Empathy before judgement: We should seek to understand why Christians voted differently

Faithful Christians voted in opposite directions during this election, says Amanda Held Opelt. But we can all agree that neither Trump nor Harris can save America. Christians have an opportunity to be a non-anxious presence in the face of political division

The days and weeks following an election in America are always time for reflection, analysis and discussion. Casual voters and professional political pundits alike delve into the hows, whys and what ifs. Post mortems are conducted on the losing campaign and scholars hastily project what the history books will write about the winning candidate - what they got right and whether their message tapped into the American zeitgeist.

But this year, the mood among progressive voters and Democrats seems particularly morose, alternating between shock, rage, and sober soul-searching.

This solemnity makes sense to me. Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris with a comfortable majority, not just in the electoral college but in the popular vote as well. His unyielding resonance with the American people - despite his felony conviction, racially charged rhetoric and the myriad accusations of sexual assault - is mystifying to some and infuriating to others.