still, how the U.S. addresses the issues of abortion and LGBTQ+ rights is of great concern to African clerics. Many of them reject homosexuality as contrary to Scripture and African cultures.
According to Tumi BB Senokoane, a professor of theological ethics at the University of South Africa, Trump is a conservative Christian; his views are conventional, and he has proven to be consistent as far as religion is concerned.
“His fundamental belief is that God should bless America, and this informs his world view. The blessings are based on American decisions and things such as abortion, homosexuality and domination,” he said.
Constitutions in various African countries ban abortion and homosexuality. In 2024, 30 of the 54 countries in Africa had laws banning homosexuality. Some reports indicate that 20 out of the 54 countries in Africa have recently loosened laws on abortion.
“We hope he will go against it all,” said Mbela, who fears that America has been forcing people to recognize the rights of minority groups, but also advancing “some very ungodly and satanic tendencies.”
At the same time, Christian leaders are also apprehensive that some of Trump’s controversial policies on foreign aid and climate change could hurt the most vulnerable in Africa.
According to Hayab, there are valid reasons to be concerned about Trump’s denial of climate change.
“He has historically expressed skepticism about climate change, calling it a hoax,” said Hayab.
Africa suffers disproportionately from climate change, according to the World Meteorological Organization, harming food security, ecosystems and economies and fueling displacement and migration.
