Donald Trump: A "Baby Christian"?
Fabricating Authenticity - Jason W.M. Ellsworth
Leslie Dorrough Smith [+]
Avila University
Leslie Dorrough Smith is Professor of Religious Studies at Avila University and a member of the Women’s and Gender Studies faculty.
Description
In this chapter, Smith draws on 2016 rhetoric describing Donald Trump as a “baby Christian” to explore how this label functions not as a theological designation but instead as a logo or brand used to market Trump as a Christian to “values voters” while also accounting for his shortcomings. Smith argues that the vague symbolism of these logos is what makes them so effective for wide and diverse audiences.