HAYSTACK
COMMENTARY
december 2025 |
CULTURAL APOLOGETCS DATABASE
ED NOTE=Zorek Richards Inclusion on this website to not necessitate agreement |
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When the Roman Empire and Christianity became conjoined, the result was a rich and powerful theocratic tyranny, the medieval church, that exercised mind-control and coercion and murdered dissidents. This is not what true Christians should desire or participate in. "holding to a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Keep away from such men as these." - 2 Timothy 3:5
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December 7, 2025:
Modern Americanism
 Zorek
As followers of Jesus, truth is our currency. Without it, we have nothing. It’s essential to the integrity and believability of the gospel that we are known as truth-tellers, not argument-winners. Christians should have a reputation for being the most truthful people on earth.
Don’t share a story just because one of your friends posted it on Facebook. Check out the original source first. Is it reliable? Do other stories on the website seem credible? If a story isn’t widely circulated by conservative and liberal outlets, its content may be suspect, and by that I mean that the subject will be distributed in both left and right news sources but make an observational spin on it..which is expected. Yesterday I posted a photo and though I usually do double check news sources....I did not because I got from some online individuals who generally have credibility. Well, I was wrong and so were they. As a general rule I do check sources and get to know web sites that are hinged or unhinged with their information. They believed the misinformation also..so we were all duped. No hard feelings. We see disinformation agents on various web sites labeling their content as satire knowing well it is likely to be shared without the satire label. Personally I love good satire and try to utilize it whenever I can. My assumption, though, is that I think my general audience knows that. Most things I write on FaceBook is stuff that I will place on my web site....but FB offers an opportunity for me to test the waters on it. (Plus, since I am my own editor, it gives me time to correct all the language and spelling errors before I post it to my website.....and, mostly because I type slower than I think and I will miss a word or change in thought direction, etc) “Truth is no longer dictated by authorities, but is networked by peers. For every fact there is a counterfact, and all these counterfacts and facts look identical online, which is confusing to most people.” -Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired magazine. In my world, truth has one authority and He is Sovereign. December 7, 2025:
Tucker Carlson has ‘no moral compass,’ evangelical leader tells pastors in Shiloh The American conservative commentator Tucker Carlson is “a guided missile with no moral compass” who is fracturing the Republican Party and endangering its victory in next year’s midterm elections, an American evangelical leader said Friday during a visit to Israel. The remarks by Mike Evans, founder of Jerusalem’s Friends of Zion Museum, in an address to hundreds of American pastors touring the biblical heartland highlighted the pushback Carlson is receiving among bible-believing evangelicals for his criticism of U.S. support for the Jewish state and his rhetoric that has been widely condemned as antisemitic. (JNS 12/7/25) READMORE>>>> Three Reasons Why Young US Evangelicals Are Turning Against Israel – Analysis Opinions concerning Israel among young US Evangelicals are shifting. A survey conducted between March 22, 2021, and April 2, 2021, by the Barna Group, a social research organization, and by Mordechai Inbari and Kirill Humin, two professors at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, found that support for Israel among US Evangelicals aged 18 to 29 dropped by half between 2018 and 2021. In their 2021 survey, only 33.6 percent of respondents expressed positive support for Israel—down from 69 percent in 2018. The 2021 survey also indicated that 42 percent of young Evangelicals in that age group identified as neutral, supporting neither Israel nor Palestine. There is no polling data that specifically tracks the attitudes of young Evangelicals toward Israel from 2021 onward. However, an existing recent poll does capture general American attitudes toward Israel across different age groups. Conducted in August 2025 by Harvard University and the Harris Research Foundation, this poll found that a majority of Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) support Hamas. When asked whether Hamas should remain in power if it released the remaining Israeli hostages, 60 percent of Gen Z respondents answered in the affirmative. (Eurasia Review 12/7/25) READMORE>>>> December 7, 1941:
A total of 2,403 Americans were killed in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, including 2,335 service members and 68 civilians, with 1,178 others wounded, making it a pivotal event that brought the U.S. into World War II. The deadliest single location was the USS Arizona, where 1,177 personnel lost their lives. Key Figures: Total Killed: 2,403 Military Killed: 2,335 (2,008 Navy, 109 Marines, 218 Army Air Corps) Civilians Killed: 68 Total Wounded: 1,178 Major Losses: USS Arizona: 1,177 killed USS Oklahoma: 429 killed Hickam Field: 191 killed (including 5 civilians) This devastating attack on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii led to President Roosevelt's declaration of war against Japan the next day, officially bringing the United States into World War II. December 6, 2025:
Conservative says Trump needs more 'Christian' in his 'Christian Nationalism' The Trump administration and its agents with their crusader tattoos, and its supporters, adore the idea of Christian nationalism. It’s a pity they’re short on the ‘Christian’ part, says columnist Ross Douthat. “Christian nationalism” can be understood in two ways, Douthat tells the New York Times. The first emphasizes the “Christian” aspect and imagines nationalism as the vehicle through which conservative believers impose their doctrines on a pluralist society. Think inquisitions, witch trials, and the Republic of Gilead. (Alternet; 12/6/25) READMORE>>>> Most self-identified Christians think doing 'good things' is enough to get to Heaven New research reveals that most self-identified Christians think doing “good things” for others is enough to secure them a spot in Heaven, in what one leading researcher laments as the latest example of a widespread embrace of “unbiblical beliefs” among American Christians. A recent report released by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University examining Americans’ views on the afterlife constitutes the latest installment of the American Worldview Inventory 2025, a survey of 2,000 American adults conducted in March. (Christian Post; 12/6/25) READMORE>>>> Column: No prayer in schools? Here’s a simple solution Many years ago, I was on a panel discussing the relationship between religion and public education. These were the early days of the Religious Right, and one of the panelists held forth at some length about the importance of reinstating prayer in public schools. I expect that one of my eyebrows twitched a bit, and I may have muttered something about religious diversity and the First Amendment. “That’s really not a problem,” the panelist responded brightly. Her solution was to have a Christian minister give the prayer on Monday, a rabbi on Tuesday, an imam on Wednesday, maybe a Hindu on Thursday. At that point the narrative slowed; she wasn’t sure what religious group to include next, although there are plenty to choose from on the American religious landscape. (Valley News: 12/6/25)READMORE>>>> December 5, 2025:
Is fascism inherently Christian? This semester I’ve been teaching a graduate seminar on Christianity and fascism. We’re reading texts mostly from 1922-1945 (the years of “fascism proper”) that, even though written by a variety of authors who agree on little else, nonetheless hint at a broadly similar argument. The argument is that fascism is better understood not as a strictly political movement, but as a religious movement, and specifically as a Christian movement. These authors knew how Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany could be outright hostile towards Christianity. But that occasional hostility, they argued, was surface-level and late-coming. Fascism as a political movement made sense to its followers because it followed a much deeper and broader theological logic—theology’s way of thinking about power, sovereignty, community, sacrifice, history—that already made sense to the people of Western Europe. If theology provided the logic of fascist politics, these authors warned, then a merely military or political defeat wouldn’t be enough. You had to attack that underlying theological logic so that fascist politics would no longer make sense. Otherwise, it would only be a matter of time before something like fascism took hold again. Theology was the terrain on which the struggle against fascism had to be waged. (Christiam Century 12.5.25) READMORE>>>>>> Leader of schismatic Colorado Springs group disregards excommunication After receiving a letter of excommunication from the Vatican, the leader of a schismatic group in Colorado Springs told congregants he would ignore it — furthering the divide between the small splinter group and the Catholic Church. Anthony Ward heads the Servants of the Holy Family, a group that labels itself as Catholic in spite of the Diocese of Colorado Springs’ declaration that the group is schismatic. In a 40-minute speech to his congregation in which he called Church authorities “a kangaroo court” of “heretics” and “freemasons,” Ward went public on Nov. 16 about his excommunication and his plans to continue ignoring the Catholic Church’s directives. (Catholic News Agency 12.5.25) READMORE>>>>>> Prominent evangelical calls Tucker Carlson’s anti-Israel comments ‘worse than Nazi Party’ A prominent U.S. evangelical leader has warned that parts of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement are turning against Israel and suggested that some of the rhetoric is worse than the Nazi Party platform of 1920. “Right now we are having a movement within the MAGA movement that is anti-Israel,” Dr. Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion (FOZ) Heritage Center and Museum, told the Jerusalem Post. In October, Carlson interviewed Nick Fuentes on his podcast. Fuentes is known for his deeply antisemitic, racist, and misogynistic worldviews. Both men decried conservatives who support Israel. According to The Guardian, Carlson called out Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), former president George W. Bush, and Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, calling them "Christian Zionists." .(Premier Christianity 12/5/25) READMORE>>>> December 4, 2025:
The Trump Administration’s Favorite Fake Prayer Story In September, the White House launched a new “America Prays” initiative to encourage Americans to gather together “with at least 10 people” and devote “one hour per week to praying for our country and our people.” They inaccurately claimed the Southern Baptist Convention endorsed the effort and haven’t really made any edits to the site since President Donald Trump announced it during a meeting of his “Religious Liberty Commission” at the Museum of the Bible. Except to change the main picture for the initiative. At the top of the White House site, it says the effort is to rededicate “the United States as one nation under God.” And then they posted an image of George Washington praying on bended knee in the snow next to a horse while in Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War. At first, they posted an ugly, apparently AI-generated version. By the day after Trump’s announcement, the site had been updated to feature the same scene but a more famous version by artist Arnold Friberg. He painted “The Prayer at Valley Forge” 50 years ago for the U.S. Bicentennial celebration. (Word & Way; 12/4/25) READMORE>>>> December 3, 2025:
The Tragedy of Christian Power Politics From the Napoleonic Wars of the early nineteenth century to the successive World Wars and later the Cold War that marked the twentieth century, modern history is nothing if not contentious. In a welcomed change, the collapse of the Soviet Union marked an apparent end to global conflict, and a period of relative peace that political scientist Francis Fukuyama famously referred to as The End of History. But history, greatly offended at this snub, made a strong comeback with numerous conflicts in the Middle East, many tied in one way or another to the Global War on Terror. Today, as wars like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rage on, Fukuyama’s grand declaration could be regarded with a sense of distant and hollow irony. The book of Ecclesiastes makes clear that there is a time for everything, and international conflict is no exception. “There is a time for war,” the preacher says in Ecclesiastes 3:8, “and a time for peace.” In other words, war is an inescapable reality of life under the sun. Recognizing this verity from a secular perspective, in his book entitled The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, political scientist John Mearsheimer builds a framework explaining the ubiquity of war as a function of the international system’s structure and incentives. Dubbed “offensive realism,” Mearsheimer’s theory appears to clash with the dominant thread of Christian thought exemplified by Augustine’s just war theory even as it agrees with the preacher in Ecclesiastes. (Public Discourse; 12/5/25) READMORE>>>> December 2, 2025:
Calvinism may hold key to understanding America’s white evangelical movement As of late last year, more than 1,300 children torn from their parents’ arms at the U.S.–Mexico border from 2017 to 2021 had not been reunited with their parents. This figure represents nearly a third of the 4,600 children forcibly separated from their families. Human rights organizations described this as potentially a form of torture, due to the intentional infliction of suffering and the systemic nature of the separations as an immigration deterrent. Such measures enjoyed support and even celebration from the American Christian right, leaving many to wonder: What kind of religion endorses such cruelty, the withholding of health care, winking at racism and embracing xenophobia? (Kansas Reflector 12/2/25) READMORE>>>> How the Black Church saved me from white evangelicalism There was a time when I almost lost myself trying to fit into white evangelical spaces that never were designed for me. These were spaces where I was preemptively labeled a “liberal” and my passion for racial justice was dismissed as a “distraction from the gospel.” Spaces where the Jesus of Scripture was supplanted by a white American Jesus. Spaces where affiliation with the Republican Party became a surrogate for biblical fidelity.I didn’t leave the faith, but I nearly let a distorted version of it strip me of my spiritual roots. I almost was deceived into believing the “white way” was the “right way” to be a Christian and to do church. (Joel Bowman; Baptist News Global 12/2/25) READMORE>>>> December 1, 2025:
What do the stars tell us about God?: Astrophysicist and theologian Rev Prof David Wilkinson tackles questions about God, quantum theory and the multiverse Man has long looked to the stars in wonder. Over time, views about these luminous orbs developed. To scientists, stars are “contracting balls of hot hydrogen gas undergoing nuclear fusion”. To Christians, they are “the work of [God’s] fingers” (Psalm 8:3). But can the two views converge? Must science and faith be in opposition? Astrophysicist and theologian Rev Prof David Wilkinson recently visited Singapore. The 62-year-old holds a PhD in theoretical astrophysics and a PhD in systematic theology. He is also a Fellow at the Royal Astronomical Society. (Salt & Light 12/1/25) READMORE>>>> November 30, 2025:
Lewis Capaldi, back from a dark place, brings evangelical presence to Christchurch show Lewis Capaldi, with support acts Jude Kelly and Aaron Rowe, at Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch, on Sunday, November 30. Christchurch’s long awaited evening with Lewis Capaldi was intimate, even though Wolfbrook Arena was sardined with fans. Capaldi returned to touring global stages on Sunday with a polished set that felt more like he was holding mass than performing a classic superstar showcase. (The Press 11/30/25) READMORE>>>> Empathy is the new Christian battleground As the U.S. grows more diverse, a quiet civil war is unfolding within American Christianity over who deserves empathy. Conservatives ranging from evangelical pastors to Elon Musk have started framing empathy not as a virtue but as a vulnerability on immigration, racial justice and LGBTQ+ rights. They are working to drive out school lessons on empathy and argue in books and sermons that empathy is for the weak or "woke." Others say empathy is central to Christianity and the teachings of Jesus. This split comes as Christianity and organized religion are shrinking and the U.S. undergoes a profound demographic transformation: no single racial group will hold a majority within two decades. (Axios 12/1/25) READMORE>>>> The Theology of a Simple Basket During the Thanksgiving holiday, I visited the Simon Family Jewish Community Center of Tidewater (the JCC), a place I had visited before, but never truly experienced as it was meant to be lived. My earlier encounter had been during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Jewish spaces, like so many others, felt provisional and restrained: masked, socially distanced, outdoors, muted and careful. This time was different. The building was open, alive and rooted again in the steady rhythms of communal life. And what I saw inside offered both beauty and quiet instruction. There was much to admire: a thoughtful space designed for human presence, a K–5 school alive with children’s voices, a room honoring the Shoah, an Israeli flag flying with confidence. It was a place that carried history and purpose without spectacle, continuity without self-conscious display. (Jewish Journal 11/30/25) READMORE>>>> November 29, 2025:
The most dangerous enemy America faces America has no shortage of enemies. China seeks to eclipse us geopolitically. Radical Islamists dream of our downfall. Cultural Marxists work tirelessly to dismantle our institutions. Secularists wage war on faith, history, and tradition. Our streets are fraught with crime, our politics with venom, our families with fracture. But of all the adversaries that threaten the very soul of this nation, none is more profound, more insidious, or more spiritually corrosive than the rise of Progressive Christianity. Why do I say this? Because Progressive Christianity wears an attractive attire of faith while quietly emptying it of its substance. It keeps the Bible’s vocabulary but drains it of meaning. It blesses what God condemns and condemns what God blesses. In doing so, it leaves our nation defenseless, not just politically or culturally, but morally and spiritually. (Christian Post 11/29/25) READMORE>>>> Senator Bill DeSteph continues Thanksgiving Tradition serving meals with Judeo-Christian Outreach Center Continuing a tradition now spanning well over a decade, Senator Bill DeSteph again volunteered his time this Thanksgiving to prepare and serve meals for the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center (JCOC). Due to ongoing construction at JCOC, this year’s Thanksgiving meal service took place at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Virginia Beach. Meal preparation will began at 7:00 AM on Thursday, November 27, at Yiannis Wine & Food, located at 401 N. Great Neck Road. Volunteers assisted with cooking and packaging meals for delivery to Mount Olive Baptist Church between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Senator DeSteph has again organized a full and traditional Thanksgiving menu for the event, ensuring that individuals and families in need can enjoy a warm holiday meal. The same food served at this event is the same food Senator DeSteph prepares for his own family at home—made from the very same recipes. This year’s preparation includesd smoking and providing 50 turkeys, continuing the Senator’s tradition of offering a true, home-style Thanksgiving feast. This annual effort reflects the Senator’s deep commitment to service, gratitude, and supporting the mission of JCOC. (Shore Daily News 11/29/25) READMORE>>>> How one conservative Christian family is pushing back against ICE At 7:30 a.m. on a chilly November morning, every member of the Luhmann family was already awake. Their cozy home, tucked into a bucolic corner of the Chicago suburbs, was bustling with activity. Six of the eight children, almost all of them homeschooled, were mostly settled in the dining room. A large, colorful quilt — hand-stitched by Audrey, their mother, to represent various names for Jesus — hung on the wall. Andrew, their father, readied to go to work at Wheaton College, the evangelical Christian school nearby, where he serves as an associate professor of geology. But Ben, 17, and Sam, 16, donned warm hoodies, said goodbye to their parents and piled into a well-loved sedan. Cranking the engine, they skirted a wild turkey that stalks their yard and headed out to find U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. (FAVS News 11/29/25) READMORE>>>> MAGA Antisemitism Fails with Conservative Christians In the last couple of weeks, the Republican Party has been torn over questions of antisemitism and free speech after the MAGA influencer Tucker Carlson gave a friendly interview to Nick Fuentes, a Nazi sympathizer and an open antisemite. Senator Ted Cruz slammed Carlson vocally and warned about a growing antisemitic sentiment in the party. A few weeks earlier, Senator Cruz and Mr. Carlson engaged in a debate on Carlson’s show over American support for Israel – a conversation that moved from politics into theology as their differing Christian views of Jews became evident. Senator Cruz defended the idea that Jews are God’s Chosen People. In response, Mr. Carlson argued that the current Israeli government cannot be considered the heir of these biblical promises. A dispute unfolded within the conservative camp between two approaches to Jewish-Christian relations – one rooted in the philosemitic theology of Christian Zionism and the other reflecting supersessionist currents on the Christian far right, arguing that the church replaced the Jews with Divine blessings. It is interesting to examine what conservative Christians think about Jews in general and to what extent they agree with Senator Cruz that Jews still enjoy Divine blessing today. (Times of Israel 11/29/25) READMORE>>>> November 28, 2025:
“Third Wayism”: The New Evangelical Excuse for Retreating From the Political/Cultural War Pontius Pilate has a unique place in history; every even quasi-serious Christian knows his name. Pilate was, of course, the Roman governor who condemned Jesus to death despite acknowledging His innocence. It was easier, you see, and more expedient to publicly wash his hands and declare, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves” — and therefore avoid Jewish leaders’ agitation and maintain political stability and “neutrality.” It was easier to, instead of taking an unpopular stand and an underappreciated side, choose a third way. Thus is it intensely and sadly ironic that many Christians today are, with a like motivation, using a similar rationalization to avoid taking unpopular stands. Why, they even call it “a third way.” (New American 11/28/25) READMORE>>>> From Fringe Faith to Political Power: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in the U.S. White supremacist ideals have entered the mainstream of American discourse, as hostile rhetoric moves from fringe narratives to high levels of political power. With Christian nationalist ideals transgressing traditional boundaries between the church and state, divisive ideologies are increasingly shaping and influencing policy. American history has long been witness to rises and dips in the salience of religion in public policy. The MAGA movement undoubtedly reignited the presence of radical ideals in discourse, and Christian evangelicalism heavily intertwined with the political mobilization of Donald Trump’s base. (American Hungarian Paper 11/28/25) READMORE>>>> 5 Signs of Dead Faith James is a realist about religion. He frequently invokes the category of dead, deficient, or false faith as a foil to the living faith that the apostle enjoins on his readers. Indeed, James repeatedly warns his readers that verbal claims or religious self-assessments do not necessarily indicate one’s true spiritual condition. To properly understand the category of living faith, one must also acknowledge the category of dead faith. One category necessitates the other. James wastes no time in introducing the category of defective faith. In James 1:5, he commands persons who lack wisdom to ask God for it. The apostle further notes that some persons who petition God for wisdom may not really ask “in faith” (James 1:6). In other words, they ask God but doubt whether he is good, able, or inclined to answer their petitions. James tells us, “That person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:7–8). James does not construct a nuanced continuum but only offers two ways of prayer—one in faith and one doubting. And the doubting man is double minded and receives nothing. We should observe that the doubting, double-minded man still has an outward religious expression—in this case, prayer for wisdom. Yet, that outward religiosity is condemned as tragically deficient. (Crossway 11/28/25) READMORE>>>> For Some on the American Right, Judeo-Christian Values Are Out, Christian Nationalism Is In In the civil war taking place on the right over antisemitism, classic Christian opposition to Judaism is now on the table. This week, for example, Washington Post columnist Jason Willick looked at how Tucker Carlson has been pointedly criticizing the Hebrew Bible. He’s “shocked by the violence in it, and shocked by the revenge in it, the genocide in it” and emphasizes that “Christianity alone—alone, unique”—claims that people should be treated as individuals and not as members of a collective. Willick writes, “The former Fox News host is targeting a distinctively American, 20th-century concept: The Judeo-Christian consensus.” As someone who has been studying the use of “Judeo-Christian” in American public discourse for over 40 years—and thanks for the shout-out, Willick—I can say with confidence its usage has come full circle. Here’s a thumbnail sketch. (Banner 11/28/25) READMORE>>>> November 27, 2025:
Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: IDF finds huge Hamas terror tunnel under UN compound IDF finds 4.5-mile Hamas tunnel under UN compound - FBI was onto CAIR long before Texas branded it ‘terror organization’ - Speaker Mike Johnson calls out antisemitism, says Israel-US relations crucial TOP STORY: The IDF revealed a seven-kilometer, 25-meter-deep Hamas "root tunnel" under Rafah with 80 rooms used for command, weapons and shelter. Originating beneath an UNRWA compound, it fed other tunnels and allegedly held Lt. Hadar Goldin. Israel says its destruction is a major strategic blow as it targets Hamas’s vast underground network. (WHMI 11/28/25) READMORE>>>> The future of the Gospel in Australia How many Reformed Evangelicals does it take to change a light bulb? I’ll let others decide on the answer, but in June this year, a relatively rare (although becoming less rare) sight was spotted in Newtown, Sydney. Reformed Evangelical leaders from across Australia gathered to talk, listen, dream and pray. Under an invitation from The Gospel Coalition Australia, a coalition of Gospel minded leaders met for a Summit. That winter’s day was the second year we met, with hearts burdened and captivated. (Murray Campbell 11/27/25) READMORE>>>> French intelligence warns of rising Islamist attacks against Christians An internal analytical report from French intelligence notes a growing trend of Islamist attacks and mounting pressure on Christian communities. In November 2025, France’s domestic intelligence service (DGSI) reported an escalating threat to Christian communities across Europe. As Le Figaro writes, a confidential DGSI report reviews the recent wave of attacks and highlights systematic jihadist propaganda targeting churches and believers. The DGSI statement followed the September 10 assault in Lyon on Ashur Sarnayu, an Iraqi Christian confined to a wheelchair. Investigators believe the crime reflects a longstanding fixation of Islamist groups on striking Christians, whom radical organizations label “infidels” and “idol-worshippers.” (Union of Orthodox Journalists 11/27/25) READMORE>>>> November 26, 2025:
A Critical Review of Richard Kradin’s “Why Progressives Want to Destroy Christianity—but Spare Islam In the fractured intellectual landscape of the twenty-first century, Richard Kradin’s “Why Progressives Want to Destroy Christianity—but Spare Islam” stands as a cultural artefact of civilizational anxiety. Published via Blaze Media, Kradin’s thesis constructs a narrative battlefield where a beleaguered “Judeo-Christian” West confronts an alliance of secular progressives and radical Islamists. His argument operates within what Paul Ricoeur, the French philosopher, termed a “hermeneutic of suspicion,” interpreting progressive movements as masking a destructive, neo-Marxist agenda. This review employs an alternative approach: a “hermeneutic of solidarity.” By synthesizing insights from history, theology, and comparative religion, we demonstrate that the perceived antagonism between Progressivism, Christianity, and Islam largely constitutes a construct of political polarization. The central questions demand engagement: Is progressive critique of Christianity destruction or purification? Is progressive defence of Islam cynical alliance or consistent pluralistic ethics? Through systematic analysis, we argue that deeper examination reveals profound consonance—shared ethical DNA rooted in the Abrahamic tradition—offering pathways to peace and justice. Kradin posits that Western civilization rests upon a “Judeo-Christian ethic” credited with individual liberty, rule of law, and limited government. Against this, he identifies “Progressivism” as a metaphysical rival—a “secular humanist civic religion” driven by “misotheistic” (God-hating) Marxist ideology. His central observation: progressives ruthlessly deconstruct Christian symbols and values while protecting Islam. He frames this as a contradiction, concluding that Progressives and “Radical Islamists” share a common enemy—the Christian West—making their alliance a cynical pact of destruction. (Counter Currents 11/27/25) READMORE>>>> At AAR/SBL, Religion Scholars Address Issues Ancient and Modern Just a day before the world's largest gathering of religious scholars would kick off November 22 in Boston, the leadership of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature—the academics devoted to deep research on faith, philosophy, theology, and society ancient and modern—called for an “emergency session” on “ICE enforcement in sacred spaces,” for next afternoon. This urgent issue had muscled into the listings of more than 900 sessions planned at the Hynes Convention Center and adjacent hotels from Saturday to midday November 25. It spoke directly to a major theme for the gathering, which was "freedom" in all its manifestations—religious, academic, social, political, and more. "We are concerned about, and oppose, plans of ICE to detain/arrest people in places of worship, or other infringements on religious freedom," the AAR board said in a statement endorsed by the SBL council. Their statement and the session schedule were immediately uploaded to the joint meeting's web app where more than nearly 7,800 attendees were tracking their schedules through meeting rooms and a massive 85-booth book exposition. (Publishers Weekly 11/27/25) READMORE>>>> Church sues after City of Montreal issues $2,500 fine for hosting ‘MAGA superstar’ Quebec City is not alone in facing legal action for the way its municipal administration responded to a scheduled concert by Sean Feucht, an American Christian singer known for his ties to U.S. President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement. The City of Montreal is also being sued, after it fined a church $2,500 for hosting the singer whose views on “gender ideology,” abortion and the LGBTQ+ community had made him a controversial figure in the country by the time his Canadian tour kicked off this summer. Last week, the organizer behind Feucht’s tour launched a lawsuit against Quebec City after officials had cancelled a performance by the musician scheduled for July 25 at a downtown venue operated by the city. The tour organizer was left scrambling for other spaces willing to host Feucht, who by then had seen his shows cancelled in Halifax, Moncton and Charlottetown. Feucht’s team then decided to go to Montreal. (Northeast Now 11/27/25) READMORE>>>> Will Pope Leo Stand Up to Christian Nationalism? When MAGA strategist Steve Bannon told the Economist that Donald Trump was “a vehicle of divine providence” and “an instrument of divine will,” he was not being rhetorical. He was articulating a political theology: the claim that a leader, if chosen by God, stands above human law and temporal limits. That idea—once (and still) the claim of monarchs—has reentered modern politics. What a decade ago seemed to be a scatter of populist insurgencies now looks like a global movement bound by shared metaphysics of grievance and destiny. (Foreign Policy 11/26/25) READMORE>>>> Why Christianity No Longer Feels Necessary—But Might Be Again Soon This fall in Copenhagen, I walked in the early morning through quiet streets, past closed shops. I was looking for the Church of Our Lady, the Neoclassical cathedral of the Lutheran church in Denmark. Unlike so many other European cathedrals, this church radiates light when you step in from the narrow, darkened streets. Surrounded by statues of the apostles, when you stride down the center aisle toward Jesus behind the altar with his arms stretched down in invitation, the lanterns beckon, Post tenebras lux. After darkness, the light of the Word shone again with the Protestant Reformation. Not long after opening, I entered the cathedral with a second visitor. Toward the front, I found a third. Tour enough European churches and you expect to find a smattering of older women at prayer. Not this time. The two other visitors were young men, native Danes, reading and praying. (Gospel Coalition 11/26/25) READMORE>>>> November 25, 2025:
Adventists Confront Christian Nationalism at Religious Liberty Summit
This is not an endorsement of the teachings of Seventh Day Adventism, but just a note on how they are dealing with Christian Nationalism. --ZR On November 15, 2025, three Adventist scholars made the case that our theology still has something vital to say about religious liberty, but also that the current administration poses real dangers to the separation of church and state. The Religious Liberty Summit—hosted by the Church State Council—was a reminder that our roots and prophetic identity were always meant to prepare us for precisely this moment.The moderated panel featured Steve Allred, Alan Reinach, Laura Wibberding, Devon, and Randall Waring, chair of the Paradise Adventist Church board. Reinach and Allred discussed the dangers of promoting material produced within movements whose aims Adventists cannot ethically support. Allred warned that organizations like Turning Point USA have become influential conduits for dominionist theology and that many Christians are being drawn in by nationalistic rhetoric disguised as spiritual revival.“Religion is a fertile ground for exploitation. Churches are,” Allred said. “One of the things I see with Christian nationalism is that they’re using a lot of the words[…]things that Christianity is into, and yet when you look at the underlying substance, when you look at the actual values that we’re promoting, we’re being selective.” “Christian nationalism seeks power, not influence,” Allred said. “We should be influential—but never seek dominance.” Adventists are called not to rule culture, he emphasized, but to witness within it. Reinach: “If you’re going to reject a person because of their political beliefs, then you’re putting your politics ahead of your faith. You know, that’s where you think that[…]Jesus is a Republican or Jesus is a Democrat, and if you don’t believe the way I do, it’s Mark of the Beast, us versus them thinking. So it’s fine to disagree about politics, but do we ostracize and demonize the other because they believe differently?” (Source: Spectrum;“A Counterfeit Kingdom”: Adventists Confront Christian Nationalism at Religious Liberty Summit; 11/25/25 |
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November 25, 2025:
Nondenominational Christians on the rise
The Nov. 17 CBS Evening News “Eye on America” report focused on what is considered a rising trend of Christians now attending nondenominational churches. Quoting research from the General Social Survey, the report mentioned that in 1972, “fewer than 3% of Americans identified as nondenominational Christians.” Today, close to 40 million people identify as such. Stories like this always pique my interest due to my upbringing in a traditional Southern Black Baptist church in Athens, Georgia, during the 1970s and ’80s. As a child, I often wondered what the difference was between being a Baptist or a Methodist, two of the predominant African American denominations in the community where I grew up. My 10-year-old self kept asking, since we all profess to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, why are we separating ourselves? (Independent 11/25/25) READMORE>>>>
The Nov. 17 CBS Evening News “Eye on America” report focused on what is considered a rising trend of Christians now attending nondenominational churches. Quoting research from the General Social Survey, the report mentioned that in 1972, “fewer than 3% of Americans identified as nondenominational Christians.” Today, close to 40 million people identify as such. Stories like this always pique my interest due to my upbringing in a traditional Southern Black Baptist church in Athens, Georgia, during the 1970s and ’80s. As a child, I often wondered what the difference was between being a Baptist or a Methodist, two of the predominant African American denominations in the community where I grew up. My 10-year-old self kept asking, since we all profess to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, why are we separating ourselves? (Independent 11/25/25) READMORE>>>>
November 24, 2025:
AI Threats to Children: Pope Leo XIV advocates better protections
The rapid growth of artificial intelligence in education and online platforms demands urgent action to protect young people, according to Pope Leo XIV. Speaking at a Vatican-hosted conference on November 13, the pope emphasized the need for stronger AI safeguards for children, including updated laws, parental engagement, and ethical development of technology.
Children Are Vulnerable to AI ManipulationAddressing experts in AI and child protection, Pope Leo warned that children and adolescents are “particularly vulnerable” to manipulation through AI-driven algorithms. These systems can significantly influence young users’ choices and preferences. He urged adults to stay informed, as awareness is essential to help guide youth in navigating digital environments. (Idaho Statesman 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
The rapid growth of artificial intelligence in education and online platforms demands urgent action to protect young people, according to Pope Leo XIV. Speaking at a Vatican-hosted conference on November 13, the pope emphasized the need for stronger AI safeguards for children, including updated laws, parental engagement, and ethical development of technology.
Children Are Vulnerable to AI ManipulationAddressing experts in AI and child protection, Pope Leo warned that children and adolescents are “particularly vulnerable” to manipulation through AI-driven algorithms. These systems can significantly influence young users’ choices and preferences. He urged adults to stay informed, as awareness is essential to help guide youth in navigating digital environments. (Idaho Statesman 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
A rabbi’s warning to America about Idaho’s Christian nationalism | Opinion
I’ve learned it is rarely a good thing when national media features Idaho. It’s often about the state’s horrifying abundance of right-wing extremism. No different was a recent New York Times piece spotlighting Doug Wilson, a self-described theocrat and pastor based in Moscow, Idaho, whose disciples now include powerful MAGA acolytes in the federal government. I urge all Americans to stand up for true freedom and reject Christian nationalism
For many years, I hoped that Idaho would moderate to grow more like the rest of America. Instead, America is becoming more like Idaho. Religious reactionaries like Wilson have emerged to lead a far-reaching movement to cement power in the hands of a theocratic minority. Their goal is clear: Replace democratic governance with fundamentalist rule.
(Idaho Statesman 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
I’ve learned it is rarely a good thing when national media features Idaho. It’s often about the state’s horrifying abundance of right-wing extremism. No different was a recent New York Times piece spotlighting Doug Wilson, a self-described theocrat and pastor based in Moscow, Idaho, whose disciples now include powerful MAGA acolytes in the federal government. I urge all Americans to stand up for true freedom and reject Christian nationalism
For many years, I hoped that Idaho would moderate to grow more like the rest of America. Instead, America is becoming more like Idaho. Religious reactionaries like Wilson have emerged to lead a far-reaching movement to cement power in the hands of a theocratic minority. Their goal is clear: Replace democratic governance with fundamentalist rule.
(Idaho Statesman 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
Would Jesus Belong to MAGA?
Evangelical Christian support for President Donald Trump has been above 80% in three straight elections. Evangelicals make up the largest constituency of *maga. And they maintain a determined message that they are true followers of Jesus. This suggests the question, “Would Jesus Belong to maga?” The best way I have found to approach my rather unusual question is to investigate in a manner analogous to these religious/political parties of the Gospels. I think it will be illustrative to concentrate on how, why, and under what circumstances Jesus interacted with the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and Zealots. I have excluded the Essenes from the discussion due to their withdrawal from secular life and politics
(Rolling Stone 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
Evangelical Christian support for President Donald Trump has been above 80% in three straight elections. Evangelicals make up the largest constituency of *maga. And they maintain a determined message that they are true followers of Jesus. This suggests the question, “Would Jesus Belong to maga?” The best way I have found to approach my rather unusual question is to investigate in a manner analogous to these religious/political parties of the Gospels. I think it will be illustrative to concentrate on how, why, and under what circumstances Jesus interacted with the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and Zealots. I have excluded the Essenes from the discussion due to their withdrawal from secular life and politics
(Rolling Stone 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
The Court Case That Could Blow the Roof Off Political Spending
A vocal Christian nationalist minority has been working for two decades to overturn a vital federal law that safeguards our democracy and elections. After countless failures, they may finally succeed by colluding with Donald Trump’s government. A federal court is hearing arguments on Tuesday about whether to approve a settlement between Trump’s IRS and two churches represented by Michael Farris, who sued the IRS, arguing that religious freedom means churches should be able to use their tax exemptions to benefit partisan political campaigns. Farris is a fervent Christian nationalist. He’s the former head of the Alliance Defending Freedom and founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association and also Patrick Henry College — all notable for their advancement of Christian nationalism. The settlement Farris is proposing with Acting IRS Commissioner Steve Bessent would declare that the Johnson Amendment is unconstitutional and prohibit the government from enforcing the rule. This would effectively neuter a crucial safeguard and turn American churches into unregulated, unaccountable Super PACs. It could make Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court decision that gave wealthy donors and corporations enormous political influence, look tame by comparison. For all the venom directed at the Johnson Amendment, it’s pretty simple: Charitable giving should fund charitable work, not political campaigns. Nonprofits, including churches, are eligible for tax exemptions. Tax exemption is a privilege, not a right. And the government can attach strings to that privilege. One string is the Johnson Amendment. It prevents 501(c)(3) charities from endorsing or opposing political candidates. That’s it.
(Rolling Stone 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
A vocal Christian nationalist minority has been working for two decades to overturn a vital federal law that safeguards our democracy and elections. After countless failures, they may finally succeed by colluding with Donald Trump’s government. A federal court is hearing arguments on Tuesday about whether to approve a settlement between Trump’s IRS and two churches represented by Michael Farris, who sued the IRS, arguing that religious freedom means churches should be able to use their tax exemptions to benefit partisan political campaigns. Farris is a fervent Christian nationalist. He’s the former head of the Alliance Defending Freedom and founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association and also Patrick Henry College — all notable for their advancement of Christian nationalism. The settlement Farris is proposing with Acting IRS Commissioner Steve Bessent would declare that the Johnson Amendment is unconstitutional and prohibit the government from enforcing the rule. This would effectively neuter a crucial safeguard and turn American churches into unregulated, unaccountable Super PACs. It could make Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court decision that gave wealthy donors and corporations enormous political influence, look tame by comparison. For all the venom directed at the Johnson Amendment, it’s pretty simple: Charitable giving should fund charitable work, not political campaigns. Nonprofits, including churches, are eligible for tax exemptions. Tax exemption is a privilege, not a right. And the government can attach strings to that privilege. One string is the Johnson Amendment. It prevents 501(c)(3) charities from endorsing or opposing political candidates. That’s it.
(Rolling Stone 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
To Assure, Not Persuade: A Review of Why Christians Should be Leftists
In our digital age, it is not uncommon to track one’s reading through various social media tools, the most common of which is probably Amazon-owned Goodreads. Ideally, these tools should be ways of discovering new book recommendations from people whose opinions and taste you trust. I expect at least some of my “friends” on Goodreads, though, would scratch their heads at the title of Phil Christman’s Why Christians Should Be Leftists. This book is, by its title and nature, designed to provoke. Among those Americans who self-identify as Christian, most also identify as Republican or as Republican-leaning, excepting Black Protestant Christians, among whom 84% identify as Democrat or Democrat-leaning. This is not to say anything about how Christians ought to vote or identify, just to observe a current statistical fact: to suggest that “Christians should be leftists” is to propose something at odds with the majority of American Christians and their expressed political intuitions. This consensus doesn’t prove that Christians should lean toward the American right, but this background simply helps establish that Christman has presented a provocative book.
(Front Porch Republic 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
In our digital age, it is not uncommon to track one’s reading through various social media tools, the most common of which is probably Amazon-owned Goodreads. Ideally, these tools should be ways of discovering new book recommendations from people whose opinions and taste you trust. I expect at least some of my “friends” on Goodreads, though, would scratch their heads at the title of Phil Christman’s Why Christians Should Be Leftists. This book is, by its title and nature, designed to provoke. Among those Americans who self-identify as Christian, most also identify as Republican or as Republican-leaning, excepting Black Protestant Christians, among whom 84% identify as Democrat or Democrat-leaning. This is not to say anything about how Christians ought to vote or identify, just to observe a current statistical fact: to suggest that “Christians should be leftists” is to propose something at odds with the majority of American Christians and their expressed political intuitions. This consensus doesn’t prove that Christians should lean toward the American right, but this background simply helps establish that Christman has presented a provocative book.
(Front Porch Republic 11/24/25) READMORE>>>>
November 23, 2025:
Modern Americanism
Zorek
Modern Americanism speaks often of its devotion to the “rule of law,” as though legality were the highest expression of civilization. Yet Paul, and even Plato, understood that law is not the end goal of order but its teacher. Law restrains the immature; wisdom governs the mature. A civilization that confuses those stages mistakes discipline for virtue and bureaucracy for justice.
Making Law supreme reverses the covenantal structure of Scripture. Paul calls the law a teacher who supervises a child until he comes of age (Gal. 3:24–25). The law instructs, corrects, and limits, but it can't give life. It belongs to humanity’s minority, the stage before sonship.
Both Paul & Plato agreed that civic law was an educational device—external rules for souls not yet ruled by reason. Both saw law as a maze of complexities. Neither imagined that the highest form of government would be a labyrinth of statutes. This is why the gospel fulfills rather than abolishes the law. Civic harmony remains, but its foundation shifts from external command to internal communion.
Without the Incarnation’s renewal of man, law becomes an empty shell—an elaborate procedure guarding a moral vacuum. The rule of law endures only so long as there remains men capable of ruling themselves. And if reached, historically, is very temporal.
The tragedy of the modern Americanism is that it has enthroned its strict schoolmaster much longer than it should have been necessary. Having lost faith in the existence of wise men, it now calls the bureaucracy of process “virtue.” Law has become our substitute for sanctity. The law by itself never changes ones heart.
The law restrains from without; covenant faithfulness transforms from within. Once upon a time I presented this hypothesis to a group of Christians and drew from a particular subject which is dear to many Christians and the response would probably have been the same if I clubbed a baby seal or something. (I wont go into the subject because I don't want to debate it and lose sight of my focus here).
Law restrains the immature; wisdom governs the mature. The choice is always ours this side of eternity. Immaturity, however, regardless of how it's illustrated fails in the end.
Making Law supreme reverses the covenantal structure of Scripture. Paul calls the law a teacher who supervises a child until he comes of age (Gal. 3:24–25). The law instructs, corrects, and limits, but it can't give life. It belongs to humanity’s minority, the stage before sonship.
Both Paul & Plato agreed that civic law was an educational device—external rules for souls not yet ruled by reason. Both saw law as a maze of complexities. Neither imagined that the highest form of government would be a labyrinth of statutes. This is why the gospel fulfills rather than abolishes the law. Civic harmony remains, but its foundation shifts from external command to internal communion.
Without the Incarnation’s renewal of man, law becomes an empty shell—an elaborate procedure guarding a moral vacuum. The rule of law endures only so long as there remains men capable of ruling themselves. And if reached, historically, is very temporal.
The tragedy of the modern Americanism is that it has enthroned its strict schoolmaster much longer than it should have been necessary. Having lost faith in the existence of wise men, it now calls the bureaucracy of process “virtue.” Law has become our substitute for sanctity. The law by itself never changes ones heart.
The law restrains from without; covenant faithfulness transforms from within. Once upon a time I presented this hypothesis to a group of Christians and drew from a particular subject which is dear to many Christians and the response would probably have been the same if I clubbed a baby seal or something. (I wont go into the subject because I don't want to debate it and lose sight of my focus here).
Law restrains the immature; wisdom governs the mature. The choice is always ours this side of eternity. Immaturity, however, regardless of how it's illustrated fails in the end.
November 23, 2025:
INTERVIEW: ‘Disciples of White Jesus,’ Disciples of Trump
When seeking answers about evangelical Christian Right in America, Angela Denker hits the road. As a journalist, award-winning author and pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Denker is well positioned to find them. For her first book, Red State Christians: A Journey into White Christian Nationalism and the Wreckage It Leaves Behind (Broadleaf Books, 2022), Denker journeyed across America to talk to the Christians who helped elect Donald Trump in 2016. Along her travels—from a glitzy megachurch in Orange County, California to a rural farming community in Denker’s home state of Missouri—she found diversity in what many view as a monolith. (Bucks County Beacon; 11.23.25) READMORE>>>>>
When seeking answers about evangelical Christian Right in America, Angela Denker hits the road. As a journalist, award-winning author and pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Denker is well positioned to find them. For her first book, Red State Christians: A Journey into White Christian Nationalism and the Wreckage It Leaves Behind (Broadleaf Books, 2022), Denker journeyed across America to talk to the Christians who helped elect Donald Trump in 2016. Along her travels—from a glitzy megachurch in Orange County, California to a rural farming community in Denker’s home state of Missouri—she found diversity in what many view as a monolith. (Bucks County Beacon; 11.23.25) READMORE>>>>>
Who can tame Trump? An unlikely candidate is emerging: the Catholic church
The supreme court can’t do it – it’s packed with conservatives who owe him their jobs. Congress won’t do it – Republicans slavishly follow his orders, Democrats are ill-led and divided. For today’s White House, the concept of constitutional limits on executive power is a quaint relic. The news media, or sections of it, does its best amid constant legal threats. But, too often, they pay him off. Brave reporters who insist on asking awkward questions are insulted or silenced: “Quiet, piggy.” So who will tame Donald Trump? Who will halt his rolling constitutional coup – his ongoing evisceration of US democracy, civil rights, living standards, global reputation and moral integrity? Voters may try to indirectly rein him back in next November’s midterms (as they did recently in New York and elsewhere). But those elections are a year away. The emergency is today.
(The Guardian 11/23/25) READMORE>>>>
The supreme court can’t do it – it’s packed with conservatives who owe him their jobs. Congress won’t do it – Republicans slavishly follow his orders, Democrats are ill-led and divided. For today’s White House, the concept of constitutional limits on executive power is a quaint relic. The news media, or sections of it, does its best amid constant legal threats. But, too often, they pay him off. Brave reporters who insist on asking awkward questions are insulted or silenced: “Quiet, piggy.” So who will tame Donald Trump? Who will halt his rolling constitutional coup – his ongoing evisceration of US democracy, civil rights, living standards, global reputation and moral integrity? Voters may try to indirectly rein him back in next November’s midterms (as they did recently in New York and elsewhere). But those elections are a year away. The emergency is today.
(The Guardian 11/23/25) READMORE>>>>
November 22, 2025:
Christian school head teacher, parents spar over 'KPop Demon Hunters'
A Church of England primary school has told families to discourage their students from singing songs from a popular animated musical, citing concerns that the film’s demon-themed content conflicts with Christian values. The move has drawn criticism from parents who say the ban is unnecessary and unfair to children who enjoy the movie. Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, Dorset, recently issued guidance asking parents to speak to their children about not performing or singing songs from the Netflix hit “KPop Demon Hunters” during school hours, The Telegraph reported.
(Christian Post 11/22/25) READMORE>>>>
A Church of England primary school has told families to discourage their students from singing songs from a popular animated musical, citing concerns that the film’s demon-themed content conflicts with Christian values. The move has drawn criticism from parents who say the ban is unnecessary and unfair to children who enjoy the movie. Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, Dorset, recently issued guidance asking parents to speak to their children about not performing or singing songs from the Netflix hit “KPop Demon Hunters” during school hours, The Telegraph reported.
(Christian Post 11/22/25) READMORE>>>>
More than 300 taken from Nigeria school in one of worst mass abductions
More than 300 children and staff are thought to have been abducted from a Catholic school in Nigeria this week, one of the worst mass kidnappings ever recorded there. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said on Saturday it had raised its estimate of those taken from St Mary's School in Niger state on Friday to 315 from an earlier estimate of 227 following a "verification exercise". "This now makes it 303 students (and) ... 12 teachers, bringing the total number of abducted persons to 315," it said in a statement, adding the new figure included 88 students who had been captured as they tried to escape. (Reuters 11/22/25) READMORE>>>>
More than 300 children and staff are thought to have been abducted from a Catholic school in Nigeria this week, one of the worst mass kidnappings ever recorded there. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said on Saturday it had raised its estimate of those taken from St Mary's School in Niger state on Friday to 315 from an earlier estimate of 227 following a "verification exercise". "This now makes it 303 students (and) ... 12 teachers, bringing the total number of abducted persons to 315," it said in a statement, adding the new figure included 88 students who had been captured as they tried to escape. (Reuters 11/22/25) READMORE>>>>
Israel Pays Evangelicals with Trump Ties to Create Pro-Israel Content
A new foreign influence deal aims to shape American public opinion to be more pro-Israel by paying influencers hefty sums to post on social media. The American Conservative reveals that some of the first payments from the so-called Esther Project have been to evangelical Christian consultants, one with links to former Donald Trump aide Brad Parscale, who runs a right-wing media company that’s partially owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump. Other consultants paid by the firm come from a network of evangelical Christians in Trump’s orbit that have long been cultivated by the Israeli PR professional running the effort as a facet of maintaining support for Israel among American religious conservatives. The Esther Project is an influence campaign run by a company working for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the firm’s recent disclosure with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA.) The September filings from Bridges Partners LLC, which mapped out a well-funded campaign, sparked rampant speculation about which pro-Israel American social media influencers might receive thousands of dollars to create pro-Israel content, as American popular support for Israel’s actions in Palestine continues to wane. Two new, similar campaigns from Israel’s Foreign Ministry have also been launched in recent months. One will pay a California company to “geofence” attendees at Christian colleges and churches in Western U.S. states to deliver them pro-Israel ads. Another effort will give Brad Parscale $6 million to use predictive AI to create pro-Israel media for Gen Z audiences.
(American Conservative 11/22/25) READMORE>>>>
A new foreign influence deal aims to shape American public opinion to be more pro-Israel by paying influencers hefty sums to post on social media. The American Conservative reveals that some of the first payments from the so-called Esther Project have been to evangelical Christian consultants, one with links to former Donald Trump aide Brad Parscale, who runs a right-wing media company that’s partially owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump. Other consultants paid by the firm come from a network of evangelical Christians in Trump’s orbit that have long been cultivated by the Israeli PR professional running the effort as a facet of maintaining support for Israel among American religious conservatives. The Esther Project is an influence campaign run by a company working for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the firm’s recent disclosure with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA.) The September filings from Bridges Partners LLC, which mapped out a well-funded campaign, sparked rampant speculation about which pro-Israel American social media influencers might receive thousands of dollars to create pro-Israel content, as American popular support for Israel’s actions in Palestine continues to wane. Two new, similar campaigns from Israel’s Foreign Ministry have also been launched in recent months. One will pay a California company to “geofence” attendees at Christian colleges and churches in Western U.S. states to deliver them pro-Israel ads. Another effort will give Brad Parscale $6 million to use predictive AI to create pro-Israel media for Gen Z audiences.
(American Conservative 11/22/25) READMORE>>>>
November 21, 2025:
Christian pastor's daughter urges US lawmakers to help free her father in China
The daughter of a detained Chinese Christian pastor is urging U.S. lawmakers to help free her father at a time when President Donald Trump has vowed to “save our Great Christian population” worldwide. Appearing before a congressional panel Thursday, Grace Jin Drexel said her father, Ezra Jin Mingri, was formally charged this week along with 17 other leaders of the prominent underground Zion Church. They were detained in October in one of China's largest crackdowns on a single church in decades. It is among the largest churches that are unregistered with the Chinese authorities, defying restrictions from the officially atheist Communist Party requiring believers to worship only in registered congregations.
(Yahoo News 11/21/25) READMORE>>>>
The daughter of a detained Chinese Christian pastor is urging U.S. lawmakers to help free her father at a time when President Donald Trump has vowed to “save our Great Christian population” worldwide. Appearing before a congressional panel Thursday, Grace Jin Drexel said her father, Ezra Jin Mingri, was formally charged this week along with 17 other leaders of the prominent underground Zion Church. They were detained in October in one of China's largest crackdowns on a single church in decades. It is among the largest churches that are unregistered with the Chinese authorities, defying restrictions from the officially atheist Communist Party requiring believers to worship only in registered congregations.
(Yahoo News 11/21/25) READMORE>>>>
Time to retire the phrase 'Christian nationalism
Can everyone please stop talking about "Christian nationalism?" The phrase is way too polymorphous to be useful and all it does is exacerbate the disposition of believers to view liberals as their enemy, and to vote accordingly.
David Brooks, in an otherwise fine piece about how the partisan labels we use often convey a judgmental attitude, recently wrote "today we live in a political, cultural and religious war between two impoverished armies." The first of these "armies" are "Christian nationalists, who practice a debauched form of their faith. Christian nationalism is particular rather than universal. It is about protecting 'us' against ‘them' — the native versus the immigrant. It is about power more than love. It is about threat more than hope. It is rigid and pharisaical rather than personal and merciful." Take a break, pour yourself a cocktail, and relax Mr. Brooks. Yes, there are some people who exhibit these traits but why would he call them — and only them — "Christian nationalists?" As I have noted previously, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Christian nationalist. His vision of what the American nation should look like was grounded in and infused with his Christian values.
(National Catholic Register 11/21/25) READMORE>>>>
Can everyone please stop talking about "Christian nationalism?" The phrase is way too polymorphous to be useful and all it does is exacerbate the disposition of believers to view liberals as their enemy, and to vote accordingly.
David Brooks, in an otherwise fine piece about how the partisan labels we use often convey a judgmental attitude, recently wrote "today we live in a political, cultural and religious war between two impoverished armies." The first of these "armies" are "Christian nationalists, who practice a debauched form of their faith. Christian nationalism is particular rather than universal. It is about protecting 'us' against ‘them' — the native versus the immigrant. It is about power more than love. It is about threat more than hope. It is rigid and pharisaical rather than personal and merciful." Take a break, pour yourself a cocktail, and relax Mr. Brooks. Yes, there are some people who exhibit these traits but why would he call them — and only them — "Christian nationalists?" As I have noted previously, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Christian nationalist. His vision of what the American nation should look like was grounded in and infused with his Christian values.
(National Catholic Register 11/21/25) READMORE>>>>
Why did so many influential Jews dine with a murderer at the White House?
When you take your tux to the dry cleaners after a big state banquet, and you notice there is a blood stain on the cuff, do you have to pay extra for them to get it out? I’m asking because the White House held a black-tie dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The guest of honor was a man whom the CIA concluded ordered the cold-blooded, bone-saw murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Seated in the room were some of the most influential Jewish business leaders and philanthropists of our generation, including: Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone; Josh Harris, managing partner of the Washington Commanders; Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management; Neri Oxman, an American-Israeli designer; Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce; Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies; Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer; and David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance.
(Religion News Service 11/21/25) READMORE>>>>
When you take your tux to the dry cleaners after a big state banquet, and you notice there is a blood stain on the cuff, do you have to pay extra for them to get it out? I’m asking because the White House held a black-tie dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The guest of honor was a man whom the CIA concluded ordered the cold-blooded, bone-saw murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Seated in the room were some of the most influential Jewish business leaders and philanthropists of our generation, including: Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone; Josh Harris, managing partner of the Washington Commanders; Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management; Neri Oxman, an American-Israeli designer; Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce; Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies; Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer; and David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance.
(Religion News Service 11/21/25) READMORE>>>>
November 20, 2025:
Democrats urge Trump administration to keep banning churches from endorsing politicians
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and 12 other Democrats sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging him not to pursue a proposed legal agreement that would allow some churches to endorse political candidates.
The letter, which was sent to Bessent on Thursday (Nov. 20), focused on an ongoing legal case concerning a provision to the United States tax code that bars nonprofits from being involved in political campaigns. Last year, the National Religious Broadcasters and a pair of Texas churches filed a lawsuit challenging the statute, known as the Johnson Amendment, arguing that the Internal Revenue Service ignores political activity of some charities and threatens to punish others. The Trump administration proposed a settlement in July that would allow pastors to endorse from the pulpit. Endorsing from the pulpit during a worship service, lawyers for the IRS argued, is not intervening or participating in an election.
(Religion News 11/20/25) READMORE>>>>
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and 12 other Democrats sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging him not to pursue a proposed legal agreement that would allow some churches to endorse political candidates.
The letter, which was sent to Bessent on Thursday (Nov. 20), focused on an ongoing legal case concerning a provision to the United States tax code that bars nonprofits from being involved in political campaigns. Last year, the National Religious Broadcasters and a pair of Texas churches filed a lawsuit challenging the statute, known as the Johnson Amendment, arguing that the Internal Revenue Service ignores political activity of some charities and threatens to punish others. The Trump administration proposed a settlement in July that would allow pastors to endorse from the pulpit. Endorsing from the pulpit during a worship service, lawyers for the IRS argued, is not intervening or participating in an election.
(Religion News 11/20/25) READMORE>>>>
Christ the Christian Nationalist Sunday?
On Thursday (Nov. 13), the Michigan House of Representatives passed a resolution to officially declare Nov. 23 as “Christ the King Sunday” in the Mitten State. The resolution, which passed without debate on a voice vote that did not seem to draw any opposition, declares that the lawmakers “honor and acknowledge Christ’s Kingship within every aspect of life.”
(Baptist News Global 11/20/25) READMORE>>>>
On Thursday (Nov. 13), the Michigan House of Representatives passed a resolution to officially declare Nov. 23 as “Christ the King Sunday” in the Mitten State. The resolution, which passed without debate on a voice vote that did not seem to draw any opposition, declares that the lawmakers “honor and acknowledge Christ’s Kingship within every aspect of life.”
(Baptist News Global 11/20/25) READMORE>>>>
WCC general secretary: “WCC is being looked at as a source of strength and support”
In a report to the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee, WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay offered an overview of the many ecumenical commemorations and celebrations in 2025, which led to a fulfilling year of ecumenical visibility, vitality, unity, and strength. The WCC executive committee is convening in Hangzhou, China from 20-25 November, at the invitation of the China Christian Council. Pillay also acknowledged that the WCC continues its work in a very challenging time. “Globally, we see a troubling rise in authoritarianism, with shrinking civic space, disinformation, and threats to basic freedoms,” said Pillay. “Yet, in this regression, young people are standing up with courage and creativity, demanding truth and justice.” Pillay acknowledged that it is unfortunate that so many countries are facing conflicts, challenges, and crises at different levels. “While nations pursue political ambitions, the climate crisis deepens,” he said. “We continue to call for a transformation of hearts and systems.”
(World Council of Churches 11/20/25) READMORE>>>>
In a report to the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee, WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay offered an overview of the many ecumenical commemorations and celebrations in 2025, which led to a fulfilling year of ecumenical visibility, vitality, unity, and strength. The WCC executive committee is convening in Hangzhou, China from 20-25 November, at the invitation of the China Christian Council. Pillay also acknowledged that the WCC continues its work in a very challenging time. “Globally, we see a troubling rise in authoritarianism, with shrinking civic space, disinformation, and threats to basic freedoms,” said Pillay. “Yet, in this regression, young people are standing up with courage and creativity, demanding truth and justice.” Pillay acknowledged that it is unfortunate that so many countries are facing conflicts, challenges, and crises at different levels. “While nations pursue political ambitions, the climate crisis deepens,” he said. “We continue to call for a transformation of hearts and systems.”
(World Council of Churches 11/20/25) READMORE>>>>
November 19, 2025:
Let’s get this one thing clear
When I talk with conservative friends about immigration in America, the line I most often hear justifying President Donald Trump’s deportation bonanza is that all these people are criminals by virtue of being here without authorization. This reminds me of why my mother never learned to swim: Her father insisted she could not swim because she had not taken swim lessons. But in order to take swim lessons, you have to get in the water. He set up a no-win demand that kept her out of the pool her entire life. The United States has a broken immigration system that both Republicans and Democrats have refused to address even when they have had the power to do so unilaterally. The broken system benefits both parties politically. That’s cynical and disgusting. (Baptist News Global; 11/21/25) READMORE>>>>
When I talk with conservative friends about immigration in America, the line I most often hear justifying President Donald Trump’s deportation bonanza is that all these people are criminals by virtue of being here without authorization. This reminds me of why my mother never learned to swim: Her father insisted she could not swim because she had not taken swim lessons. But in order to take swim lessons, you have to get in the water. He set up a no-win demand that kept her out of the pool her entire life. The United States has a broken immigration system that both Republicans and Democrats have refused to address even when they have had the power to do so unilaterally. The broken system benefits both parties politically. That’s cynical and disgusting. (Baptist News Global; 11/21/25) READMORE>>>>
Nicki Minaj supports contested Trump claim Christians being persecuted in Nigeria
Award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj has publicly backed President Donald Trump's allegations that Christians face persecution in Nigeria. "In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted," Minaj said on Tuesday at an event organised by the US, adding: "Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart... simply because of how they pray." Analysts say that jihadists and other armed groups have waged campaigns of violence that affect all communities in the West African nation, regardless of background or belief. This week alone, two people were killed in an attack on a church in Kwara, while a group of 25 girls, who the BBC has been told are Muslim, were abducted from a school.
(BBC; 11/19/25) READMORE>>>>
Award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj has publicly backed President Donald Trump's allegations that Christians face persecution in Nigeria. "In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted," Minaj said on Tuesday at an event organised by the US, adding: "Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart... simply because of how they pray." Analysts say that jihadists and other armed groups have waged campaigns of violence that affect all communities in the West African nation, regardless of background or belief. This week alone, two people were killed in an attack on a church in Kwara, while a group of 25 girls, who the BBC has been told are Muslim, were abducted from a school.
(BBC; 11/19/25) READMORE>>>>
Christianity Today Appoints Dr. Nicole Martin as President & CEO
The Christianity Today Board of Directors has unanimously elected Dr. Nicole Massie Martin as its next President and CEO during its annual fall meeting. Dr. Martin has more than 25 years of nonprofit, academic, ministry leadership, and church engagement experience. She has served at CT since 2023 as Chief Impact Officer and most recently Chief Operating Officer. With the help of the firm Carter Baldwin Executive Search, the CT Board of Directors chose Dr. Martin after an extensive five-month search that included a global pool of 130 candidates. The search committee unanimously recommended Dr. Martin to the full board, which affirmed her appointment to replace the previous President and CEO Timothy Dalrymple. Thomas Addington, who served as Interim President since May, will remain at CT as Chief Operating Officer.
Dr. Martin graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University and worked as a business analyst for Deloitte. She earned a Master of Divinity degree at Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where she was also an Adjunct Professor of Ministry and Leadership Development.
(Christianity Today; 11/19/25) READMORE>>>>
The Christianity Today Board of Directors has unanimously elected Dr. Nicole Massie Martin as its next President and CEO during its annual fall meeting. Dr. Martin has more than 25 years of nonprofit, academic, ministry leadership, and church engagement experience. She has served at CT since 2023 as Chief Impact Officer and most recently Chief Operating Officer. With the help of the firm Carter Baldwin Executive Search, the CT Board of Directors chose Dr. Martin after an extensive five-month search that included a global pool of 130 candidates. The search committee unanimously recommended Dr. Martin to the full board, which affirmed her appointment to replace the previous President and CEO Timothy Dalrymple. Thomas Addington, who served as Interim President since May, will remain at CT as Chief Operating Officer.
Dr. Martin graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University and worked as a business analyst for Deloitte. She earned a Master of Divinity degree at Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where she was also an Adjunct Professor of Ministry and Leadership Development.
(Christianity Today; 11/19/25) READMORE>>>>
November 18, 2025:
Christ the Christian Nationalist Sunday?
On Thursday (Nov. 13), the Michigan House of Representatives passed a resolution to officially declare Nov. 23 as “Christ the King Sunday” in the Mitten State. The resolution, which passed without debate on a voice vote that did not seem to draw any opposition, declares that the lawmakers “honor and acknowledge Christ’s Kingship within every aspect of life.” “We encourage Michiganders to join in reflection, service, and acts of kindness that honor the moral and spiritual values exemplified by Christ the King,” the resolution adds. The resolution also quotes Daniel 7:14, but with an edit to insert the word “Christ” into the verse written centuries before the birth of Jesus. The passage declares that the “son of man” will have “dominion” over all nations.
(A Public Witness 11/18/25) READMORE>>>>
On Thursday (Nov. 13), the Michigan House of Representatives passed a resolution to officially declare Nov. 23 as “Christ the King Sunday” in the Mitten State. The resolution, which passed without debate on a voice vote that did not seem to draw any opposition, declares that the lawmakers “honor and acknowledge Christ’s Kingship within every aspect of life.” “We encourage Michiganders to join in reflection, service, and acts of kindness that honor the moral and spiritual values exemplified by Christ the King,” the resolution adds. The resolution also quotes Daniel 7:14, but with an edit to insert the word “Christ” into the verse written centuries before the birth of Jesus. The passage declares that the “son of man” will have “dominion” over all nations.
(A Public Witness 11/18/25) READMORE>>>>
November 17, 2025:
The Ku Klux Klan once ruled Indiana. Is its rhetoric returning?
When D.C. Stephenson ascended to the top ranks of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, he did so by peddling nationalism and the exclusion of others ― and frequently spreading his message through churches. Stephenson, the Klan's Grand Dragon, had amassed political currency to become the most powerful man in Indiana at the time. He entertained judges and politicians, used money to influence state legislators and even had a hand in the election of former Republican Indiana Gov. Ed Jackson, whom the Klan endorsed.
And all the while, Stephenson proclaimed the absolute superiority of Christianity and the White race. (Indy Star 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
When D.C. Stephenson ascended to the top ranks of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, he did so by peddling nationalism and the exclusion of others ― and frequently spreading his message through churches. Stephenson, the Klan's Grand Dragon, had amassed political currency to become the most powerful man in Indiana at the time. He entertained judges and politicians, used money to influence state legislators and even had a hand in the election of former Republican Indiana Gov. Ed Jackson, whom the Klan endorsed.
And all the while, Stephenson proclaimed the absolute superiority of Christianity and the White race. (Indy Star 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
More Americans than ever attend nondenominational churches. Experts say it's a major shift in U.S. Christianity.
At Rooftop Church, just outside St. Louis, Missouri, it's not collars and frocks — it's baseball caps and jeans. Head pastor Matt Herndon sets the tone on Sundays. "When a lot of people come in, they do notice some things that maybe they wouldn't see at other churches, [like] oh that's strange, he's wearing a hat. Oh, we just watched a video clip from 'Beauty and the Beast,'" Herndon said. "We really do want to engage with people in a way that they can understand and lean into." Rooftop is one of an estimated 40,000 nondenominational Christian churches in the U.S., meaning its teachings are rooted in the Bible, but it's an independent house of worship. What Herndon launched in a community center nearly 25 years ago now attracts as many as 600 people to its seats in any given week.
(CBS News 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
At Rooftop Church, just outside St. Louis, Missouri, it's not collars and frocks — it's baseball caps and jeans. Head pastor Matt Herndon sets the tone on Sundays. "When a lot of people come in, they do notice some things that maybe they wouldn't see at other churches, [like] oh that's strange, he's wearing a hat. Oh, we just watched a video clip from 'Beauty and the Beast,'" Herndon said. "We really do want to engage with people in a way that they can understand and lean into." Rooftop is one of an estimated 40,000 nondenominational Christian churches in the U.S., meaning its teachings are rooted in the Bible, but it's an independent house of worship. What Herndon launched in a community center nearly 25 years ago now attracts as many as 600 people to its seats in any given week.
(CBS News 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
Israeli settlers torch West Bank village as Israel begins a busy diplomatic week
Israeli settlers on Monday rampaged through a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, torching homes and cars in the latest in a string of settler attacks in recent weeks. The violence drew a rare condemnation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top leaders. Israel’s military said soldiers and police were sent to al-Jab’a, a small village southwest of Bethlehem, after reports of fires and vandalism. The attack came hours after clashes between Israeli security forces and settlers defending an unauthorized outpost on a nearby hill facing evacuation and demolition on Monday, according to COGAT, the Israeli military body that deals with civilians in the West Bank. Israeli police said earlier that six suspects were arrested in confrontations during the demolitions, where dozens of Israeli settlers were entrenched and hundreds rioted, throwing stones and metal bars and burning tires. (Associated Press 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
Israeli settlers on Monday rampaged through a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, torching homes and cars in the latest in a string of settler attacks in recent weeks. The violence drew a rare condemnation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top leaders. Israel’s military said soldiers and police were sent to al-Jab’a, a small village southwest of Bethlehem, after reports of fires and vandalism. The attack came hours after clashes between Israeli security forces and settlers defending an unauthorized outpost on a nearby hill facing evacuation and demolition on Monday, according to COGAT, the Israeli military body that deals with civilians in the West Bank. Israeli police said earlier that six suspects were arrested in confrontations during the demolitions, where dozens of Israeli settlers were entrenched and hundreds rioted, throwing stones and metal bars and burning tires. (Associated Press 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
The Bible says MAGA is wrong, pastor argues
A video posted by Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines, senior minister of the University Christian Church in San Diego, is getting attention for his refutation of conservative policy preferences that right-wingers often tout as being based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Lines discussed various issues, including termination of pregnancies, “cancel culture” (the Bible, according to Lines, says that people should accept correction from others), and gender. On that last one, he says that the Bible says that gender identity is secondary to identity as a Christian, so focusing on performing masculinity, as many on the right do, is not something that the Bible requires of followers.
(LGBTQ Nation 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
A video posted by Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines, senior minister of the University Christian Church in San Diego, is getting attention for his refutation of conservative policy preferences that right-wingers often tout as being based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Lines discussed various issues, including termination of pregnancies, “cancel culture” (the Bible, according to Lines, says that people should accept correction from others), and gender. On that last one, he says that the Bible says that gender identity is secondary to identity as a Christian, so focusing on performing masculinity, as many on the right do, is not something that the Bible requires of followers.
(LGBTQ Nation 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson: What is ‘Too Black’?
I have spent most of my adult life dealing with people who look like me telling me that I was “too Black,” or “too pro-Black.” This has come from mostly Black people who were uninformed about their faith and/or duped by White people who convinced them that whiteness was the standard to aspire to in their faith and their Blackness was to be either diminished or erased. This notion of a person being too much of how God made them has been trending on social media lately. Somebody posted, “Don’t be so pro-Black that you become anti-Christ.” Biblical and social brainwashing is real. Let me first remind the people who look like me what a large segment of White Christian nationalists and White evangelicals think about them. A Utah pastor by the name of Brian Sauvé said—and I paraphrase from a podcast—that “Black people would be welcome to join his church as long as they did not practice Black culture.” He further stated that “Black culture is evil, murderous, violent, and bestial; Black culture people steal, kill, destroy, and they look like Satan. Black culture people are sinful to the core, have a high rate of fatherlessness, sexual immorality, and molest children at high rates.” He then said that “in every criminal statistic, Black culture people excel.”
(New Pittsburgh Courier 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
I have spent most of my adult life dealing with people who look like me telling me that I was “too Black,” or “too pro-Black.” This has come from mostly Black people who were uninformed about their faith and/or duped by White people who convinced them that whiteness was the standard to aspire to in their faith and their Blackness was to be either diminished or erased. This notion of a person being too much of how God made them has been trending on social media lately. Somebody posted, “Don’t be so pro-Black that you become anti-Christ.” Biblical and social brainwashing is real. Let me first remind the people who look like me what a large segment of White Christian nationalists and White evangelicals think about them. A Utah pastor by the name of Brian Sauvé said—and I paraphrase from a podcast—that “Black people would be welcome to join his church as long as they did not practice Black culture.” He further stated that “Black culture is evil, murderous, violent, and bestial; Black culture people steal, kill, destroy, and they look like Satan. Black culture people are sinful to the core, have a high rate of fatherlessness, sexual immorality, and molest children at high rates.” He then said that “in every criminal statistic, Black culture people excel.”
(New Pittsburgh Courier 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
Baptist reverend: Christian nationalism targets schools
The separation of church and state is under attack, according to a local Baptist reverend. Dr. Rev. Brian Kaylor, a Jefferson City native and the current chairman of the Baptist World Alliance's resolutions committee, shared that belief at his lecture, "The Intersection of Faith and Politics," Sunday afternoon at the Missouri... (News Tribune 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
The separation of church and state is under attack, according to a local Baptist reverend. Dr. Rev. Brian Kaylor, a Jefferson City native and the current chairman of the Baptist World Alliance's resolutions committee, shared that belief at his lecture, "The Intersection of Faith and Politics," Sunday afternoon at the Missouri... (News Tribune 11/17/25) READMORE>>>>
November 16, 2025:
‘Leading voices on American right embracing antisemitism’ as Christian support for Israel erodes
For many years, the Republican Party in the United States was considered firmly pro-Israel. But in recent days, the party has faced an internal uproar over what appears to be a troubling rise in antisemitic currents within its institutions. Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, one of the most influential conservative think tanks, defended controversial right-wing broadcaster Tucker Carlson after Carlson interviewed white supremacist Nick Fuentes and provided a platform for statements such as “we must fight organized global Judaism,” while also mocking pro-Israel Christians.
(Living a Holy Adventure 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
For many years, the Republican Party in the United States was considered firmly pro-Israel. But in recent days, the party has faced an internal uproar over what appears to be a troubling rise in antisemitic currents within its institutions. Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, one of the most influential conservative think tanks, defended controversial right-wing broadcaster Tucker Carlson after Carlson interviewed white supremacist Nick Fuentes and provided a platform for statements such as “we must fight organized global Judaism,” while also mocking pro-Israel Christians.
(Living a Holy Adventure 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
Celebrating the Reign of Christ – Lectionary November 23
Where does “Christ the King” or “The Reign of Christ” Sunday fit in the wake of our recent “No King’s Day?” Can we speak of divine kings or sovereigns without privileging narrow understandings of Christianity or authoritarian understandings of the interplay of faith and politics? On the last Sunday of the Christian year, the Season of Pentecost, beginning with the coming of God’s Spirit in its fullness and for all people on the Feast of Pentecost, will conclude with an affirmation of the universality of Christ’s sovereignty and grace. God’s power and presence is universal and life-transforming. Indeed, there is no king or sovereign but Christ. Christ is our spiritual king and not any secular leader. The Reign of Christ is a curious holy day for a variety of reasons. In a pluralistic age, the image Christ the King, or the Reign of Christ, is anachronistic to many persons, including members of progressive churches and their pastors. Most of our congregants – and the pastor themself– no longer believe that Christ is the only way to salvation and that all other paths are false. We have rejected rightfully the notion of the “one true church,” still clung too by traditionalists of all flavors, whether it relates to a particular Christian denomination or Christian exceptionalism. Moreover, most mainstream and progressive preachers and their congregants recognize saving wisdom outside our own faith tradition. Further, we are skeptical of theologies that identify God with unilateral power, domineering sovereignty, or militaristic expansionism, recognizing that authoritarian visions of God inspire authoritarian political leadership. In addition, we struggle with patriarchal images of God and Christ often cited in these passages. Beyond that, there is little evidence that Christ is the world’s “king,” whether in USA politics where the way of Jesus has been eclipsed by the politics of power and cruelty or the economic gods of progress and profit.
(Living a Holy Adventure 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
Where does “Christ the King” or “The Reign of Christ” Sunday fit in the wake of our recent “No King’s Day?” Can we speak of divine kings or sovereigns without privileging narrow understandings of Christianity or authoritarian understandings of the interplay of faith and politics? On the last Sunday of the Christian year, the Season of Pentecost, beginning with the coming of God’s Spirit in its fullness and for all people on the Feast of Pentecost, will conclude with an affirmation of the universality of Christ’s sovereignty and grace. God’s power and presence is universal and life-transforming. Indeed, there is no king or sovereign but Christ. Christ is our spiritual king and not any secular leader. The Reign of Christ is a curious holy day for a variety of reasons. In a pluralistic age, the image Christ the King, or the Reign of Christ, is anachronistic to many persons, including members of progressive churches and their pastors. Most of our congregants – and the pastor themself– no longer believe that Christ is the only way to salvation and that all other paths are false. We have rejected rightfully the notion of the “one true church,” still clung too by traditionalists of all flavors, whether it relates to a particular Christian denomination or Christian exceptionalism. Moreover, most mainstream and progressive preachers and their congregants recognize saving wisdom outside our own faith tradition. Further, we are skeptical of theologies that identify God with unilateral power, domineering sovereignty, or militaristic expansionism, recognizing that authoritarian visions of God inspire authoritarian political leadership. In addition, we struggle with patriarchal images of God and Christ often cited in these passages. Beyond that, there is little evidence that Christ is the world’s “king,” whether in USA politics where the way of Jesus has been eclipsed by the politics of power and cruelty or the economic gods of progress and profit.
(Living a Holy Adventure 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
'Poisonous to the church': Ex-Republican highlights pope's reluctant stand against Trump
Pope Leo XIV doesn't want to be the anti-Donald Trump but he is, according to a conservative Sunday. New York Times columnist David French, a former writer for the conservative National Review, wrote an article on Sunday called, "Pope Leo Doesn’t Want to Be the Anti-Trump. But He Is," in which he argues that "the path past Trumpism is beginning to emerge." Clarifying that statement, the columnist argued, "I did not and do not mean that the pope will somehow enable the defeat of any particular politician or program at the ballot box."
(Raw Story 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
Pope Leo XIV doesn't want to be the anti-Donald Trump but he is, according to a conservative Sunday. New York Times columnist David French, a former writer for the conservative National Review, wrote an article on Sunday called, "Pope Leo Doesn’t Want to Be the Anti-Trump. But He Is," in which he argues that "the path past Trumpism is beginning to emerge." Clarifying that statement, the columnist argued, "I did not and do not mean that the pope will somehow enable the defeat of any particular politician or program at the ballot box."
(Raw Story 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
On Rejecting Unjust Systems
Before I begin, I acknowledge that the ideas in this post do not have full consensus, though a number of prominent theologians have proposed ways to understand Jesus’s mission that are similar to the language in this post. And based on my experience within the modern LDS church what follows doesn’t get too much airtime in church meetings (local or church-wide). I think that’s because, as a people, we are primarily focused on personal piety—things like daily prayer or temple attendance—or because… well… what I’m about to suggest is hard. But, in my view the reality is this: central to the Christian charge is the requirement to actively resist, work against, and reject systems of oppression, violence, and exploitation (and the ideologies upon which they are built). It’s easy to skip over the fact that Jesus wasn’t a teacher who primarily focused individual orthodoxy. Nor was Jesus a teacher who suggested that his message should be the basis of civil government. Rather, in a way that echoes many of the prophets which preceded him (Jeremiah, Amos, Isaiah, etc.), Jesus actively and intentionally critiqued, undermined, and challenged those who sought to secure (or maintain) for themselves wealth, prestige, status, or power. But even more, Jesus didn’t just condemn the fact of inequity—he didn’t just condemn that there were ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’—he also condemned the systems in which such inequity was created and allowed to persist and he decried those who enforced these structures in order to maintain their privilege. (Politico 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
Before I begin, I acknowledge that the ideas in this post do not have full consensus, though a number of prominent theologians have proposed ways to understand Jesus’s mission that are similar to the language in this post. And based on my experience within the modern LDS church what follows doesn’t get too much airtime in church meetings (local or church-wide). I think that’s because, as a people, we are primarily focused on personal piety—things like daily prayer or temple attendance—or because… well… what I’m about to suggest is hard. But, in my view the reality is this: central to the Christian charge is the requirement to actively resist, work against, and reject systems of oppression, violence, and exploitation (and the ideologies upon which they are built). It’s easy to skip over the fact that Jesus wasn’t a teacher who primarily focused individual orthodoxy. Nor was Jesus a teacher who suggested that his message should be the basis of civil government. Rather, in a way that echoes many of the prophets which preceded him (Jeremiah, Amos, Isaiah, etc.), Jesus actively and intentionally critiqued, undermined, and challenged those who sought to secure (or maintain) for themselves wealth, prestige, status, or power. But even more, Jesus didn’t just condemn the fact of inequity—he didn’t just condemn that there were ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’—he also condemned the systems in which such inequity was created and allowed to persist and he decried those who enforced these structures in order to maintain their privilege. (Politico 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
Israeli leader insists there can be no Palestinian state
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state, a day before the U.N. Security Council planned to vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence. Netanyahu has long asserted that creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and eventually lead to an even larger Hamas-run state on Israel’s borders. But as the U.S. attempts to push forward with its Gaza ceasefire proposal, he faces heavy international pressure to show flexibility. The Security Council is expected to vote on a U.S. proposal for a U.N. mandate that would establish an international stabilization force in Gaza despite opposition from Russia, China and some Arab countries. (Politico 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state, a day before the U.N. Security Council planned to vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence. Netanyahu has long asserted that creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and eventually lead to an even larger Hamas-run state on Israel’s borders. But as the U.S. attempts to push forward with its Gaza ceasefire proposal, he faces heavy international pressure to show flexibility. The Security Council is expected to vote on a U.S. proposal for a U.N. mandate that would establish an international stabilization force in Gaza despite opposition from Russia, China and some Arab countries. (Politico 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
Evangelicals won’t join Nov. 16-18 rallies
The Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) distanced itself from the planned November 16–18 rallies, urging the public to avoid activities that could destabilize the government and instead pursue peaceful, lawful means of expressing grievances. In a statement released on Saturday, November 15, the PCEC emphasized its commitment to thorough, impartial investigations conducted within the bounds of the law.“We uphold the importance of constitutional order and do not endorse any attempt to forcibly remove the elected President. It is essential that all citizens recognize and respect the authority vested in the Constitution and seek reform through peaceful and lawful means,” the statement read.
(Manila Standard 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
The Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) distanced itself from the planned November 16–18 rallies, urging the public to avoid activities that could destabilize the government and instead pursue peaceful, lawful means of expressing grievances. In a statement released on Saturday, November 15, the PCEC emphasized its commitment to thorough, impartial investigations conducted within the bounds of the law.“We uphold the importance of constitutional order and do not endorse any attempt to forcibly remove the elected President. It is essential that all citizens recognize and respect the authority vested in the Constitution and seek reform through peaceful and lawful means,” the statement read.
(Manila Standard 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
Taxing the churches won’t stop Christian nationalism
TikToker Nikalie Monroe has gone viral in recent weeks for a series of videos she billed as a “social experiment.” The study, such as it was, involved calling churches — and at least one mosque — and asking for help. Monroe pretended to have lost her Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the government shutdown, and was struggling to feed her baby. (While she has said she is the mother of an eight-year-old, Monroe doesn’t have an infant.) “I have a two-month-old baby,” she said in one call. “And I ran out of formula last night. I was wanting to see if y’all could help with formula.” According to her tally, approximately a quarter of the churches she contacted offered her direct aid, the only response Monroe was willing to count as having volunteered assistance. Churches that referred her to food banks or resource centers, including some with which they had partnerships, were considered to have refused help.
(Salon 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
TikToker Nikalie Monroe has gone viral in recent weeks for a series of videos she billed as a “social experiment.” The study, such as it was, involved calling churches — and at least one mosque — and asking for help. Monroe pretended to have lost her Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the government shutdown, and was struggling to feed her baby. (While she has said she is the mother of an eight-year-old, Monroe doesn’t have an infant.) “I have a two-month-old baby,” she said in one call. “And I ran out of formula last night. I was wanting to see if y’all could help with formula.” According to her tally, approximately a quarter of the churches she contacted offered her direct aid, the only response Monroe was willing to count as having volunteered assistance. Churches that referred her to food banks or resource centers, including some with which they had partnerships, were considered to have refused help.
(Salon 11/16/25) READMORE>>>>
November 15, 2025:
Telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu
Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu. There was a detailed exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East, including the recent developments in the Gaza Strip in light of the agreement on ceasefire and exchange of detained persons being implemented, the state of affairs surrounding Iran's nuclear programme, and issues concerning encouragement of further stabilisation in Syria.(President of Russia 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu. There was a detailed exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East, including the recent developments in the Gaza Strip in light of the agreement on ceasefire and exchange of detained persons being implemented, the state of affairs surrounding Iran's nuclear programme, and issues concerning encouragement of further stabilisation in Syria.(President of Russia 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
St. Albert the Great: Dominican, Philosopher, Scientist
St. Thomas Aquinas is one of the most celebrated Western theologians and philosophers in history. His writings have been monumental in developing and cementing Catholic teaching and doctrine. One of the biggest influences on "The Angelic Doctor's" life was his teacher and fellow Doctor of the Church St. Albert the Great, who the Church celebrates on Nov. 15. St. Albert the Great, also called Albertus Magnus, was born in Bavaria to a wealthy German family around the year 1200. He took to philosophy at a young age and studied the works of Aristotle at the University of Padua. One account says that in his early 20's, he received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary who told him to join the Dominican Order, which he did. (Nashville Catholic 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
St. Thomas Aquinas is one of the most celebrated Western theologians and philosophers in history. His writings have been monumental in developing and cementing Catholic teaching and doctrine. One of the biggest influences on "The Angelic Doctor's" life was his teacher and fellow Doctor of the Church St. Albert the Great, who the Church celebrates on Nov. 15. St. Albert the Great, also called Albertus Magnus, was born in Bavaria to a wealthy German family around the year 1200. He took to philosophy at a young age and studied the works of Aristotle at the University of Padua. One account says that in his early 20's, he received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary who told him to join the Dominican Order, which he did. (Nashville Catholic 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
Things MAGA Christians Can Pray About In Church This Sunday
If you’re a professed Christian currently still supporting this President and this Administration, and you’re on your way to church on Sunday, here are a few things you might talk with God about in between the songs and sermons: Pray about the tens of millions of sick, elderly, and poor who are slowly being suffocated, driven to poverty and illness and starvation, as your President sabotages the Affordable Care Act and SNAP programs; literally taking life-giving, life-saving care from those least able to procure it. Pray about Latino human beings who are being violently and indiscriminately persecuted by this President for no other reason than their appearance or their nation of origin or their language; mothers ripped from their children, fathers disappeared from their workplaces, college students abducted from their campuses. (The Beautiful Mess 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
If you’re a professed Christian currently still supporting this President and this Administration, and you’re on your way to church on Sunday, here are a few things you might talk with God about in between the songs and sermons: Pray about the tens of millions of sick, elderly, and poor who are slowly being suffocated, driven to poverty and illness and starvation, as your President sabotages the Affordable Care Act and SNAP programs; literally taking life-giving, life-saving care from those least able to procure it. Pray about Latino human beings who are being violently and indiscriminately persecuted by this President for no other reason than their appearance or their nation of origin or their language; mothers ripped from their children, fathers disappeared from their workplaces, college students abducted from their campuses. (The Beautiful Mess 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
‘Vertical Morality’ Might Describe Why MAGA Christians Seem So Unchristian
For many Americans, the gap between Christian teachings and MAGA politics is baffling. How can people profess faith in Jesus ― who preached love, mercy and care for the oppressed ― while supporting policies that punish immigrants, demonize LGBTQ people and glorify cruelty? The key to understanding this apparent contradiction might lie in something called “vertical morality.”This ethical framework measures righteousness not by goodness to others, but by something more simplistic. Below, Christian advocates and former fundamentalists break down what vertical morality means and how it explains our political landscape today.
(HuffPost 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
For many Americans, the gap between Christian teachings and MAGA politics is baffling. How can people profess faith in Jesus ― who preached love, mercy and care for the oppressed ― while supporting policies that punish immigrants, demonize LGBTQ people and glorify cruelty? The key to understanding this apparent contradiction might lie in something called “vertical morality.”This ethical framework measures righteousness not by goodness to others, but by something more simplistic. Below, Christian advocates and former fundamentalists break down what vertical morality means and how it explains our political landscape today.
(HuffPost 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
Conservatives: Stop pretending like Nick Fuentes is our friend
About a week ago, my family and I watched Bonhoeffer on Angel. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a kid-friendly account of WWII from inside Germany. One thing that struck me was how Deitrich Bonhoeffer and his family were stunned by Hitler’s rise to power, and the wave of anti-Jewish hatred that spiritually consumed their nation. It was not something they expected. Previously, they’d written off Hitler as fringe, a vocal minority, and a problem to be ignored until it disappeared on its own.
Americans in 2025 are not more intelligent than the Germans were in 1925. We are not more evolved. We are not more educated. We are not morally superior.
(Christian Post 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
About a week ago, my family and I watched Bonhoeffer on Angel. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a kid-friendly account of WWII from inside Germany. One thing that struck me was how Deitrich Bonhoeffer and his family were stunned by Hitler’s rise to power, and the wave of anti-Jewish hatred that spiritually consumed their nation. It was not something they expected. Previously, they’d written off Hitler as fringe, a vocal minority, and a problem to be ignored until it disappeared on its own.
Americans in 2025 are not more intelligent than the Germans were in 1925. We are not more evolved. We are not more educated. We are not morally superior.
(Christian Post 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
‘Trump is inconsistent with Christian principles’: why the Democratic party is seeing a rise of white clergy candidates
He grew up on a farm in Indiana, the son of a factory worker and eldest of five children. He studied at Liberty, a Christian university founded by the conservative pastor and televangelist Jerry Falwell, and recalls wearing a T-shirt expressing opposition to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Two decades later, Justin Douglas is running for the US Congress – as a Democrat. He is among around 30 Christian white clergy – pastors, seminary students and other faith leaders – known to be potential Democratic candidates in next year’s midterm elections, including a dozen who are already in the race. While stressing the separation of church and state, many say that on a personal level their faith is calling them into the political arena.
(The Guardian 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
He grew up on a farm in Indiana, the son of a factory worker and eldest of five children. He studied at Liberty, a Christian university founded by the conservative pastor and televangelist Jerry Falwell, and recalls wearing a T-shirt expressing opposition to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Two decades later, Justin Douglas is running for the US Congress – as a Democrat. He is among around 30 Christian white clergy – pastors, seminary students and other faith leaders – known to be potential Democratic candidates in next year’s midterm elections, including a dozen who are already in the race. While stressing the separation of church and state, many say that on a personal level their faith is calling them into the political arena.
(The Guardian 11/15/25) READMORE>>>>
November 14, 2025:
Accepting support from Kirkers doesn’t make me a Christian nationalist | Opinion
Bryan Clark’s Nov. 11 column entitled “Christian nationalism can’t win democratically, Moscow election shows” is a journalistic hit-piece that exemplifies the type of smears I faced throughout my campaign for Moscow City Council, so much so that I am compelled to respond — not only to highlight the poor journalism performed by Clark but to address the attacks on my reputation, merely for running on a conservative platform that received broad support from a wide range of voters. First, a little about me. I’m a husband to London and father to Teddy, with a daughter on the way. With a bachelor’s in environmental science and an MBA, I’ve built my career in environmental sustainability consulting. I am a Christian, a former two-time Bernie Sanders voter, a descendant of immigrants, fruit-pickers, military servicemen and incredibly strong women. I am a product of the American Dream.
(Idaho Statesman 11/14/25) READMORE>>>>
Bryan Clark’s Nov. 11 column entitled “Christian nationalism can’t win democratically, Moscow election shows” is a journalistic hit-piece that exemplifies the type of smears I faced throughout my campaign for Moscow City Council, so much so that I am compelled to respond — not only to highlight the poor journalism performed by Clark but to address the attacks on my reputation, merely for running on a conservative platform that received broad support from a wide range of voters. First, a little about me. I’m a husband to London and father to Teddy, with a daughter on the way. With a bachelor’s in environmental science and an MBA, I’ve built my career in environmental sustainability consulting. I am a Christian, a former two-time Bernie Sanders voter, a descendant of immigrants, fruit-pickers, military servicemen and incredibly strong women. I am a product of the American Dream.
(Idaho Statesman 11/14/25) READMORE>>>>
5 Christians killed, 44 wounded after Muslim leader calls for massacre over selling pork
Five Christians were killed and 44 others injured on Nov. 4 after an Islamist leader incited Muslims to attack Christians over pork sales near a mosque in Yumbe, northern Uganda, sources said. The violence erupted after reports spread that Christian merchants were openly selling pork near Munir Mosque, a move many Muslims described as provocative and disrespectful to their religion, which forbids consumption of pork. (Christian Post 11/14/25) READMORE>>>>
Five Christians were killed and 44 others injured on Nov. 4 after an Islamist leader incited Muslims to attack Christians over pork sales near a mosque in Yumbe, northern Uganda, sources said. The violence erupted after reports spread that Christian merchants were openly selling pork near Munir Mosque, a move many Muslims described as provocative and disrespectful to their religion, which forbids consumption of pork. (Christian Post 11/14/25) READMORE>>>>
On Nick Fuentes and the rise of the woke right
The political right cannot restore civilization while imitating the nihilism of the left. It cannot claim to defend the West while rejecting the moral order that gave the West its coherence. The rise of Nick Fuentes, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and the growing faction known as the “woke right” is one of the strangest spectacles in contemporary political life. What began as a reaction against the absurdities of progressive identity politics has corrupted into its own version of the same phenomenon. The language and posture of resistance have become the very essence of the movement. They no longer serve truth, but performance. Hence, we may call it the woke right, a mirror image of the woke left, equally intoxicated by critical theory’s vocabulary of suspicion, power, and perpetual grievance.
(Catholic World Report 11/14/25) READMORE>>>>
The political right cannot restore civilization while imitating the nihilism of the left. It cannot claim to defend the West while rejecting the moral order that gave the West its coherence. The rise of Nick Fuentes, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and the growing faction known as the “woke right” is one of the strangest spectacles in contemporary political life. What began as a reaction against the absurdities of progressive identity politics has corrupted into its own version of the same phenomenon. The language and posture of resistance have become the very essence of the movement. They no longer serve truth, but performance. Hence, we may call it the woke right, a mirror image of the woke left, equally intoxicated by critical theory’s vocabulary of suspicion, power, and perpetual grievance.
(Catholic World Report 11/14/25) READMORE>>>>
Christians from 45 Countries Call for Zion Church Pastor’s Release
More than 500 church leaders and members in 45 countries with close ties to China signed an online prayer petition in solidarity with the arrested leaders of China’s Zion Church, including senior pastor Jin “Ezra” Mingri. The countries represented—including Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, and India—are part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s strategy to invest in infrastructure around the world, or BRICS, a bloc of emerging economies that includes China. This the first time Christians around the world have jointly spoken out for the persecuted church in China based on their countries’ relationships, said Bill Drexel, a Hudson Institute fellow and son-in-law of Jin.
(Christianity Today 11/14/25) READMORE>>>>
More than 500 church leaders and members in 45 countries with close ties to China signed an online prayer petition in solidarity with the arrested leaders of China’s Zion Church, including senior pastor Jin “Ezra” Mingri. The countries represented—including Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, and India—are part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s strategy to invest in infrastructure around the world, or BRICS, a bloc of emerging economies that includes China. This the first time Christians around the world have jointly spoken out for the persecuted church in China based on their countries’ relationships, said Bill Drexel, a Hudson Institute fellow and son-in-law of Jin.
(Christianity Today 11/14/25) READMORE>>>>
November 13, 2025:
SBA Pro-Life America to spend $80M on midterm elections battle
A pro-life organization has committed to spending nearly $100 million on the 2026 midterm elections as control of both chambers of Congress hangs in the balance.
The pro-life advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America announced in a statement published Wednesday that it plans to spend $80 million on pro-life candidates seeking federal office in the 2026 midterm elections.
(Christian Post 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
A pro-life organization has committed to spending nearly $100 million on the 2026 midterm elections as control of both chambers of Congress hangs in the balance.
The pro-life advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America announced in a statement published Wednesday that it plans to spend $80 million on pro-life candidates seeking federal office in the 2026 midterm elections.
(Christian Post 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
A Better Story: How three friends from North London are challenging Christian nationalism
A group of three Christian friends from North London are attempting to tackle notions of ‘Christian nationalism' through a grassroots movement. Better Story aims to spread a gospel-based counter to recent anti-migration riots, which saw crucifixes displayed alongside nationalist symbols. Tommy Sharpe, along with his wife Poppy Sharpe and friend Fergus Burnett, felt prompted to tell "a better story" after witnessing first-hand the clash between anti-immigration and anti-fascist ideologies. (Premier Christianity 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
A group of three Christian friends from North London are attempting to tackle notions of ‘Christian nationalism' through a grassroots movement. Better Story aims to spread a gospel-based counter to recent anti-migration riots, which saw crucifixes displayed alongside nationalist symbols. Tommy Sharpe, along with his wife Poppy Sharpe and friend Fergus Burnett, felt prompted to tell "a better story" after witnessing first-hand the clash between anti-immigration and anti-fascist ideologies. (Premier Christianity 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
Presidency denies Trump effect on NGX sell-offs as CAN seeks end to genocide
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states has affirmed that the killings of Christians in Northern Nigeria amount to genocide, adding that the denial of Christian genocide is an injustice to victims and the faith community This is as the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Tax Policy and Fiscal Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, yesterday dismissed claims that the recent sell-off in the Nigerian capital market was triggered by foreign investors reacting to U.S. President, Donald Trump’s comments about Nigeria. Speaking on Channels Television’s Business Morning, Oyedele explained that the fluctuations in the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) were part of normal market cycles rather than politically driven sell-offs.
(The Guardian 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states has affirmed that the killings of Christians in Northern Nigeria amount to genocide, adding that the denial of Christian genocide is an injustice to victims and the faith community This is as the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Tax Policy and Fiscal Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, yesterday dismissed claims that the recent sell-off in the Nigerian capital market was triggered by foreign investors reacting to U.S. President, Donald Trump’s comments about Nigeria. Speaking on Channels Television’s Business Morning, Oyedele explained that the fluctuations in the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) were part of normal market cycles rather than politically driven sell-offs.
(The Guardian 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
D66 opens coalition talks with Christian Democrats in the Netherlands
The Dutch centrist party D66 said on Thursday it would begin coalition talks with the Christian Democrats (CDA), two weeks after winning the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands. The two parties said they hoped to draw up a policy paper on the urgent problems facing the country, before asking other parties whether they want to join the negotiations on the basis of the document. The parliament has approved this interim step and appointed two negotiators, who will work together to finalize the policy paper within three weeks. (Yahoo 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
The Dutch centrist party D66 said on Thursday it would begin coalition talks with the Christian Democrats (CDA), two weeks after winning the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands. The two parties said they hoped to draw up a policy paper on the urgent problems facing the country, before asking other parties whether they want to join the negotiations on the basis of the document. The parliament has approved this interim step and appointed two negotiators, who will work together to finalize the policy paper within three weeks. (Yahoo 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
How Technology Transformed the Global Church
Robert Webber once reminded evangelicals that “the road to the future runs through the past.” If evangelicalism is fracturing, we may just find our way to unity through what Kevin Vanhoozer called “Protestant catholicity” by retracing our steps. This, of course, raises the thorny question “What is an evangelical?” People have made valiant efforts to sort evangelicals into groups or types. Evangelicals are a diverse bunch, and the rapid growth of the movement in the Global South has only increased this diversity. It needs to be said more often and more clearly that evangelicalism is not an American movement—it is a global one—and the vast majority of the world’s evangelicals today are African, Asian, and Latin American. Evangelicalism was a transnational movement from the very outset and has never been confined to a single nation or ethnicity. David Bebbington, whose intellectual labors laid the cornerstone for building out a robust evangelical historiography, is a British evangelical whose perspectives have helpfully challenged American-centric descriptions of the movement. In this new era of world Christianity, deeper engagement with the global church (and the older church) could lead us closer to an evangelical catholicity.
(Christianity Today 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
Robert Webber once reminded evangelicals that “the road to the future runs through the past.” If evangelicalism is fracturing, we may just find our way to unity through what Kevin Vanhoozer called “Protestant catholicity” by retracing our steps. This, of course, raises the thorny question “What is an evangelical?” People have made valiant efforts to sort evangelicals into groups or types. Evangelicals are a diverse bunch, and the rapid growth of the movement in the Global South has only increased this diversity. It needs to be said more often and more clearly that evangelicalism is not an American movement—it is a global one—and the vast majority of the world’s evangelicals today are African, Asian, and Latin American. Evangelicalism was a transnational movement from the very outset and has never been confined to a single nation or ethnicity. David Bebbington, whose intellectual labors laid the cornerstone for building out a robust evangelical historiography, is a British evangelical whose perspectives have helpfully challenged American-centric descriptions of the movement. In this new era of world Christianity, deeper engagement with the global church (and the older church) could lead us closer to an evangelical catholicity.
(Christianity Today 11/13/25) READMORE>>>>
November 12, 2025:
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Nov 12, 2025: Watch as two Indiana pastors on opposing ends of the spectrum on Christian Nationalism debate the role Christianity should have in governing and society. In this segment, they take on the question," What role do Christian morals play in policy?
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Chris Hedges: The US Banana Republic
El Presidente Trump is cast in the mold of all tinpot Latin American despots who terrorize their populations, surround themselves with sycophants, goons and crooks, and enrich themselves — Trump and his family have amassed more than $1.8 billion in cash and gifts from leveraging the presidency — while erecting
tawdry monuments to themselves. “Trujillo on Earth, God in Heaven” — Trujillo en la tierra, Dios en el cielo — was posted by state order in churches during the 31-year reign of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. His supporters, like Trump’s, nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump’s con artist pastor, Paula White-Cain, offered an updated version of Trujillo’s self-deification when she warned, “To say no to President Trump would be saying no to God.” Trump is the gringo version of Anastasio “Tachito” Somoza in Nicaragua or Haiti’s François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, who amended the constitution to have himself anointed “President for Life.” One of the most celebrated images of the Haitian dictator’s long rule shows Jesus Christ with a hand on the shoulder of a seated Papa Doc, with the caption, “I have chosen him.” (Consortium News 11/12/25) READMORE>>>>
El Presidente Trump is cast in the mold of all tinpot Latin American despots who terrorize their populations, surround themselves with sycophants, goons and crooks, and enrich themselves — Trump and his family have amassed more than $1.8 billion in cash and gifts from leveraging the presidency — while erecting
tawdry monuments to themselves. “Trujillo on Earth, God in Heaven” — Trujillo en la tierra, Dios en el cielo — was posted by state order in churches during the 31-year reign of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. His supporters, like Trump’s, nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump’s con artist pastor, Paula White-Cain, offered an updated version of Trujillo’s self-deification when she warned, “To say no to President Trump would be saying no to God.” Trump is the gringo version of Anastasio “Tachito” Somoza in Nicaragua or Haiti’s François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, who amended the constitution to have himself anointed “President for Life.” One of the most celebrated images of the Haitian dictator’s long rule shows Jesus Christ with a hand on the shoulder of a seated Papa Doc, with the caption, “I have chosen him.” (Consortium News 11/12/25) READMORE>>>>
3 churches vandalized with anti-Christian statements in Far Rockaway
Police in Queens are searching for the vandal who targeted three churches in Queens with anti-Christian messages. The vandalism all took place on Sunday, October 5 during the early morning hours.
And in one case, the suspect also broke two statues. The vandal was spotted on video painting anti-Christian statements on the facade of The Refuge Church of Christ on Mott Avenue at 1:40 a.m. The next target for the vandal was The City of Oasis Church of Deliverance also on Mott Avenue at 1:44 a.m. The last known vandalism happened at 2 a.m. at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church on New Haven Avenue.
(SBC7NY 11/12/25) READMORE>>>>
Police in Queens are searching for the vandal who targeted three churches in Queens with anti-Christian messages. The vandalism all took place on Sunday, October 5 during the early morning hours.
And in one case, the suspect also broke two statues. The vandal was spotted on video painting anti-Christian statements on the facade of The Refuge Church of Christ on Mott Avenue at 1:40 a.m. The next target for the vandal was The City of Oasis Church of Deliverance also on Mott Avenue at 1:44 a.m. The last known vandalism happened at 2 a.m. at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church on New Haven Avenue.
(SBC7NY 11/12/25) READMORE>>>>
This Reverend Is Going Viral For His TikToks Comparing What MAGA Thinks With What Jesus Actually Taught
For Reverend Dr. Caleb Lines, Christianity and progressivism always went hand in hand. It's something he's been preaching on his TikTok page since 2023, but far before Lines even posted his first video, he was thinking about Jesus and social justice in a tiny church in rural Missouri. “My home congregation was small, progressive, and preached social justice like it was gospel — because it is,” Reverend Lines told BuzzFeed.
That core belief — that Jesus and progressivism not only can coexist, but must coexist — has remained the central part of Lines’s spiritual journey. Now, he’s the Senior Minister at University Christian Church in San Diego, California, and the Co-Executive Director of the Center for Progressive Christianity..
(Yahoo 11/12/25) READMORE>>>>
For Reverend Dr. Caleb Lines, Christianity and progressivism always went hand in hand. It's something he's been preaching on his TikTok page since 2023, but far before Lines even posted his first video, he was thinking about Jesus and social justice in a tiny church in rural Missouri. “My home congregation was small, progressive, and preached social justice like it was gospel — because it is,” Reverend Lines told BuzzFeed.
That core belief — that Jesus and progressivism not only can coexist, but must coexist — has remained the central part of Lines’s spiritual journey. Now, he’s the Senior Minister at University Christian Church in San Diego, California, and the Co-Executive Director of the Center for Progressive Christianity..
(Yahoo 11/12/25) READMORE>>>>
Senate Passes Resolution led by Sen. Cruz, Rep. Barr, Demanding China Release Pastor Ezra Jin and Other Leaders of Zion Church
Today, the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) demanding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stop persecuting Christians and release Pastor Ezra Jin and other leaders of the Zion Church currently imprisoned in China.On October 10, 2025, the Chinese Communist Party conducted the largest coordinated, nationwide crackdown against a Christian urban house church in over four decades. At least 22 pastors and church members from Zion Church, one of China’s largest underground congregations, were arrested, including a prominent pastor and the founder of Zion Church, Pastor “Ezra” Jin Mingri. “China needs to release Pastor Jin and stop persecuting Christians for practicing their faith. Until then, Senator Cruz and I will keep rallying our House and Senate colleagues to condemn this atrocity and hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable,” said Congressman Barr, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Select Committee on China.(Andy Barr 11/12/25) READMORE>>>>
Today, the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) demanding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stop persecuting Christians and release Pastor Ezra Jin and other leaders of the Zion Church currently imprisoned in China.On October 10, 2025, the Chinese Communist Party conducted the largest coordinated, nationwide crackdown against a Christian urban house church in over four decades. At least 22 pastors and church members from Zion Church, one of China’s largest underground congregations, were arrested, including a prominent pastor and the founder of Zion Church, Pastor “Ezra” Jin Mingri. “China needs to release Pastor Jin and stop persecuting Christians for practicing their faith. Until then, Senator Cruz and I will keep rallying our House and Senate colleagues to condemn this atrocity and hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable,” said Congressman Barr, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Select Committee on China.(Andy Barr 11/12/25) READMORE>>>>
November 11, 2025:
Review: The Seven Mountains Mandate
There has been much talk recently about the rise of Christian Nationalism and the dangers it poses to democracy. Numerous books have been written covering different aspects of this movement/ideology. As these books reveal, there are various facets to the movement that need to be addressed. There are different ways of addressing these different facets. Some of the studies focus more on the political dimensions and others on the religious dimensions. Although it may seem that Christian Nationalism is a new reality, it’s been with us for a very long time. We might even want to trace it back to the fourth-century embrace of Christianity by Constantine and Theodosius. If Mainline Protestants are honest, we will need to acknowledge that we’ve not been immune from its seductions, as Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood remind us in their recent book Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism. Another facet of this movement, a facet that has many worried, is known as “The Seven Mountains Mandate.” This mandate, which is embraced by growing numbers of evangelicals, seeks to dominate seven areas of human life. The question is whether those who embrace this mandate pose a threat to American democracy.
(Word & Way 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>
There has been much talk recently about the rise of Christian Nationalism and the dangers it poses to democracy. Numerous books have been written covering different aspects of this movement/ideology. As these books reveal, there are various facets to the movement that need to be addressed. There are different ways of addressing these different facets. Some of the studies focus more on the political dimensions and others on the religious dimensions. Although it may seem that Christian Nationalism is a new reality, it’s been with us for a very long time. We might even want to trace it back to the fourth-century embrace of Christianity by Constantine and Theodosius. If Mainline Protestants are honest, we will need to acknowledge that we’ve not been immune from its seductions, as Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood remind us in their recent book Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism. Another facet of this movement, a facet that has many worried, is known as “The Seven Mountains Mandate.” This mandate, which is embraced by growing numbers of evangelicals, seeks to dominate seven areas of human life. The question is whether those who embrace this mandate pose a threat to American democracy.
(Word & Way 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>
U.S. Catholics are facing an authoritarian threat. The church has been here before.
The Catholic Church in the United States today is facing a crucial test. How will the church lead under what the New York Times columnist Ross Douthat calls an “imperial presidency,” marked by daily attacks on human dignity, religious liberty and the republican constitutional order? Will Catholic leadership accommodate and adapt itself to authoritarian power? Or will it offer leadership to give hope, oppose authoritarian abuses and defend human freedom? One of the first U.S. bishops appointed by Pope Leo XIV highlights the stakes and possibilities for the church’s response to these challenges. Michael Pham came to the United States as a 13-year-old refugee from Vietnam. Bishop Pham has led interfaith clergy delegations to bear witness and minister at immigration hearings in San Diego. Their presence has caused masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to scatter. Courageous Catholic actions, including pointed denunciations of ICE activities by many bishops and lawsuits challenging federal abuses of power, have intensified over the past several months. Driven less by ideological or policy commitments, and more by a deep love for neighbor, these actions have brought priests, nuns and laity into the streets, courtrooms and picket lines. If history is a guide, this type of faithful action will be necessary to fight encroaching authoritarianism. Broad-based movements, employing a wide range of geographically dispersed nonviolent tactics like protests, boycotts and strikes, have historically been the strongest bulwark against authoritarianism. When large numbers of people from diverse sectors of society come together across divisions, engage in organized defiance and withdraw support from authoritarian regimes—when workers withhold their labor, businesses apply financial pressure, police and military refuse orders to repress protestors, and priests, sisters and lay leaders are in the forefront—they strip autocrats of their power. (Daily Maverick 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>
The Catholic Church in the United States today is facing a crucial test. How will the church lead under what the New York Times columnist Ross Douthat calls an “imperial presidency,” marked by daily attacks on human dignity, religious liberty and the republican constitutional order? Will Catholic leadership accommodate and adapt itself to authoritarian power? Or will it offer leadership to give hope, oppose authoritarian abuses and defend human freedom? One of the first U.S. bishops appointed by Pope Leo XIV highlights the stakes and possibilities for the church’s response to these challenges. Michael Pham came to the United States as a 13-year-old refugee from Vietnam. Bishop Pham has led interfaith clergy delegations to bear witness and minister at immigration hearings in San Diego. Their presence has caused masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to scatter. Courageous Catholic actions, including pointed denunciations of ICE activities by many bishops and lawsuits challenging federal abuses of power, have intensified over the past several months. Driven less by ideological or policy commitments, and more by a deep love for neighbor, these actions have brought priests, nuns and laity into the streets, courtrooms and picket lines. If history is a guide, this type of faithful action will be necessary to fight encroaching authoritarianism. Broad-based movements, employing a wide range of geographically dispersed nonviolent tactics like protests, boycotts and strikes, have historically been the strongest bulwark against authoritarianism. When large numbers of people from diverse sectors of society come together across divisions, engage in organized defiance and withdraw support from authoritarian regimes—when workers withhold their labor, businesses apply financial pressure, police and military refuse orders to repress protestors, and priests, sisters and lay leaders are in the forefront—they strip autocrats of their power. (Daily Maverick 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>
Donald Trump and the absurd myth of Boko Haram’s Christian genocide in Nigeria
The US should do its own homework and listen to what Nigerians are saying themselves about the jihadist violence. It was late night talk show host Bill Maher who brought the issue to the American public on 26 September 2025 when he spoke of the systematic killing of Christians in Nigeria. More 100,000 Christians have been killed, and 18,000 churches have been churches burnt by Boko Haram since 2009, he stated. It did not take long for the Christian political right to start mobilising. US Republican Senator Ted Cruz claimed a “Christian mass murder” was occurring in Nigeria. This morphed into talk of a Christian genocide. Senator Cruz went further accusing Abuja of ignoring and enabling the mass murder of Christians, and introduced a bill aiming to sanction Nigeria. Echoing Senator Cruz, President Donald Trump has accused the Nigerian government of not doing enough to halt the murder of Christians and has ordered the US military to prepare for an attack on Nigeria. (Daily Maverick 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>
The US should do its own homework and listen to what Nigerians are saying themselves about the jihadist violence. It was late night talk show host Bill Maher who brought the issue to the American public on 26 September 2025 when he spoke of the systematic killing of Christians in Nigeria. More 100,000 Christians have been killed, and 18,000 churches have been churches burnt by Boko Haram since 2009, he stated. It did not take long for the Christian political right to start mobilising. US Republican Senator Ted Cruz claimed a “Christian mass murder” was occurring in Nigeria. This morphed into talk of a Christian genocide. Senator Cruz went further accusing Abuja of ignoring and enabling the mass murder of Christians, and introduced a bill aiming to sanction Nigeria. Echoing Senator Cruz, President Donald Trump has accused the Nigerian government of not doing enough to halt the murder of Christians and has ordered the US military to prepare for an attack on Nigeria. (Daily Maverick 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>
Christians have been warning about this for decades. Now finally the BBC has been caught red-handed
As the BBC faces mounting allegations of bias and a potential $1billion lawsuit from Donald Trump, Dr Jenny Taylor says the corporation needs to remember its Christian roots and get back to valuing the truth. The BBC faces an existential moment. As the finest – and perhaps freest - media institution in the world faces the wrath of Trump over its biased editing of his speech, it is time for an apology. But will we get one? The Beeb has been caught red-handed, doing – and still denying - what Christians have been saying for decades: creating division and cultural decay in its news and current affairs output. This is more than mere “error”.
(Intercept 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>
As the BBC faces mounting allegations of bias and a potential $1billion lawsuit from Donald Trump, Dr Jenny Taylor says the corporation needs to remember its Christian roots and get back to valuing the truth. The BBC faces an existential moment. As the finest – and perhaps freest - media institution in the world faces the wrath of Trump over its biased editing of his speech, it is time for an apology. But will we get one? The Beeb has been caught red-handed, doing – and still denying - what Christians have been saying for decades: creating division and cultural decay in its news and current affairs output. This is more than mere “error”.
(Intercept 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>
November 10, 2025:
Christian Nationalists fared poorly on election day
Political pundits have extensively analyzed last week’s election, and a consensus has emerged that this was a classic “pocketbook” election. Voters were motivated chiefly by economic concerns, such as the price of groceries, utilities, rent, etc. They’re also not too happy about the government shutdown. But the social issues championed by Christian Nationalists did surface in some races, and this time, they didn’t pay off. Nov. 4 was not a good night for Christian Nationalists. Here’s a closer look at some of the races:
(Americans United 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>>
Political pundits have extensively analyzed last week’s election, and a consensus has emerged that this was a classic “pocketbook” election. Voters were motivated chiefly by economic concerns, such as the price of groceries, utilities, rent, etc. They’re also not too happy about the government shutdown. But the social issues championed by Christian Nationalists did surface in some races, and this time, they didn’t pay off. Nov. 4 was not a good night for Christian Nationalists. Here’s a closer look at some of the races:
(Americans United 11/11/25) READMORE>>>>>
American Christian Leaders Issue Plea to Trump Ahead of White House Meeting
Nearly 100 American faith leaders have sent an open letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to address what they say is the ongoing persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in southern Syria.
According to the letter, shared by Christians in Crisis, the faith leaders want Trump to push Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on this during their meeting at the White House on Monday. The unprecedented meeting marks the first-ever visit of a Syrian head of state to the White House and comes amid efforts to realign U.S. policy toward Syria and potentially broker a security pact between Syria and Israel.
(The Hill 11/10/25) READMORE>>>>>
Nearly 100 American faith leaders have sent an open letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to address what they say is the ongoing persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in southern Syria.
According to the letter, shared by Christians in Crisis, the faith leaders want Trump to push Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on this during their meeting at the White House on Monday. The unprecedented meeting marks the first-ever visit of a Syrian head of state to the White House and comes amid efforts to realign U.S. policy toward Syria and potentially broker a security pact between Syria and Israel.
(The Hill 11/10/25) READMORE>>>>>
GOP senator condemns ‘hateful’ Fuentes rhetoric
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) condemned the “hateful rhetoric” of far-right nationalist Nick Fuentes, who, the senator said, does not represent the values of the Republican Party. In an interview Sunday on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” moderator Kristen Welker asked the conservative senator about a recent interview that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson conducted with Fuentes, calling the far-right figure “a white nationalist” who “has expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler.” Lankford, a devout Christian who was a minister before his election to the Senate, said the country’s history of accepting people of all religions can be traced back to former President Washington, who wrote to a Jewish congregation in 1790, “to what he called the ‘children of the stock of Abraham,’ that they would live in peace with the people around them. They would live under their own vine, their own fig tree, and not be afraid,” Lankford said.
(The Hill 11/10/25) READMORE>>>>>
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) condemned the “hateful rhetoric” of far-right nationalist Nick Fuentes, who, the senator said, does not represent the values of the Republican Party. In an interview Sunday on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” moderator Kristen Welker asked the conservative senator about a recent interview that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson conducted with Fuentes, calling the far-right figure “a white nationalist” who “has expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler.” Lankford, a devout Christian who was a minister before his election to the Senate, said the country’s history of accepting people of all religions can be traced back to former President Washington, who wrote to a Jewish congregation in 1790, “to what he called the ‘children of the stock of Abraham,’ that they would live in peace with the people around them. They would live under their own vine, their own fig tree, and not be afraid,” Lankford said.
(The Hill 11/10/25) READMORE>>>>>
November 9, 2025:
American Christian Nationalism and its Not a Christian Political Leader
Zorek
GOP's evangelical base needs a word of caution. Rarely, if ever, in American history has political party allegiance been so closely correlated with religious beliefs. This same party spent years voicing concern about the dangers of Sharia law and fearing the possibility of Americas being entrenched and/or entangled with it. The GOP's response seems to have been building for awhile now but simply trades their once upon a time fear for a Political version of Christianity...headed by a US President who is not even a Christian...but claims "Christianity" when it is politically expedient.