Celebrating Milei: Regurgitating American Evangelicalism in Argentina

https://evangelicalfocus.com/features/24413/reflection-on-the-election-of-milei

Hugo Marquez demonstrates in sometimes painful terms how the American Church has affected and shaped the thinking of Christians around the globe. His categories are not Biblical but rather imported from the agents of Evangelical Enlightenment Protestantism, their politics, and their mammonist worldview.

Marquez is captivated by Capitalism and its ethical system, as well as the assumptions of Classical Liberalism and its humanist concerns. The Scriptures play little part in his thinking and as such he's willing to embrace an amoral wretch like Javier Milei who ascended to the presidency of Argentina in December 2023. He's been rightly called the Argentinean Trump and the Evangelical embrace of the latter is part of the same larger story – one of downgrade, moral compromise, and increasingly, functional apostasy.

Democracy and the Protestant Work Ethic are often celebrated by Evangelicals but the concerns and assumptions behind these ideals are not found in Scripture. This is not to say that Christians shouldn't work or that they should encourage sloth and subsidies or Bread and Circuses. Far from it. But despite the many false paradigms and superficial framing posited by political activists, the New Testament teaches us a different way to think about such issues.

First and foremost we are pilgrims here, exiles living in Babylon. That's what the New Testament teaches and as such we are not invested in these societies or their systems – all doomed to fail. The state serves a purpose in terms of Providence restraining fallen-world chaos and the utter depravity that inevitably emerges when man is unrestrained. A stable society allows the Church to do its work with less struggle, but as Marquez demonstrates in all too painful terms, there are also distractions and various temptations. One danger is to confuse our identity and allegiance and clearly Marquez has drunk the poisoned wine of American Evangelicalism and its sacralist drive for Dominion and cultural supremacy. As such, the Church is sidetracked and before long its starts to form alliances with powers that are happy to manipulate and use the Church. And before long the alliance becomes something else – it becomes allegiance. This has been the story of American Evangelicalism and its fall. It's tragic to see such convoluted thinking being exported to other parts of the world.

Like Trump, Milei is a base person, a buffoon, who is both crude and immoral. And yet because Evangelicalism smells power and money in the deal, they'll support this scoundrel and destroy themselves in the process. And because the movement has sold itself out to political actors, the fact that the Right supports Milei – will mean Evangelicals will be convinced to do the same. Milei of course is championed by the banks and now with his rejection of BRICS – the Atlanticists like him too.

Returning to Marquez's essay, it needs to be said that schools are not sacred places and this is all the more impossible with a public school system in a pluralist society. Is Marquez going to pretend Argentina has some kind of Christian heritage? Does Rome get a pass at this point? Are schools the realm of the Holy Spirit – a place sanctified by His presence where He has promised to work? Where can I read the Bible about that? How then are they 'sacred' (as Marquez suggests) unless they're part of the covenant – effectively an extension of the Church.

Does he know anything of the history of public schooling and why it was developed?

If he did, he'd realize how ridiculous his statements are. And is he going to (with a straight face) try and convince people that education in Calvin's Geneva was anything other than indoctrination? It was a police state with thought-police and informers everywhere. It was not a liberal or democratic polity in any way shape or form.

Or is it really just a question of who is doing the indoctrinating? If he's going to argue for the latter point – that's fine, but then you must dispense with all the talk of democracy.

He's concerned about Public Hospitals? Does he not understand what Milei stands for? Apparently Marquez has not paid enough attention to Libertarian rhetoric in the United States. Libertarians don't believe in public health care.

And if he thinks the private sector is going to be free of corruption, then I don't know what to say. Perhaps he should talk to some Russians about what happened to their society during the laissez faire 1990's. Has he studied the history of Capitalism? Maybe he should look at the Gilded Age in America and reconsider his statements – that reveal him a fool.

Argentina must continue to be part of the Western, democratic, and free nations?

Is he perhaps a recent immigrant to Argentina? Is he unaware of his own country's history? Is he unaware of the role the United States played in supporting a military dictatorship in his country? Is he unaware of its fascist past? Is he unaware of the thousands killed, tortured, and imprisoned? What is he talking about? Does he think figures like Milei and Bolsonaro represent limited government, accountability, and the separation of powers?

He wants democracy but apparently (in point #6) wants to suspend due process and basic constitutional rights concerning things like a fair trial, trial by jury, and the rejection of cruel and unusual punishment. I am here using US categories for the sake of argument.

Is that what he's saying?

Then we read Points 7 and 8:

7.- The generation of goods and work, such as the increase in production, can replace populist distribution, which creates poverty and eliminates personal effort.

8.- Meritocracy must be the incentive that drives each citizen to give the best of themselves. The state must create opportunities for all and each one must take advantage of them with their best effort. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. One cannot prosper without working, nor get a degree without studying and passing. The biblical saying “you will eat your food by the sweat of your brow” is still valid.

These are examples of good sloganeering but what these ideas look like when applied is another question altogether. It smacks of Libertarian Ivory Tower-ism rather than reality and despite his selective and self-serving use of Biblical language, the Bible says a lot more – especially the New Testament.

Again it must be noted that all of this represents confused thinking – as he seems to mix and match in an ad hoc fashion the dictates and ethics of the Church with that of Argentine society.

Is Argentina in covenant with God? Is it the Temple where the Spirit dwells? Does the Church need Argentina to function or maintain its identity? Is it the Church's job to sanctify Argentina? Can Argentina be sanctified and become an extension of the Kingdom of Christ? And how would it do that? Where can I read about that in Scripture?

And finally, will Milei bring God into the equation? Does he think Milei is a Christian? If Milei is a lost person, then can he think Christian thoughts? Does the New Testament teach that the Spirit will work through such men and the states they lead – and build the Kingdom through the efforts of such men? Milei is in fact morally repugnant. If Marquez thinks him a Christian, then I'm left wondering about Marquez himself and whether or not he even understands the basic gospel message. The narrative smacks of fantasy and I feel like I need to go back and check just which Marquez I'm reading – for another one (and one far more profound) certainly comes to mind.

Like so many American Evangelicals he plays the ambiguity game when it comes to his endorsement of Milei. It's clear that he supports the man and is excited about the prospect of his presidency and yet a part of him knows that Milei is not someone he should actually endorse and so he hedges his language for this Lausanne Movement piece – although he's much more candid on his Facebook page where he speaks of Milei bringing a new hope to the people of Argentina. And Marquez's feminist-pastor daughter is in government as a national representative for their district and is clearly part of the Milei movement. And so his hedged and qualified language is ultimately deceptive. Make no mistake, Marquez is fully on board with Milei. His allegiances are divided to say the least.

Personally I don't care a fig about Milei or Trump but I do care about the Church and so as a consequence of that I'm concerned about leaders, hireling shepherds and wolves in sheep's clothing like Marquez.

He speaks of faith and hope coming from the knowledge of God's good will and his plans for good and peace.

I believe he's talking about fruits of the Spirit. How will Milei's election and the supposed security and economic prosperity that he hopes to bring tie in with that? Will a successful Milei presidency work in conjunction with the Spirit? Is he an agent of the Spirit? Marquez almost seems to think so. God help him – Marquez I mean.

Marquez like so many other Evangelicals needs to start over and re-read the Scripture. He has misunderstood the basic message of the gospel and the very nature of the Kingdom and our calling in this world. He needs to go back to square one. I encourage him to resign his pastorate as he is evidently unqualified to teach and will be held accountable for misleading the flock. I encourage him to repent of his divided loyalties and his embrace of worldly ideology. He stands condemned as a false teacher.