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HAYSTACK COMMENTARY
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april 2026 |
CULTURAL APOLOGETCS DATABASE
ED NOTE=Zorek Richards Inclusion on this website does 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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March 9, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & POLITICAL BYTES
 Zorek
God has one interest: your redemption. He started it at the cross. The testing of your faith is producing something lasting (James 1:3). God will bless and afflict people according to their need….and the same with circumstances. As Christians we, over time, start getting these ideas about the way things ought to be as a Christian on planet earth. And most of us, particularly American evangelicals who grasp hold of the prosperity part of the promises, often start to think God owes us…..just for our endurance….when money is not the thing that enriches the soul. Endurance is important but the goal is to win the race and on that day hear God say “Welcome good and faithful servant” as opposed to hearing the worst 7 words a man will ever hear: “Go from me I never knew you.”
In the scheme of things losing a job or savings is not the worst thing that can happen. But your treasure will be where your heart is. April 9, 2026
Marjorie Taylor Greene questions Mike Johnson’s Christianity as she calls GOP leaders 'terrified cowards' The former Georgia Congresswoman appeared on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown to talk about the ceasefire deal in Iran and why the president's behavior is "absolute madness."Blitzer said to Greene, “We really didn't hear the Republican leadership respond to President Trump’s threat to eliminate an entire civilization. We did, however, see many democrats join you in calling for President Trump’s removal from office.” He then asked what she made of the situation. (Irish Star; 4.9.26)READMORE>>>>>> Pandering to Christian nationalism is a dangerous game In the space of a few days, both our Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have been rehashing a familiar line about Britain's 'Christian identity'. It is a well-worn political trope. But in today's climate, its revival looks less like nostalgia and more like a calculated response to rising identity politics – and that should raise alarm bells. Over Easter, Kemi Badenoch declared that "Britain is a Christian country" before announcing proposals to channel more public money into churches to fund repairs – despite the fact that the Church of England is perfectly capable of funding itself, but chooses instead to prioritise evangelism. She went further, stating that her hypothetical government would "embrace, promote and defend" Christian heritage, adding that "churches embody the values that built our country". (National Secular Society; 4.9.26)READMORE>>>>>> April 6, 2026
Christian Nationalism: Political Tool And Biased Reporting Could “Christian Nationalism” [CN from this point forward] actually be a category and a convenient tool for those who dislike President Trump? Some Christians are angry. They are content to join the haters and to condemn both Trump and the Christians who support him. As I said in my opening article, I had not heard of CN until the past few months. I had a hunch that this term was a cudgel to beat Trump and MAGA with, so I decided to find out when this term started becoming popular. The first thing I did was search for journal articles on the academic hub I use to find scholarly studies in various disciplines. A search for [“Christian Nationalism” Trump] in academic journals returned 3,656 results. As I scrolled down through the first two pages (50 articles) reading the abstracts or introduction comments, it was clear that the overwhelming majority of these articles were negatively slanted against President Trump. The 6-8 articles written prior to 2016 were focused outside the USA, mostly on South Africa. So it appeared from academic journal articles that the term “Christian Nationalism” had become a popular term only more recently and has been used for the last 10 years to attack Trump. (History Matters; 4.6.26)READMORE>>>>>> Christian nationalism versus actual Christianity When I was doing my undergraduate work at Ohio State, I had several roommates who belonged to the evangelical Christian group, Campus Crusade for Christ. One day, a couple of Mormon missionaries came to our house. My roommates welcomed them in, pulled out their bibles, and engaged in an hour-long argument on why Mormonism was “wrong” and “not really Christianity.” The encounter ended with the Mormons storming out after one of my roommates called them “heretics.” Political Christianity is a powerful force in this country. It is remarkably easy to define and Republicans had been amazingly adept at using political Christianity to their advantage. I am a Christian. He is a Christian. She is a Christian. We are Christians. They are not Christians. We have our Christian values, they don’t. We have our Judeo-Christian values, and they don’t. By defining Christianity as an “us versus them” battle, the Christian right has won elections, expanded their voter base, and continued to grow. (The Hill; 4.6.26)READMORE>>>>>> April 5, 2026
White evangelicals are souring on Trump—but there’s a catch He is risen! But the “he” is certainly not President Donald Trump, whose poll numbers have fallen lately, even when it comes to one of his most supportive groups: white evangelicals. In March 2025, 82% of white evangelical voters approved of Trump’s performance as president, according to polling conducted by Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research for Fox News. But that has now fallen to 64%. That’s still a strong majority, but it also makes for a drop of 18 percentage points—much more than the 8-point decline among all registered voters across the same time period. As it stands, Trump’s net approval rating among white evangelicals has been cut in half, decreasing from +64 points in March 2025 to +28 points now. (Daily Kos; 4.5.26)READMORE>>>>>> The rise of Evangelicals is transforming French Protestantism For a long time, Evangelicals were associated with the image of a fervent America, outwardly expressive in its faith and culturally and religiously far removed from the predominantly Catholic Christianity practiced in France. Yet, for several decades, Evangelicals have become a distinctly French phenomenon. So much so that some public figures, such as international footballer Olivier Giroud, openly claim their conversion. The movement has also disrupted French Protestantism, historically composed of Lutherans and Reformed Christians. With a growing number of practicing believers and an increasing presence in Protestant representative bodies, Evangelicals have become an important part of the religious landscape in France. While the first megachurches – massive, American-style churches with thousands of worshippers singing and praying as they listen to a pastor's fervent sermon – appeared in the early 2000s, the growth of this movement in France, which mostly takes place in smaller venues, goes back decades. "Its growth, which was initially linked to African immigration, has been ongoing for at least 30 years. The emergence of megachurches was an important step, but it is only the tip of the iceberg, making a broader phenomenon visible to the general public," said Valérie Duval-Poujol, an Evangelical theologian. (Le Monde; 4.5.26)READMORE>>>>>> |
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April 4, 2026
Evangelical churches who backed Trump now feel like 'collateral' in his deportation agenda
Pastor Erick Salgado used to preach to his Brooklyn congregation that they shouldn’t fear immigration officers because “they are after criminals.” Then ICE started arresting members of the church. Then the agency detained Sebastián Renoj Ordoñez, a deacon who had also served as the church’s secretary for 18 years. Seeing him be apprehended by immigration the way he was, it’s like taking hope away from other members,” said Salgado, who’s led the Iglesia Jóvenes Cristianos church for the past 28 years. “Now, we just have to let people know that there’s always a possibility for them to be apprehended — they have to just pray before they go to work and hope for the best.” As President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown intensified over the past year, members and leaders of Latino evangelical churches are reeling from the effects of the stepped-up enforcement actions. Now this key electorate that helped Trump return to the White House finds itself caught in the crosshairs of his mass deportation agenda.
(MSN; 4.4.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Pastor Erick Salgado used to preach to his Brooklyn congregation that they shouldn’t fear immigration officers because “they are after criminals.” Then ICE started arresting members of the church. Then the agency detained Sebastián Renoj Ordoñez, a deacon who had also served as the church’s secretary for 18 years. Seeing him be apprehended by immigration the way he was, it’s like taking hope away from other members,” said Salgado, who’s led the Iglesia Jóvenes Cristianos church for the past 28 years. “Now, we just have to let people know that there’s always a possibility for them to be apprehended — they have to just pray before they go to work and hope for the best.” As President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown intensified over the past year, members and leaders of Latino evangelical churches are reeling from the effects of the stepped-up enforcement actions. Now this key electorate that helped Trump return to the White House finds itself caught in the crosshairs of his mass deportation agenda.
(MSN; 4.4.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Gaza’s Christians observe sombre Good Friday mass amid Israeli violations
Christians in the besieged Gaza Strip observed Good Friday amid continued deadly Israeli violations of the ceasefire, with dozens attending mass at the Church of the Holy Family. A member of the Board of Trustees of the Orthodox Church in Gaza, Elias al-Jalda, said that the religious holiday comes amid suffering and dire conditions caused by Israel’s attacks. "The Palestinian people continue to be tortured and crucified, we call upon the conscience of every free person to work to stop this senseless war," he said.
(New Arab; 4.4.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Christians in the besieged Gaza Strip observed Good Friday amid continued deadly Israeli violations of the ceasefire, with dozens attending mass at the Church of the Holy Family. A member of the Board of Trustees of the Orthodox Church in Gaza, Elias al-Jalda, said that the religious holiday comes amid suffering and dire conditions caused by Israel’s attacks. "The Palestinian people continue to be tortured and crucified, we call upon the conscience of every free person to work to stop this senseless war," he said.
(New Arab; 4.4.26)READMORE>>>>>>
April 3, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & POLITICAL BYTES
Zorek
When we say “Trump said ‘X,’ “ it's because Trump said “X.” We heard him, there's usually video, and often the White House follows up with a news release verifying that Trump said “X.”
When we say “Trump lied when he said ‘X,’ “ it's because Trump lied when he said “X.” A few examples:, he lied when he said Mexico would pay for the wall, that he'd release his tax returns, that he'd provide excellent, affordable health care for everyone, that he'd be too busy to play golf, that he'd “drain the swamp,” that he wouldn't touch Medicaid and that he'd end the war in Ukraine and lower gas and grocery prices all “on Day One of my presidency.”
He promised all that. There's video. None of it happened: He lied
When we say “Trump lied when he said ‘X,’ “ it's because Trump lied when he said “X.” A few examples:, he lied when he said Mexico would pay for the wall, that he'd release his tax returns, that he'd provide excellent, affordable health care for everyone, that he'd be too busy to play golf, that he'd “drain the swamp,” that he wouldn't touch Medicaid and that he'd end the war in Ukraine and lower gas and grocery prices all “on Day One of my presidency.”
He promised all that. There's video. None of it happened: He lied
Of the many cultural changes that have happened in the US, one of those changes is the emergence of relative truth. By this I mean truth is now relative to one’s bias and perceptions. The major battle going on right now is the "truth" vs the "relative truths." Truth, itself, has never changed. It can't. Truth defined by "relativeness" changes constantly and is subject to the interpreter and not the thing being interpreted. Was Iran making a nuclear weapon? There's no evidence they were. We've already heard several opinions by Donald Trump...which he holds as truth relative to his feelings and whims. Could Iran make a nuclear weapon? Yes...with the right materials any country can. Did Iran have any materials for a nuclear weapon. Yes, they had uranium. While uranium exists in many nations, only about 13 countries produce significant amounts, including Uzbekistan, China, the United States, Ukraine, India, and South Africa. Australia holds the largest reserves, followed by Kazakhstan, Canada, and Russia. Who picked Iran? Donald Trump. In Trump logic does that mean we have to attack Australia next? And so it goes.....
Bruce Springsteen went specifically to be part of the No Kings protests and performed the songs he wrote after the death of Pretti and Good. If he's getting backlash from people who thought he was there for something else I doubt he really cares. The song was released on January 28, 2026, on Springsteen's YouTube channel and social media, and through music streaming services. The following day, a music video for the song was also released. The song became the number-one trending song in the United States on YouTube on the day of its release, attracting over 2.5 million views by the end of the day. Ever since Born in The USA, he's written that way. Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." (1984) is a widely misunderstood protest song that critiques the treatment of Vietnam War veterans and working-class disillusionment, rather than celebrating American patriotism. It tells the story of a soldier returning home to face economic hardship, neglect, and a broken, unrecognizable country. Most people heard "Born in the USA" and believed it was pro-America but it spoke to an issue....and many of his songs do that. Many political candidates use the song thinking it boost their pro-America image. They missed the point altogether.
April 3, 2026
Evangelicals backed Trump. Now pastors denounce his ICE crackdown hitting their churches.
Pastor Erick Salgado used to preach to his Brooklyn congregation that they shouldn’t fear immigration officers because “they are after criminals.” Then ICE started arresting members of the church. Then the agency detained Sebastián Renoj Ordoñez, a deacon who had also served as the church’s secretary for 18 years. “Seeing him be apprehended by immigration the way he was, it’s like taking hope away from other members,” said Salgado, who’s led the Iglesia Jóvenes Cristianos church for the past 28 years. “Now, we just have to let people know that there’s always a possibility for them to be apprehended — they have to just pray before they go to work and hope for the best.” (Yahoo 4.3.21) READ MORE>>>>>>
Pastor Erick Salgado used to preach to his Brooklyn congregation that they shouldn’t fear immigration officers because “they are after criminals.” Then ICE started arresting members of the church. Then the agency detained Sebastián Renoj Ordoñez, a deacon who had also served as the church’s secretary for 18 years. “Seeing him be apprehended by immigration the way he was, it’s like taking hope away from other members,” said Salgado, who’s led the Iglesia Jóvenes Cristianos church for the past 28 years. “Now, we just have to let people know that there’s always a possibility for them to be apprehended — they have to just pray before they go to work and hope for the best.” (Yahoo 4.3.21) READ MORE>>>>>>
Opinion | How did senators miss Hegseth's religious zealotry?
The Interfaith Alliance, the Washington-based organization of religious groups founded more than 30 years ago, warned during the December 2024 confirmation hearings that Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth, nominated by Donald Trump to be secretary of defense, was a dangerous Christian nationalist. It noted that allegations of sex assault and public drunkenness should be enough to disqualify him to lead the U.S. military, but so should his deep ideological commitment to extreme Christian nationalism.
That belief, the Alliance argued, "would pose a serious threat to the right to religious freedom enshrined in the U.S. Constitution (The Intercept 4.3.21) READ MORE>>>>>>
The Interfaith Alliance, the Washington-based organization of religious groups founded more than 30 years ago, warned during the December 2024 confirmation hearings that Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth, nominated by Donald Trump to be secretary of defense, was a dangerous Christian nationalist. It noted that allegations of sex assault and public drunkenness should be enough to disqualify him to lead the U.S. military, but so should his deep ideological commitment to extreme Christian nationalism.
That belief, the Alliance argued, "would pose a serious threat to the right to religious freedom enshrined in the U.S. Constitution (The Intercept 4.3.21) READ MORE>>>>>>
Trump’s Holy War Abroad and at Home
After more than a month into the U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran, President Donald Trump addressed the nation directly for the first time on Wednesday about why he dragged the country into an unprovoked illegal war. During his wide-ranging speech, Trump made numerous false claims, including repeatedly emphasizing the nuclear threat Iran posed. The reasons the Trump administration have given for partnering with Israel in this war have been varying and at times include religious undertones, especially from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth regularly infuses Christian right rhetoric in how he speaks about the war on Iran and the military more broadly. During a recent religious service at the Pentagon, Hegseth prayed for God to give U.S. troops “wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.” “Hegseth belongs to a denomination called the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. … [He] believes that he is carrying out a spiritual and actual war to vanquish a Christian nation’s enemies and protect and promote a Christian nation,” explains investigative journalist Sarah Posner, who covers the religious right, on The Intercept Briefing. “For Hegseth, biblical law is the only law he feels obligated to obey. The law of war, international law governing military conflicts, and human rights and civilian rights in war — he believes don’t apply to him.” (The Intercept 4.3.21) READ MORE>>>>>>
After more than a month into the U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran, President Donald Trump addressed the nation directly for the first time on Wednesday about why he dragged the country into an unprovoked illegal war. During his wide-ranging speech, Trump made numerous false claims, including repeatedly emphasizing the nuclear threat Iran posed. The reasons the Trump administration have given for partnering with Israel in this war have been varying and at times include religious undertones, especially from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth regularly infuses Christian right rhetoric in how he speaks about the war on Iran and the military more broadly. During a recent religious service at the Pentagon, Hegseth prayed for God to give U.S. troops “wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.” “Hegseth belongs to a denomination called the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. … [He] believes that he is carrying out a spiritual and actual war to vanquish a Christian nation’s enemies and protect and promote a Christian nation,” explains investigative journalist Sarah Posner, who covers the religious right, on The Intercept Briefing. “For Hegseth, biblical law is the only law he feels obligated to obey. The law of war, international law governing military conflicts, and human rights and civilian rights in war — he believes don’t apply to him.” (The Intercept 4.3.21) READ MORE>>>>>>
April 2, 2026
Paula White sparks MAGA backlash after comparing Trump to Jesus
sPaula White, a spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, continues to be a source of division within the MAGA movement. The controversial preacher of the so-called prosperity gospel has garnered side-eyes and allegations of heresy from some right-wing Christians ever since she was tapped to lead the White House Faith Office. White also has come under fire from conservatives, including Tucker Carlson, amid speculation about her involvement in MAGA influencer Carrie Prejean Boller’s recent removal from Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. Boller’s ouster has fueled backlash toward the commission — and a member’s resignation as well. White is facing rebuke, yet again, from liberals and conservatives alike after comparing Trump to Jesus during an event the president hosted with faith leaders. (MS Now; 4.3.26) READMORE>>>>>>
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aula White sparks MAGA backlash after comparing Trump to Jesus
sPaula White, a spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, continues to be a source of division within the MAGA movement. The controversial preacher of the so-called prosperity gospel has garnered side-eyes and allegations of heresy from some right-wing Christians ever since she was tapped to lead the White House Faith Office. White also has come under fire from conservatives, including Tucker Carlson, amid speculation about her involvement in MAGA influencer Carrie Prejean Boller’s recent removal from Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. Boller’s ouster has fueled backlash toward the commission — and a member’s resignation as well. White is facing rebuke, yet again, from liberals and conservatives alike after comparing Trump to Jesus during an event the president hosted with faith leaders. (MS Now; 4.3.26) READMORE>>>>>>
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aula White sparks MAGA backlash after comparing Trump to Jesus
France set to see record number of baptisms on Holy Saturday
It’s set to be a life-changing Easter weekend for a record number of Catholics who are giving their life to Jesus. Dioceses across England recently reported the highest numbers of adults preparing to be received into the Catholic Church at the Easter vigil on Holy Saturday for at least 15 years. New figures show that the trend is also being borne out in France, with over 21,000 people set to be baptised this year, an increase of 20% on 2025 when 17,000 people gave their life to Christ. Around 8,000 of those being baptised this year are young people. A decade ago, only around 4,000 were baptised in France.
(Premier Christianity; 4.2.26)READMORE>>>>>>
It’s set to be a life-changing Easter weekend for a record number of Catholics who are giving their life to Jesus. Dioceses across England recently reported the highest numbers of adults preparing to be received into the Catholic Church at the Easter vigil on Holy Saturday for at least 15 years. New figures show that the trend is also being borne out in France, with over 21,000 people set to be baptised this year, an increase of 20% on 2025 when 17,000 people gave their life to Christ. Around 8,000 of those being baptised this year are young people. A decade ago, only around 4,000 were baptised in France.
(Premier Christianity; 4.2.26)READMORE>>>>>>
April 1, 2026
Netanyahu Pressured Retired Justice to Appoint Controversial Aide Who Lied in IDF Probe to Head Mossad
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently lobbied for the appointment of his controversial military secretary to head the Mossad secret service agency, despite civil service objections.
Netanyahu pushed for the appointment of Roman Gofman in a meeting with former justice Asher Grunis, who heads the senior civil service appointments committee. Israel's Channel 13 first reported the story.The committee has been vetting Gofman, who is accused of sending classified material without authorization to a 17-year-old boy for use in an influence campaign. Haaretz first reported the allegation two years ago. In December, Haaretz reported that he apparently lied during an IDF investigation into the affair.
(Haaretz; 4.1.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently lobbied for the appointment of his controversial military secretary to head the Mossad secret service agency, despite civil service objections.
Netanyahu pushed for the appointment of Roman Gofman in a meeting with former justice Asher Grunis, who heads the senior civil service appointments committee. Israel's Channel 13 first reported the story.The committee has been vetting Gofman, who is accused of sending classified material without authorization to a 17-year-old boy for use in an influence campaign. Haaretz first reported the allegation two years ago. In December, Haaretz reported that he apparently lied during an IDF investigation into the affair.
(Haaretz; 4.1.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 31, 2026
More than 3,700 immigrants arrested during Operation Metro Surge, per new data
More than 3,700 immigrants were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge, according to newly-released agency data obtained by the Deportation Data Project.
The data, obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, provides the clearest picture yet of the operation. The data doesn’t contain the names of detainees, but provided their age, nationality, date and location of arrest. The operation’s intensity peaked in early January, when the 3,000 agents here were arresting more than 100 people per day. By Jan. 23, arrests dropped to fewer than 100 per day, and continued to decline as former Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino left and border czar Tom Homan took over as head of the operation. (Minnesota Reformer; 3.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
More than 3,700 immigrants were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge, according to newly-released agency data obtained by the Deportation Data Project.
The data, obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, provides the clearest picture yet of the operation. The data doesn’t contain the names of detainees, but provided their age, nationality, date and location of arrest. The operation’s intensity peaked in early January, when the 3,000 agents here were arresting more than 100 people per day. By Jan. 23, arrests dropped to fewer than 100 per day, and continued to decline as former Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino left and border czar Tom Homan took over as head of the operation. (Minnesota Reformer; 3.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Pastors Support Legal Immigration, Refugee Resettlement, Split on Deportation Levels, Lifeway Research Finds
Pastors overwhelmingly view legal immigration positively but are more divided over the proper response to those who are in the United States illegally. Additionally, U.S. Protestant pastors say they favor a path to citizenship for certain undocumented individuals but want to see border security increased, according to a Lifeway Research study sponsored by World Relief. “This new study confirms what we’ve found anecdotally as we partner with churches across the United States,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Pastors nearly universally believe legal immigration has been a blessing to the country and to the church. As churches have been directly affected by immigration enforcement over the past year, pastors affirm the need for secure borders and deportation of those convicted of violent crimes, but they want to see more humane, family-unity protecting alternatives for other categories of immigrants.”
(Lifeway; 3.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Pastors overwhelmingly view legal immigration positively but are more divided over the proper response to those who are in the United States illegally. Additionally, U.S. Protestant pastors say they favor a path to citizenship for certain undocumented individuals but want to see border security increased, according to a Lifeway Research study sponsored by World Relief. “This new study confirms what we’ve found anecdotally as we partner with churches across the United States,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Pastors nearly universally believe legal immigration has been a blessing to the country and to the church. As churches have been directly affected by immigration enforcement over the past year, pastors affirm the need for secure borders and deportation of those convicted of violent crimes, but they want to see more humane, family-unity protecting alternatives for other categories of immigrants.”
(Lifeway; 3.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
New Report Sheds Light on the the Growing Threat of Christian Nationalism
On February 17th, 2026, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) published a new report showing that nearly a third of Americans qualify as Christian nationalist adherents or sympathizers – an increase since 2022 – while the number of skeptics and rejectors of Christian nationalism has declined. Christian
nationalism is defined in this study based on five questions – if the government should declare America a Christian nation; if laws should be based on Christian values; whether we can have a country without Christian foundations; if being Christian is important to being American; and if Christians should dominate all areas of American society. The more survey participant agrees that Christianity is foundational to the country based on those questions, the higher they score. Mostly or completely agreeing with the majority of those ideas makes one categorized as a Christian nationalist sympathizer or adherent, and those who mostly or completely disagree are categorized as skeptics and rejectors. The study found that support for Christian nationalism is not uniform across the country – states in the South and Midwest have higher rates of Christian nationalist adherents and sympathizers, particularly in Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia. In these states, rates of support for Christian nationalism exceed 50% of the population, while several states in these regions trail closely behind with rates of support well over 40%.
(Interfaith Alliance; 3.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
On February 17th, 2026, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) published a new report showing that nearly a third of Americans qualify as Christian nationalist adherents or sympathizers – an increase since 2022 – while the number of skeptics and rejectors of Christian nationalism has declined. Christian
nationalism is defined in this study based on five questions – if the government should declare America a Christian nation; if laws should be based on Christian values; whether we can have a country without Christian foundations; if being Christian is important to being American; and if Christians should dominate all areas of American society. The more survey participant agrees that Christianity is foundational to the country based on those questions, the higher they score. Mostly or completely agreeing with the majority of those ideas makes one categorized as a Christian nationalist sympathizer or adherent, and those who mostly or completely disagree are categorized as skeptics and rejectors. The study found that support for Christian nationalism is not uniform across the country – states in the South and Midwest have higher rates of Christian nationalist adherents and sympathizers, particularly in Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia. In these states, rates of support for Christian nationalism exceed 50% of the population, while several states in these regions trail closely behind with rates of support well over 40%.
(Interfaith Alliance; 3.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 30, 2026
There is no holy war
As missiles rained down on Tehran on February 28th, prominent evangelical Jack Graham tweeted: “May God give our military total victory as we liberate the Persian people and end decades of oppression and terror in the region… This is a just war and a noble operation.” This attempt to sacralize military action as ordained and supported by God gives an opportunity for a different sort of Christian witness: for peace. At the end of the day, we need Christians to bear witness to the fact that war can never be holy; it is always a failure and cause for grief. Those marshaling religious language to support this conflict often link the war to prophecies of Christ’s return. Christian musician and activist Sean Feucht said that “when this regime is prayerfully removed and the people are able to freely worship Jesus … we’re going to see the gospel go forth like never before.” Christians United for Israel founder John Hagee said that “prophetically, we’re right on cue,” and Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Church in Riverside, California, connected ancient Persia’s role in a conflict with Israel to modern-day Iran and urged his followers to follow Christ’s command to “look up,” a reference to Luke 21:28. (The Christian Century; 3.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
As missiles rained down on Tehran on February 28th, prominent evangelical Jack Graham tweeted: “May God give our military total victory as we liberate the Persian people and end decades of oppression and terror in the region… This is a just war and a noble operation.” This attempt to sacralize military action as ordained and supported by God gives an opportunity for a different sort of Christian witness: for peace. At the end of the day, we need Christians to bear witness to the fact that war can never be holy; it is always a failure and cause for grief. Those marshaling religious language to support this conflict often link the war to prophecies of Christ’s return. Christian musician and activist Sean Feucht said that “when this regime is prayerfully removed and the people are able to freely worship Jesus … we’re going to see the gospel go forth like never before.” Christians United for Israel founder John Hagee said that “prophetically, we’re right on cue,” and Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Church in Riverside, California, connected ancient Persia’s role in a conflict with Israel to modern-day Iran and urged his followers to follow Christ’s command to “look up,” a reference to Luke 21:28. (The Christian Century; 3.31.26)READMORE>>>>>>
‘Devoid of God’
Southern France is, in a sense, paradise. The region includes the French Riviera, a global epicenter of leisure and wealth. Think Cannes, home of the world-renowned film festival. Think Monaco, where the Formula One Grand Prix winds through city streets. To the north rise the majestic Alps; to the south sits the Mediterranean Sea.What more could anyone want? But beneath its gilded veneer, a quiet absence exists among those sitting in this lap of luxury, says Patrick, an International Mission Board missionary who has been serving in Southern France since 2024 after spending more than a decade planting a church in New York City. (Southern Baptist Texan; 3.30.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Southern France is, in a sense, paradise. The region includes the French Riviera, a global epicenter of leisure and wealth. Think Cannes, home of the world-renowned film festival. Think Monaco, where the Formula One Grand Prix winds through city streets. To the north rise the majestic Alps; to the south sits the Mediterranean Sea.What more could anyone want? But beneath its gilded veneer, a quiet absence exists among those sitting in this lap of luxury, says Patrick, an International Mission Board missionary who has been serving in Southern France since 2024 after spending more than a decade planting a church in New York City. (Southern Baptist Texan; 3.30.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 29, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & POLITICAL BYTES
Zorek
“The President’s mark on history as the architect of America’s Golden Age economic revival is undeniable. Printing his signature on American currency is not only appropriate, but also well deserved.” --Treasurer Brandon Beach said.
Price of gas is up, Groceries are up.....yet this is the "Golden Age economic revival"??
The department said this will mark the first time in U.S. history that a sitting president’s signature appears on American currency.
Is it legal? Federal law generally prohibits the depiction of any living person, including a sitting president, on American currency. This principle is rooted in the early history of the United States as a way to distinguish the Republic from monarchies, where the faces of living rulers were used to symbolize authority.
The Thayer Amendment (1866): This law formally codified the tradition of not using living portraits on U.S. "bonds, securities, notes, or postal currency". It was passed following a scandal where Treasury official Spencer M. Clark put his own face on a 5-cent note instead of the intended portrait of explorer William Clark.
Anti-Monarchy Tradition: George Washington famously declined to have his portrait on the first U.S. silver dollar, preferring that the nation focus on principles of liberty rather than individual leaders.
Presidential $1 Coin Act (2005): This act explicitly mandates that no coin in the presidential series may feature a living former or current president. It also requires a two-year waiting period after a president's death before they can be honored with a coin.
Price of gas is up, Groceries are up.....yet this is the "Golden Age economic revival"??
The department said this will mark the first time in U.S. history that a sitting president’s signature appears on American currency.
Is it legal? Federal law generally prohibits the depiction of any living person, including a sitting president, on American currency. This principle is rooted in the early history of the United States as a way to distinguish the Republic from monarchies, where the faces of living rulers were used to symbolize authority.
The Thayer Amendment (1866): This law formally codified the tradition of not using living portraits on U.S. "bonds, securities, notes, or postal currency". It was passed following a scandal where Treasury official Spencer M. Clark put his own face on a 5-cent note instead of the intended portrait of explorer William Clark.
Anti-Monarchy Tradition: George Washington famously declined to have his portrait on the first U.S. silver dollar, preferring that the nation focus on principles of liberty rather than individual leaders.
Presidential $1 Coin Act (2005): This act explicitly mandates that no coin in the presidential series may feature a living former or current president. It also requires a two-year waiting period after a president's death before they can be honored with a coin.
March 29, 2026
Hollywood Star Antonio Banderas Leads Traditional Palm Sunday Procession in Spain
Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas participated in Palm Sunday religious ceremonies in his native Spain, helping to launch the country’s traditional Holy Week observances that draw on centuries of Catholic heritage. Following a hymn performance at Saint John’s church, the 65-year-old Banderas wore customary penitent clothing — a bright beige robe with dark green accents — as he signaled the start of the procession carrying the Virgin statue representing his religious brotherhood, known as Tears and Favors.
(Fine Day Radio; 3.30.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas participated in Palm Sunday religious ceremonies in his native Spain, helping to launch the country’s traditional Holy Week observances that draw on centuries of Catholic heritage. Following a hymn performance at Saint John’s church, the 65-year-old Banderas wore customary penitent clothing — a bright beige robe with dark green accents — as he signaled the start of the procession carrying the Virgin statue representing his religious brotherhood, known as Tears and Favors.
(Fine Day Radio; 3.30.26)READMORE>>>>>>
People Who Left 'MAGA Christianity' Share What It Really Took To Step Away
For many Americans raised in conservative Christian environments, faith once felt like a matter of personal conviction and community — not overt political allegiance. But over the past decade, the boundary between belief and ideology has blurred. As religious leaders increasingly endorse candidates from the pulpit and worship music shares space with patriotic anthems, congregations have since fractured over public health measures, immigration, race, and the policing of cultural “morality.” (AOL; 3.29.26)READMORE>>>>>>
For many Americans raised in conservative Christian environments, faith once felt like a matter of personal conviction and community — not overt political allegiance. But over the past decade, the boundary between belief and ideology has blurred. As religious leaders increasingly endorse candidates from the pulpit and worship music shares space with patriotic anthems, congregations have since fractured over public health measures, immigration, race, and the policing of cultural “morality.” (AOL; 3.29.26)READMORE>>>>>>
French President affirms support for Christians in the Holy Land, condemns prevention of Palm Sunday Mass at Church of Holy Sepulchre
French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed his full support for the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem and for Christians in the Holy Land, who were prevented from holding Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Macron condemned the decision issued by the occupation police, considering it part of an alarming increase in violations targeting the historical status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem.He stressed
that freedom to practice religious rituals in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for all religions.
(WAFA News Agency; 3.29.26)READMORE>>>>>>
French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed his full support for the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem and for Christians in the Holy Land, who were prevented from holding Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Macron condemned the decision issued by the occupation police, considering it part of an alarming increase in violations targeting the historical status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem.He stressed
that freedom to practice religious rituals in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for all religions.
(WAFA News Agency; 3.29.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 28, 2026
Thousands join London march against Christian nationalism
More than a thousand Christians have marched together against Christian nationalism and the far-right's use of Britain’s “Christian heritage” to justify racism and anti-immigrant rhetoric. The group was part of a wider event, called The Together March, which had over two hundred civil society organisations taking part in the march in central London. The Christian bloc was made up more than 20 Christian organisations including Better Story, Christians for a Welcoming Britain, Oasis Church Waterloo, Red Letter Christians and Christian Climate Action among others, marching together, to show that the Christian message is one of God’s love for all. (Premeir Christian 3.28.26) READMORE>>>>>
More than a thousand Christians have marched together against Christian nationalism and the far-right's use of Britain’s “Christian heritage” to justify racism and anti-immigrant rhetoric. The group was part of a wider event, called The Together March, which had over two hundred civil society organisations taking part in the march in central London. The Christian bloc was made up more than 20 Christian organisations including Better Story, Christians for a Welcoming Britain, Oasis Church Waterloo, Red Letter Christians and Christian Climate Action among others, marching together, to show that the Christian message is one of God’s love for all. (Premeir Christian 3.28.26) READMORE>>>>>
How Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson Are Using Replacement Theology to Drive Modern Antisemitism
Christian influencers like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson are rallying their followers against Israel — and Jews. And to do so, they’re also weaponizing a centuries-old concept that underlies many strains of Christianity.It’s called supersessionism, and it’s the idea that Jesus’ existence supersedes all commands, laws and beliefs that came before it. Christians often say that Jesus’ death “fulfilled” God’s commandments, meaning that everything God said to Jews in the Hebrew Bible, all of the covenantal promises and laws, are obsolete. These views on Israel, and their theological interpretation, collide with a Christian Zionist movement that deeply supports Israel for its own scriptural reasons, believing that Jews must return to Israel to fulfill a prophecy and herald Jesus’ own return. (Faithfully 3.28.26) READMORE>>>>>
Christian influencers like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson are rallying their followers against Israel — and Jews. And to do so, they’re also weaponizing a centuries-old concept that underlies many strains of Christianity.It’s called supersessionism, and it’s the idea that Jesus’ existence supersedes all commands, laws and beliefs that came before it. Christians often say that Jesus’ death “fulfilled” God’s commandments, meaning that everything God said to Jews in the Hebrew Bible, all of the covenantal promises and laws, are obsolete. These views on Israel, and their theological interpretation, collide with a Christian Zionist movement that deeply supports Israel for its own scriptural reasons, believing that Jews must return to Israel to fulfill a prophecy and herald Jesus’ own return. (Faithfully 3.28.26) READMORE>>>>>
March 27, 2026
American politicians talk about persecuted Christians abroad – but here’s what happens when those Christians migrate to the US
Two months ago, Terez Metry arrived at a Department of Homeland Security office in Nashville with her husband, a U.S. citizen, expecting a routine step in beginning her green card application. The couple had prepared documents for a Form I-130 petition and anticipated an interview about their marriage.
But the appointment took a different turn. Instead of leaving together, immigration officers detained Metry and transferred her to an immigration detention facility in Alabama. Metry’s family had fled Egypt during the Arab Spring – the 2011 wave of uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa – and came to the United States when she was a teenager. Their asylum claim was denied, and Metry was unaware that a removal order had been issued when she was 13. She is now 28. Metry is a Coptic Christian. Copts belong to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world and make up about 10% of Egypt’s population.
(The Conversation; 3.27.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Two months ago, Terez Metry arrived at a Department of Homeland Security office in Nashville with her husband, a U.S. citizen, expecting a routine step in beginning her green card application. The couple had prepared documents for a Form I-130 petition and anticipated an interview about their marriage.
But the appointment took a different turn. Instead of leaving together, immigration officers detained Metry and transferred her to an immigration detention facility in Alabama. Metry’s family had fled Egypt during the Arab Spring – the 2011 wave of uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa – and came to the United States when she was a teenager. Their asylum claim was denied, and Metry was unaware that a removal order had been issued when she was 13. She is now 28. Metry is a Coptic Christian. Copts belong to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world and make up about 10% of Egypt’s population.
(The Conversation; 3.27.26)READMORE>>>>>>
VIEWPOINT | Condemn GUCR’s Actions, Find Inspiration In Faith
On March 10, I opened my phone to a plethora of texts from my friends, mostly along the lines of, “What in the world did GUCR just post on Twitter?” I read the screenshots of the Georgetown University College Republicans’ (GUCR) post, which stated, “Let’s Be Honest: Muslims have no place in American society. Their religion is incompatible with our Christian Nation.” Having been unplugged from social media for the previous few weeks, I watched in horror as my friend pulled up GUCR’s X account. Then another showed me Instagram. It seemed like everyone was talking about the post. I was blindsided, and it felt as though everything was imploding around me. At the time, I was GUCR’s vice president. I resigned early last week because I abhor these posts that violate my values, and it saddens me that they were made in the first place. We are directly witnessing the rise of right-wing “Christian” extremism on our campus, which necessitates a conversation with those who may be involved. These tweets are inherent contradictions of their claimed justification. As a leading Republican on this campus, I want to set the record straight. More importantly, I want to call on Christians and conservatives on this campus to make an effort to build community with those of different backgrounds and beliefs. (The Hoya; 3.27.26)READMORE>>>>>>
On March 10, I opened my phone to a plethora of texts from my friends, mostly along the lines of, “What in the world did GUCR just post on Twitter?” I read the screenshots of the Georgetown University College Republicans’ (GUCR) post, which stated, “Let’s Be Honest: Muslims have no place in American society. Their religion is incompatible with our Christian Nation.” Having been unplugged from social media for the previous few weeks, I watched in horror as my friend pulled up GUCR’s X account. Then another showed me Instagram. It seemed like everyone was talking about the post. I was blindsided, and it felt as though everything was imploding around me. At the time, I was GUCR’s vice president. I resigned early last week because I abhor these posts that violate my values, and it saddens me that they were made in the first place. We are directly witnessing the rise of right-wing “Christian” extremism on our campus, which necessitates a conversation with those who may be involved. These tweets are inherent contradictions of their claimed justification. As a leading Republican on this campus, I want to set the record straight. More importantly, I want to call on Christians and conservatives on this campus to make an effort to build community with those of different backgrounds and beliefs. (The Hoya; 3.27.26)READMORE>>>>>>
As Antisemitism Rises, Members of Abrahamic Religions Fight Back
For years, French politician Shannon Seban has encountered antisemitism from both the far left and the far right—an experience she said reflects a broader and growing trend. Seban’s troubles began in July 2023 when she was about three years into her term as a city council member in a suburb of Paris. A neo-Nazi activist posted antisemitic comments on his website. “He targeted my Jewish nose, and he made some caricature that was crazy,” Seban told Christianity Today. Seban’s lawyer filed a complaint about the hate speech with the local court, but the man avoided prosecution after reportedly fleeing to Japan. The attacks against her intensified after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Seban campaigned for a seat in the French parliament, running against a far-left candidate from a party she described as “deeply antisemitic.”
(Christianity Today; 3.27.26)READMORE>>>>>>
For years, French politician Shannon Seban has encountered antisemitism from both the far left and the far right—an experience she said reflects a broader and growing trend. Seban’s troubles began in July 2023 when she was about three years into her term as a city council member in a suburb of Paris. A neo-Nazi activist posted antisemitic comments on his website. “He targeted my Jewish nose, and he made some caricature that was crazy,” Seban told Christianity Today. Seban’s lawyer filed a complaint about the hate speech with the local court, but the man avoided prosecution after reportedly fleeing to Japan. The attacks against her intensified after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Seban campaigned for a seat in the French parliament, running against a far-left candidate from a party she described as “deeply antisemitic.”
(Christianity Today; 3.27.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 26, 2026
Survey: Support for Trump’s immigration agenda craters with all faith groups, especially mainline Protestants
Support for President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration has dropped across all religious groups over the past year, with approval plummeting among white nonevangelicals or mainline Protestants, according to a new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. Conducted in February and released on Thursday (March 26), the PRRI survey of 5,479 adults found majority support for Trump’s signature immigration policies is now limited to only two religious groups — white evangelicals and white Catholics. Even there, support has eroded since March 2025: White evangelical support fell from 78% to 69%, and white Catholic support sunk from 63% to 53%. The most dramatic shift was among white nonevangelical Protestants; their support for Trump’s immigration policies plummeted nearly 20 points, from 64% approval to just 46%. PRRI defines this group as generally including white mainline Protestants, who make up about 13% of the U.S. population, as of 2024 — the same share as white evangelicals.
(Christianity Today; 3.27.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Support for President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration has dropped across all religious groups over the past year, with approval plummeting among white nonevangelicals or mainline Protestants, according to a new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. Conducted in February and released on Thursday (March 26), the PRRI survey of 5,479 adults found majority support for Trump’s signature immigration policies is now limited to only two religious groups — white evangelicals and white Catholics. Even there, support has eroded since March 2025: White evangelical support fell from 78% to 69%, and white Catholic support sunk from 63% to 53%. The most dramatic shift was among white nonevangelical Protestants; their support for Trump’s immigration policies plummeted nearly 20 points, from 64% approval to just 46%. PRRI defines this group as generally including white mainline Protestants, who make up about 13% of the U.S. population, as of 2024 — the same share as white evangelicals.
(Christianity Today; 3.27.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 25, 2026
Markwayne Mullin is conservative, Christian, Cherokee, and the new head of DHS
On Monday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin was confirmed as the newest head of the Department of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem. It's an enormously consequential role that involves taking charge of ICE, border patrol, and TSA. And Mullin is an interesting choice for the role — he's a conservative, Christian citizen of Cherokee nation, known both for his ability to reach across the aisle, and for being a political firebrand. So today on the show, we're asking: What will Markwayne Mullin's leadership of DHS mean for Indian Country? And what will it mean for the nation as a whole? (NPR; 3.25.26)READMORE>>>>>>
On Monday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin was confirmed as the newest head of the Department of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem. It's an enormously consequential role that involves taking charge of ICE, border patrol, and TSA. And Mullin is an interesting choice for the role — he's a conservative, Christian citizen of Cherokee nation, known both for his ability to reach across the aisle, and for being a political firebrand. So today on the show, we're asking: What will Markwayne Mullin's leadership of DHS mean for Indian Country? And what will it mean for the nation as a whole? (NPR; 3.25.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Talarico hits back at Hegseth pastor who called for his death: ‘I still love you’
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) responded with “love” after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s pastor suggested he should be “crucified.” “Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills,” Talarico wrote Tuesday on the social platform X. “You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you,” he continued. “I love you more than you could ever hate me.” Evangelical pastor Brooks Potteiger, who serves as a close spiritual adviser to Hegseth, lambasted the Democratic Presbyterian seminarian for his interpretation of the Bible and defense of transgender minors during a recent podcast interview. (The Hill; 3.25.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) responded with “love” after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s pastor suggested he should be “crucified.” “Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills,” Talarico wrote Tuesday on the social platform X. “You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you,” he continued. “I love you more than you could ever hate me.” Evangelical pastor Brooks Potteiger, who serves as a close spiritual adviser to Hegseth, lambasted the Democratic Presbyterian seminarian for his interpretation of the Bible and defense of transgender minors during a recent podcast interview. (The Hill; 3.25.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 24, 2026
How Evangelical Conviction Is Standing Strong Against Evil
What is the church’s actual effect in the world today?
Jesus taught us in Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20-21 that His kingdom in the world is like leaven that quietly but powerfully enlivens a whole loaf. We don’t always notice its influence while it is working, but it is there. Jesus also said faithful Christians in the world are salt and light. As salt, we preserve and season the culture in life-giving ways. Sometimes we add flavor and other times we sting. We also illuminate, helping the world see the truth and beauty of God’s design. Some new sociology of religion data from Ryan Burge, a statistician and professor at Washington University in St. Louis, demonstrates the church’s essential role in the world. His findings are notable as they lie in stark contrast to new Pew Research Center data on what Americans think is moral and immoral. (Daily Citizen; 3.26.26)READMORE>>>>>>
What is the church’s actual effect in the world today?
Jesus taught us in Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20-21 that His kingdom in the world is like leaven that quietly but powerfully enlivens a whole loaf. We don’t always notice its influence while it is working, but it is there. Jesus also said faithful Christians in the world are salt and light. As salt, we preserve and season the culture in life-giving ways. Sometimes we add flavor and other times we sting. We also illuminate, helping the world see the truth and beauty of God’s design. Some new sociology of religion data from Ryan Burge, a statistician and professor at Washington University in St. Louis, demonstrates the church’s essential role in the world. His findings are notable as they lie in stark contrast to new Pew Research Center data on what Americans think is moral and immoral. (Daily Citizen; 3.26.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Do Evangelicals Still Care to Make a Moral Case for War?
When President Bush invaded Iraq, evangelical leaders argued the war was justified morally. When Trump went to war with Iran, evangelical leaders simply cheered. AFTER THE BOMBING OF IRAN COMMENCED, Donald Trump’s most ardent evangelical supporters cheered. Quoting from the Old Testament book of Nahum, Arizona megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll seemed to frame the attack as an act of divine retribution, the work of a God “filled with vengeance and rage” who “takes revenge on all who oppose him.” Hispanic evangelical leader Samuel Rodriguez turned to social media and announced, “Iran’s Ali Khamenei killed! This changes everything!” Notwithstanding their enthusiasm, neither Driscoll nor Rodriguez said anything about what these changes might look like or what should happen next. California megachurch pastor Greg Laurie suggested that these events might be connected to biblical prophecy—in this case, the passage in Ezekiel 38 in which a coalition of nations (“Gog and the land of Magog”) launches an invasion against Israel presaging the End Times. Laurie urged his followers to “look up” and see how history aligned with scripture (The Bulwark; 3.24.26)READMORE>>>>>>
When President Bush invaded Iraq, evangelical leaders argued the war was justified morally. When Trump went to war with Iran, evangelical leaders simply cheered. AFTER THE BOMBING OF IRAN COMMENCED, Donald Trump’s most ardent evangelical supporters cheered. Quoting from the Old Testament book of Nahum, Arizona megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll seemed to frame the attack as an act of divine retribution, the work of a God “filled with vengeance and rage” who “takes revenge on all who oppose him.” Hispanic evangelical leader Samuel Rodriguez turned to social media and announced, “Iran’s Ali Khamenei killed! This changes everything!” Notwithstanding their enthusiasm, neither Driscoll nor Rodriguez said anything about what these changes might look like or what should happen next. California megachurch pastor Greg Laurie suggested that these events might be connected to biblical prophecy—in this case, the passage in Ezekiel 38 in which a coalition of nations (“Gog and the land of Magog”) launches an invasion against Israel presaging the End Times. Laurie urged his followers to “look up” and see how history aligned with scripture (The Bulwark; 3.24.26)READMORE>>>>>>
What defines a Christian in the age of Christian nationalism?
Although different denominations will set different requirements, what it means to be a Christian often comes back to the Apostles’ Creed. It means believing in the deity of Jesus, his death and resurrection, the Trinity, and the final judgment. It’s fairly expansive, so it includes Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant believers. This more inclusive stance is beneficial in many ways and has been a source of greater peace between Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox congregations in the 20th and 21st centuries..
(Baptist News Global; 3.24.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Although different denominations will set different requirements, what it means to be a Christian often comes back to the Apostles’ Creed. It means believing in the deity of Jesus, his death and resurrection, the Trinity, and the final judgment. It’s fairly expansive, so it includes Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant believers. This more inclusive stance is beneficial in many ways and has been a source of greater peace between Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox congregations in the 20th and 21st centuries..
(Baptist News Global; 3.24.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 23, 2026
By Any Means Necessary: Christian Nationalists Call For The Destruction Of Their Political Enemies
Last week, Christian nationalists Joshua Haymes and Brooks Potteiger urged their fellow right-wing Christians to pray "imprecatory psalms" against James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate from Texas. Talarico is a Presbyterian seminarian who has openly cited his Christian faith in support of his progressive political positions, much to the outrage right-wing Christian nationalists. Potteiger, who was the pastor at the church attended by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Nashville, Tennessee, and will soon take over the Washington, DC church founded by Christian nationalist Doug Wilson, warned that Talarico is "a wolf" who is working to "distort what Christianity is in order to lead people away from Christ, toward the teaching of demons." (People For the American Way; 3.24.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Last week, Christian nationalists Joshua Haymes and Brooks Potteiger urged their fellow right-wing Christians to pray "imprecatory psalms" against James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate from Texas. Talarico is a Presbyterian seminarian who has openly cited his Christian faith in support of his progressive political positions, much to the outrage right-wing Christian nationalists. Potteiger, who was the pastor at the church attended by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Nashville, Tennessee, and will soon take over the Washington, DC church founded by Christian nationalist Doug Wilson, warned that Talarico is "a wolf" who is working to "distort what Christianity is in order to lead people away from Christ, toward the teaching of demons." (People For the American Way; 3.24.26)READMORE>>>>>>
6 Things MAGA Christians Should Love (But Somehow Don’t)
MAGA Christians spend a lot of time warning us about dangerous things like empathy, immigrants, libraries, and occasionally the teachings of Jesus. In the interest of unity, I’d like to help. Here is a short list of things they currently dislike—and the inconvenient reasons their own faith says they should probably care about them. (Breathing Space; 3.24.26)READMORE>>>>>>
MAGA Christians spend a lot of time warning us about dangerous things like empathy, immigrants, libraries, and occasionally the teachings of Jesus. In the interest of unity, I’d like to help. Here is a short list of things they currently dislike—and the inconvenient reasons their own faith says they should probably care about them. (Breathing Space; 3.24.26)READMORE>>>>>>
How to housebreak an elephant: Christian nationalism, the Iran War, and the art of truth-telling
Naming the elephants: Christian nationalism and holy war. To illustrate, I want to momentarily explore Christian nationalism and the Iran War. (I really don’t mean to use the elephant symbol as a substitute for anything MAGA. Though in this case, it seems to turn out that way. “Elephant in the room” is really non-partisan!) So many MAGA leaders directly or indirectly embrace the tenets of the elephant called Christian nationalism: Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s nominee for DHS Secretary, Speaker Mike Johnson, to name four. For many, the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is one of the toxic organizations behind a fierce determination to make the Iran War into a “Holy War,” another elephant. (Favs News; 3.23.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Naming the elephants: Christian nationalism and holy war. To illustrate, I want to momentarily explore Christian nationalism and the Iran War. (I really don’t mean to use the elephant symbol as a substitute for anything MAGA. Though in this case, it seems to turn out that way. “Elephant in the room” is really non-partisan!) So many MAGA leaders directly or indirectly embrace the tenets of the elephant called Christian nationalism: Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s nominee for DHS Secretary, Speaker Mike Johnson, to name four. For many, the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is one of the toxic organizations behind a fierce determination to make the Iran War into a “Holy War,” another elephant. (Favs News; 3.23.26)READMORE>>>>>>
The Trump Administration’s Threat to Impose “One Nation Under God”
It wasn’t in the mainstream media’s headlines, but it should have been. There was President Donald Trump surrounded by twenty far-right evangelicals in the Oval Office. Shortly after the Iran War started, they laid hands on him to pray for the war effort, and in a more troubling vein, they prayed for the country to “come back to one nation under God,” a sentiment expressed by Tom Mullins of Christ Fellowship at the meeting. A state lawmaker further posted on X that they were “mobiliz[ing] the Church to bring Revival & Reformation to America!” By “Church” he clearly doesn’t mean the Catholic Church or any liberal church. He’s talking about his right-wing Christianity. He went on to credit Trump for doing more “for religious liberty than any other President in U.S. history.” What he meant is that our President had done more for them, and that should be no surprise since the architectural framework to introduce Christian Nationalism is in Trump’s governing playbook in Project 2025. (Verdict Justia; 3.23.26)READMORE>>>>>>
It wasn’t in the mainstream media’s headlines, but it should have been. There was President Donald Trump surrounded by twenty far-right evangelicals in the Oval Office. Shortly after the Iran War started, they laid hands on him to pray for the war effort, and in a more troubling vein, they prayed for the country to “come back to one nation under God,” a sentiment expressed by Tom Mullins of Christ Fellowship at the meeting. A state lawmaker further posted on X that they were “mobiliz[ing] the Church to bring Revival & Reformation to America!” By “Church” he clearly doesn’t mean the Catholic Church or any liberal church. He’s talking about his right-wing Christianity. He went on to credit Trump for doing more “for religious liberty than any other President in U.S. history.” What he meant is that our President had done more for them, and that should be no surprise since the architectural framework to introduce Christian Nationalism is in Trump’s governing playbook in Project 2025. (Verdict Justia; 3.23.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 22, 2026
Threat of imposing religious law in America isn't from Muslims | Opinion
Nearly 250 years after the founding of this nation, the United States finds herself at a crossroads, asked to choose between two different visions of what it means to belong to the American family. One path leads to a Christian nationalist rebranding of America based on the alluring myth of religious and national purity, where Christian and American identities are synonymous, and where Christians are tasked with holding authority over all essential aspects of American civic life. The other path is a return to America’s pluralistic roots and the endeavor to create a society in which people from diverse religious traditions can freely bring their gifts and aspirations to bear on a shared diverse democracy.
(USA Today; 3.22.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Nearly 250 years after the founding of this nation, the United States finds herself at a crossroads, asked to choose between two different visions of what it means to belong to the American family. One path leads to a Christian nationalist rebranding of America based on the alluring myth of religious and national purity, where Christian and American identities are synonymous, and where Christians are tasked with holding authority over all essential aspects of American civic life. The other path is a return to America’s pluralistic roots and the endeavor to create a society in which people from diverse religious traditions can freely bring their gifts and aspirations to bear on a shared diverse democracy.
(USA Today; 3.22.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 21, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & POLITICAL BYTES
Zorek
I think as a whole the nation has lived believing the government, for the most part, had our backs (citizens). Maybe even they thought they had our back. But we started veering off course several decades ago and then believed the Constitution would stop people like Trump from happening.
Too many of us, including elected officials. don’t quite know what to do now. Democrats are trying to play a game with rules against a party that’s playing a game without rules. The rich are calling many of the shots by whom they donate to and with no limits…which there SHOULD have always been limits. Now rich people buy congressmen all the time on national and state levels. Since the advent of Fox News and the internet bad information has been served up for anyone willing to eat it. Fox News, BTW, started out with their mantra being "we report-you decide" and they would often put a Dem against the GOP and they would let the people decide (Remember Hannity & Colmes?) They dropped that pretty fast and went right wing rogue.
“Drinking the koolaid” is party policy for way too many. Then we have the insecure citizens who want to believe they are part of something and go where they can post and report whatever they want without realizing the consequences…but they get their personal likes and hearts and they are good for another day.
Those that are truly wanting to stop Trump’s agenda either dont have the power to do so…or they are afraid to do something or dont know what to do. (complicity essentially endorses the bad players) Those who can make noise. But who’s listening?
Then there’s those who wont say anything for fear it will effect their paychecks and million dollar donations.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Or maybe..in the end…how many are left.
Too many of us, including elected officials. don’t quite know what to do now. Democrats are trying to play a game with rules against a party that’s playing a game without rules. The rich are calling many of the shots by whom they donate to and with no limits…which there SHOULD have always been limits. Now rich people buy congressmen all the time on national and state levels. Since the advent of Fox News and the internet bad information has been served up for anyone willing to eat it. Fox News, BTW, started out with their mantra being "we report-you decide" and they would often put a Dem against the GOP and they would let the people decide (Remember Hannity & Colmes?) They dropped that pretty fast and went right wing rogue.
“Drinking the koolaid” is party policy for way too many. Then we have the insecure citizens who want to believe they are part of something and go where they can post and report whatever they want without realizing the consequences…but they get their personal likes and hearts and they are good for another day.
Those that are truly wanting to stop Trump’s agenda either dont have the power to do so…or they are afraid to do something or dont know what to do. (complicity essentially endorses the bad players) Those who can make noise. But who’s listening?
Then there’s those who wont say anything for fear it will effect their paychecks and million dollar donations.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Or maybe..in the end…how many are left.
All of these people and anchors from Fox and Newsmax said today that they dont mind paying more at the pump for gas because it's the patriotic thing to do. Laura Ingraham makes $15 million a year and the rest of them are not far behind. They are telling people to do the patriotic thing and ride it out. The majority of the people in this country that have to buy gas to get to and from work or school don't have any where near their paycheck. These talking heads are so far out of touch with the people and it shows whenever they talk from their version of "reality." Trump, BTW, is asking for another $200 billion for his war in Iran. In the meantime gas prices and grocery prices will continue to rise.
A young man filled with the fear of missing his destiny and afraid he'll miss his train to greatness, goes to an island where hermits of God dwell. These are the one who live in totoal spiritual concentration. They're called saints, gurus, mystics, monks, etc.
He searches out the eldest and wisest: "Father," he asks, "do you still wrestle with the devil?"
"Oh no, my son," answers the wise man. "I am beyond that. Now I wrestle with God."
"You wrestle with God? But do you hope to win?"
"Oh no, I hope to lose."
He searches out the eldest and wisest: "Father," he asks, "do you still wrestle with the devil?"
"Oh no, my son," answers the wise man. "I am beyond that. Now I wrestle with God."
"You wrestle with God? But do you hope to win?"
"Oh no, I hope to lose."
March 21, 2026
‘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. (The Huffpost; 3.21.26)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. (The Huffpost; 3.21.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Hegseth’s Christian rhetoric sparks concern amid Iran conflict
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has consistently infused his conservative evangelical beliefs into the Pentagon, raising questions about the military’s secular mission. Since taking office, he has hosted monthly Christian worship services for staff and overseen promotional videos featuring Bible verses alongside military footage. Hegseth often asserts the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation, urging troops to embrace God, a stance that potentially risks the military’s secular mission and hard-won pluralism.
This religious rhetoric has gained new significance following the recent conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran, an Islamic theocracy.(The Independent; 3.21.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has consistently infused his conservative evangelical beliefs into the Pentagon, raising questions about the military’s secular mission. Since taking office, he has hosted monthly Christian worship services for staff and overseen promotional videos featuring Bible verses alongside military footage. Hegseth often asserts the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation, urging troops to embrace God, a stance that potentially risks the military’s secular mission and hard-won pluralism.
This religious rhetoric has gained new significance following the recent conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran, an Islamic theocracy.(The Independent; 3.21.26)READMORE>>>>>>
We should put less faith in religion and more in the power of doubt
The evangelicals laid hands on Donald Trump in the Oval Office earlier this month, eyes closed, faces contorted into supplication to the Big Man above. I have no idea whether the president believes or merely pretends to believe, but there is no doubt that we are witnessing something remarkable not just in America but beyond: 300 years after the Enlightenment, there is an accelerating influence of fundamentalist religion in the decisions that affect our world. We already knew about this about the Middle East, of course. We knew that the ayatollahs believe they have absolute truth. We knew that they believe they are justified in killing because they have Allah on their side. We knew that this conviction feeds Hamas (although these Sunnis have a different absolute truth from the Shias), Hezbollah and the other fanatics who often hate each other as much as the infidels. It is darkly amusing to those who study religious psychopathy that few people despised Osama bin Laden more than Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of the bloodthirsty al-Qaeda franchise in Iraq: he thought the Saudi mastermind of the 9/11 attacks had a too limp-wristed interpretation of the Holy Book. (Sunday Times; 3.21.26)READMORE>>>>>>
The evangelicals laid hands on Donald Trump in the Oval Office earlier this month, eyes closed, faces contorted into supplication to the Big Man above. I have no idea whether the president believes or merely pretends to believe, but there is no doubt that we are witnessing something remarkable not just in America but beyond: 300 years after the Enlightenment, there is an accelerating influence of fundamentalist religion in the decisions that affect our world. We already knew about this about the Middle East, of course. We knew that the ayatollahs believe they have absolute truth. We knew that they believe they are justified in killing because they have Allah on their side. We knew that this conviction feeds Hamas (although these Sunnis have a different absolute truth from the Shias), Hezbollah and the other fanatics who often hate each other as much as the infidels. It is darkly amusing to those who study religious psychopathy that few people despised Osama bin Laden more than Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of the bloodthirsty al-Qaeda franchise in Iraq: he thought the Saudi mastermind of the 9/11 attacks had a too limp-wristed interpretation of the Holy Book. (Sunday Times; 3.21.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 20, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & POLITICAL BYTES
Zorek
I think as a whole the nation has lived believing the government, for the most part, had our backs (citizens). Maybe even they thought they had our back. But we started veering off course several decades ago and then believed the Constitution would stop people like Trump from happening.
Too many of us, including elected officials. don’t quite know what to do now. Democrats are trying to play a game with rules against a party that’s playing a game without rules. The rich are calling many of the shots by whom they donate to and with no limits…which there SHOULD have always been limits. Now rich people buy congressmen all the time on national and state levels. Since the advent of Fox News and the internet bad information has been served up for anyone willing to eat it. Fox News, BTW, started out with their mantra being "we report-you decide" and they would often put a Dem against the GOP and they would let the people decide (Remember Hannity & Colmes?) They dropped that pretty fast and went right wing rogue.
“Drinking the koolaid” is party policy for way too many. Then we have the insecure citizens who want to believe they are part of something and go where they can post and report whatever they want without realizing the consequences…but they get their personal likes and hearts and they are good for another day.
Those that are truly wanting to stop Trump’s agenda either dont have the power to do so…or they are afraid to do something or dont know what to do. (complicity essentially endorses the bad players) Those who can make noise. But who’s listening?
Then there’s those who wont say anything for fear it will effect their paychecks and million dollar donations.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Or maybe..in the end…how many are left.
Too many of us, including elected officials. don’t quite know what to do now. Democrats are trying to play a game with rules against a party that’s playing a game without rules. The rich are calling many of the shots by whom they donate to and with no limits…which there SHOULD have always been limits. Now rich people buy congressmen all the time on national and state levels. Since the advent of Fox News and the internet bad information has been served up for anyone willing to eat it. Fox News, BTW, started out with their mantra being "we report-you decide" and they would often put a Dem against the GOP and they would let the people decide (Remember Hannity & Colmes?) They dropped that pretty fast and went right wing rogue.
“Drinking the koolaid” is party policy for way too many. Then we have the insecure citizens who want to believe they are part of something and go where they can post and report whatever they want without realizing the consequences…but they get their personal likes and hearts and they are good for another day.
Those that are truly wanting to stop Trump’s agenda either dont have the power to do so…or they are afraid to do something or dont know what to do. (complicity essentially endorses the bad players) Those who can make noise. But who’s listening?
Then there’s those who wont say anything for fear it will effect their paychecks and million dollar donations.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Or maybe..in the end…how many are left.
All of these people and anchors from Fox and Newsmax said today that they dont mind paying more at the pump for gas because it's the patriotic thing to do. Laura Ingraham makes $15 million a year and the rest of them are not far behind. They are telling people to do the patriotic thing and ride it out. The majority of the people in this country that have to buy gas to get to and from work or school don't have any where near their paycheck. These talking heads are so far out of touch with the people and it shows whenever they talk from their version of "reality." Trump, BTW, is asking for another $200 billion for his war in Iran. In the meantime gas prices and grocery prices will continue to rise.
A young man filled with the fear of missing his destiny and afraid he'll miss his train to greatness, goes to an island where hermits of God dwell. These are the one who live in totoal spiritual concentration. They're called saints, gurus, mystics, monks, etc.
He searches out the eldest and wisest: "Father," he asks, "do you still wrestle with the devil?"
"Oh no, my son," answers the wise man. "I am beyond that. Now I wrestle with God."
"You wrestle with God? But do you hope to win?"
"Oh no, I hope to lose."
He searches out the eldest and wisest: "Father," he asks, "do you still wrestle with the devil?"
"Oh no, my son," answers the wise man. "I am beyond that. Now I wrestle with God."
"You wrestle with God? But do you hope to win?"
"Oh no, I hope to lose."
March 20, 2026
James Talarico: Christian politician is beacon of hope for Democrats
Have the Democrats found a new saviour? Some in the party believe so, said Adam Wren in Politico. They're pinning their hopes on James Talarico, a 36-year-old Presbyterian seminarian who, following his recent primary victory, is set to contest a Senate seat in Texas in November's midterm elections. The Democrats haven't won a statewide race there since 1994, and the last time Texas elected a Democrat to the US Senate was back in 1988. But the strong performance of the “disciplined and studious” Talarico has rekindled Democrat dreams of turning Texas blue. He's a deft communicator, and his centrist, positive style seems to appeal to a wide variety of voters. In the words of the veteran political adviser Mark McKinnon, Talarico could be the “Moses who leads the Lone Star Democrats out of the desert they've been in for 35 years”. This would also give them a “wider than expected path” to flipping the Republican majority in the Senate in November. (The Week; 3.20.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Have the Democrats found a new saviour? Some in the party believe so, said Adam Wren in Politico. They're pinning their hopes on James Talarico, a 36-year-old Presbyterian seminarian who, following his recent primary victory, is set to contest a Senate seat in Texas in November's midterm elections. The Democrats haven't won a statewide race there since 1994, and the last time Texas elected a Democrat to the US Senate was back in 1988. But the strong performance of the “disciplined and studious” Talarico has rekindled Democrat dreams of turning Texas blue. He's a deft communicator, and his centrist, positive style seems to appeal to a wide variety of voters. In the words of the veteran political adviser Mark McKinnon, Talarico could be the “Moses who leads the Lone Star Democrats out of the desert they've been in for 35 years”. This would also give them a “wider than expected path” to flipping the Republican majority in the Senate in November. (The Week; 3.20.26)READMORE>>>>>>
3 Democratic pastors in Iowa are running for Congress, a snapshot of a national trend
In polite company or otherwise, the Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott is very comfortable talking to people about religion and politics. She delivered an impassioned sermon last Sunday, encouraging the people in the pews at Grace Lutheran Church to welcome strangers as Jesus did. The day before, she campaigned for Congress in rural Iowa, decrying Medicaid cuts and their impact on people's access to health care. The Lutheran pastor and state senator is one of three clergy members in Iowa running as Democrats for the U.S. House of Representatives. (KCCI; 3.20.26)READMORE>>>>>>
In polite company or otherwise, the Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott is very comfortable talking to people about religion and politics. She delivered an impassioned sermon last Sunday, encouraging the people in the pews at Grace Lutheran Church to welcome strangers as Jesus did. The day before, she campaigned for Congress in rural Iowa, decrying Medicaid cuts and their impact on people's access to health care. The Lutheran pastor and state senator is one of three clergy members in Iowa running as Democrats for the U.S. House of Representatives. (KCCI; 3.20.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 19, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & POLITICAL BYTES
Zorek
Though I suppose there may be some exceptions that God can give special insight to a person, as a general rule we all need to be discerning rightfully the world around us and what is going on, and it does not involve special revelation. The spiritual gift of discernment is not a "feeling." NONE of the spiritual gifts are defined as being a "feeling." Practical discernment involves listening and listening closely. Even the very best con man suffers from an human affliction in that it's a rare person who can bridle the tongue. As a general rule, the more they talk the more they reveal themselves.
In Matthew 7 Jesus gave the infamous retort that ended with "go from me I never knew you." These were people who prophesied and did many miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus said he never knew them. In fact...he even went on to call them "workers of iniquity" or some translations use "lawless." So if you are impressed by a minister or evangelist performing miracles...I caution you to be aware that not all of those people actually "know" the Lord. Many are just doing business for themselves and claiming it's all for God.
When it's time to receive our heavenly crowns I will not be first in line. I'll be behind Mary, Paul, The Apostles and Joel Osteen's dentist😉
Plumbers don't run from broken pipes, editors don't run from broken papers, and pastors don't run from broken people.
"Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools." Ecclesiastes 7:9
In Matthew 7 Jesus gave the infamous retort that ended with "go from me I never knew you." These were people who prophesied and did many miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus said he never knew them. In fact...he even went on to call them "workers of iniquity" or some translations use "lawless." So if you are impressed by a minister or evangelist performing miracles...I caution you to be aware that not all of those people actually "know" the Lord. Many are just doing business for themselves and claiming it's all for God.
When it's time to receive our heavenly crowns I will not be first in line. I'll be behind Mary, Paul, The Apostles and Joel Osteen's dentist😉
Plumbers don't run from broken pipes, editors don't run from broken papers, and pastors don't run from broken people.
"Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools." Ecclesiastes 7:9
Theology is the attempt to make sense out of everything.
Christian theology starts with Jesus. The premises, however, are more likely to represent conclusion drawn from an extensive chain of previous reasoning and a long accumulation of experience. We begin to theologize whenever we try and understand the world, or to find our place in the world, building from whatever premise we have accepted. The more a "theologist" has spent on the starting "point" (Jesus), as opposed to personal experience and previous reasoning the better the foundation for the end result.
If I want my theology to look like me--I will start with me...work my way to Jesus, then go beyond that. If I want my theology to look like Jesus, who is the truth, the way, and the life, then I will start with Jesus.
“Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?" ~ Maurice Freehill
Christian theology starts with Jesus. The premises, however, are more likely to represent conclusion drawn from an extensive chain of previous reasoning and a long accumulation of experience. We begin to theologize whenever we try and understand the world, or to find our place in the world, building from whatever premise we have accepted. The more a "theologist" has spent on the starting "point" (Jesus), as opposed to personal experience and previous reasoning the better the foundation for the end result.
If I want my theology to look like me--I will start with me...work my way to Jesus, then go beyond that. If I want my theology to look like Jesus, who is the truth, the way, and the life, then I will start with Jesus.
“Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?" ~ Maurice Freehill
Among the forces that have shaped human behavior, boredom is one of the most insistent and universal. The range of cures or terminations of boredom is a wide one: desertion, war, revolution, murder, calculated cruelty to others, suicide, pornography, alcohol, narcotics,. Whether it is Tiberius relishing those he tortured, or Sherlock Holmes taking to the needle, the pains and results of boredom are everywhere to be seen, and nowhere more especially than in Western Society at the present time.
Satiety is doubtless a key element in boredom. Someone has written that the only thing worse in life than not getting any of what one has struggled for is to get it all. Boredom is is almost certainly the secret canker in utopias. Not a sound theological point, but one might theorize that God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden and into the perilous unknown as a way of warding off the boredom that might have come with marriage-in-utopia and perhaps fruitlessness.
Satiety is doubtless a key element in boredom. Someone has written that the only thing worse in life than not getting any of what one has struggled for is to get it all. Boredom is is almost certainly the secret canker in utopias. Not a sound theological point, but one might theorize that God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden and into the perilous unknown as a way of warding off the boredom that might have come with marriage-in-utopia and perhaps fruitlessness.
March 18, 2026
Evangelical holy war: Why some Christians think Trump will end the world
Soldiers in the United States Armed Forces have lodged more than 100 complaints with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) stating that their commanders are using extremist religious rhetoric to describe the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. According to some complaints, American military commanders have told their troops the attack on Iran is a holy war, and that U.S. President Donald Trump was “anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth.” In a recent interview with Democracy Now!, the MRFF’s president, Mikey Weinstein, said the foundation was “inundated” with calls from soldiers indicating that commanders across the armed forces “were euphoric” because the war would serve as a way to “bring their version of weaponized Jesus back.”
(The Conversation 1.18.26) READMORE>>>>>
Soldiers in the United States Armed Forces have lodged more than 100 complaints with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) stating that their commanders are using extremist religious rhetoric to describe the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. According to some complaints, American military commanders have told their troops the attack on Iran is a holy war, and that U.S. President Donald Trump was “anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth.” In a recent interview with Democracy Now!, the MRFF’s president, Mikey Weinstein, said the foundation was “inundated” with calls from soldiers indicating that commanders across the armed forces “were euphoric” because the war would serve as a way to “bring their version of weaponized Jesus back.”
(The Conversation 1.18.26) READMORE>>>>>
"If we want to preserve America, the country that we know and love, our constitutional order, we have to wake up and realize that mass Islamic immigration is incredibly harmful. What we don't want to see is the American way of life fundamentally transformed because you have Islamic pressure on our legal system. We can be politically correct about it, or we can wake up and we can defend our country. You've got parts of Paris or London that no longer look Parisian or English anymore. You've got areas in both of those cities that are no-go zones for native Parisians or native Londoners. That is a problem. What we don't want to see is parallel legal institutions popping up in the United States, which they are, in the same way that you have in Europe." -Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas to journalist Erick Stakelbeck 1.18.26
March 17, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & POLITICAL BYTES
Zorek
Just voting by itself doesn’t make something right or just; it can just as easily just be another way for one majority to impose their will on a smaller group. Today, democracy is a far cry of what it should be. All we have are popularity contests that provide us mostly with men that lack long-term vision.
Democracy is just a filler for textbooks!
Do you actually believe that public opinion influences the government? --Voltaire
“Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.”― Oscar Wilde
“An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination.” — Voltaire
"And this I predict: If democracy is not defeated, the civilization of mankind will not increase but diminish." -Speech at Nazi Party Rally, September 10, 1936
If you’re not informed enough to cast a vote on an issue, how can you be informed enough to delegate your vote in a way that represents your interests? Won’t that quickly become a popularity contest? I absolutely want everyone to be represented, but not by popular vote. Let us reason about it unless the quality of a vote can be guaranteed. For some issues it then would be more important to signal disagreement, rather than agreement. At that stage, a vote would block an implementation and restart a reasoning process. Maybe there is a requirement of having at least 5% disagreement to block something, or maybe it should be higher. Maybe disagreement needs to abide by a certain format to provide a start for remediating the objection. Governance through a pure mathematical process will be hard to do efficiently, so we shouldn’t forget that discussion, disagreement all take a part in this and that there may not be a reason to turn a vote into something purely mathematical. How could you, in such a case, preserve the very research focused approach so far? I suppose my belief in democracy lies in the idea that while voting might not always bring the optimal result the first time around, and the majority can make the ‘wrong’ decision, that it still provides the opportunity to self correct, to learn from our collective mistakes, and make better decisions next time around. Hopefully we can collectively learn from our mistakes quick enough to build a sustainable peaceful society that doesn’t self destruct.
‘Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…’ ---Winston S Churchill, 11 November 1947
"The progress from an absolute to a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual." --Henry David Thoreau (On the duty of Civil Disobedience 1849)
"Democracy, Freedom, has its root on the sacred truth that every man hath in him the Divine Reason....That is the equality and the only equality of all men." -Ralph Waldo Emerson (1834)
"The root and seed of democracy is the doctrine: Judge for yourself. Reverence yourself." -Ralph Waldo Emerson (Journal 1934)
Democracy is just a filler for textbooks!
Do you actually believe that public opinion influences the government? --Voltaire
“Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.”― Oscar Wilde
“An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination.” — Voltaire
"And this I predict: If democracy is not defeated, the civilization of mankind will not increase but diminish." -Speech at Nazi Party Rally, September 10, 1936
If you’re not informed enough to cast a vote on an issue, how can you be informed enough to delegate your vote in a way that represents your interests? Won’t that quickly become a popularity contest? I absolutely want everyone to be represented, but not by popular vote. Let us reason about it unless the quality of a vote can be guaranteed. For some issues it then would be more important to signal disagreement, rather than agreement. At that stage, a vote would block an implementation and restart a reasoning process. Maybe there is a requirement of having at least 5% disagreement to block something, or maybe it should be higher. Maybe disagreement needs to abide by a certain format to provide a start for remediating the objection. Governance through a pure mathematical process will be hard to do efficiently, so we shouldn’t forget that discussion, disagreement all take a part in this and that there may not be a reason to turn a vote into something purely mathematical. How could you, in such a case, preserve the very research focused approach so far? I suppose my belief in democracy lies in the idea that while voting might not always bring the optimal result the first time around, and the majority can make the ‘wrong’ decision, that it still provides the opportunity to self correct, to learn from our collective mistakes, and make better decisions next time around. Hopefully we can collectively learn from our mistakes quick enough to build a sustainable peaceful society that doesn’t self destruct.
‘Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…’ ---Winston S Churchill, 11 November 1947
"The progress from an absolute to a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual." --Henry David Thoreau (On the duty of Civil Disobedience 1849)
"Democracy, Freedom, has its root on the sacred truth that every man hath in him the Divine Reason....That is the equality and the only equality of all men." -Ralph Waldo Emerson (1834)
"The root and seed of democracy is the doctrine: Judge for yourself. Reverence yourself." -Ralph Waldo Emerson (Journal 1934)
March 17, 2026
Lawmaker taking on Christian nationalism
When our nation’s Founders took the revolutionary step of creating a republic with no state religion, they likely never envisioned how religiously diverse the nation would become. Drive around my hometown of Fort Worth, or any populous Texas city, and you’ll see Muslim mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and Jewish synagogues, as well as Christian churches of all sizes and varieties. Once-predominant Christians now account for less than two-thirds of Americans, and their faith has fragmented into hundreds of denominations that differ over theology, morality, and politics. One out of 15 Americans now belongs to a religion other than Christianity. Almost a third of Americans don’t identify with any particular religion, yet belief still flourishes. Over half of Americans consider religion very important in daily life; that share struggles to reach 20 percent in other economically advanced nations. As America grows more religiously diverse, the Founders’ decision to separate church and state looks increasingly wise. Though it’s easy to spot flaws in the Founders themselves and the Constitution they crafted (the Electoral College, for instance, or the three-fifths clause), what Thomas Jefferson called the “wall of separation” was one thing they definitely got right. (Texas Observer; 3.17.26)READMORE>>>>>>
When our nation’s Founders took the revolutionary step of creating a republic with no state religion, they likely never envisioned how religiously diverse the nation would become. Drive around my hometown of Fort Worth, or any populous Texas city, and you’ll see Muslim mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and Jewish synagogues, as well as Christian churches of all sizes and varieties. Once-predominant Christians now account for less than two-thirds of Americans, and their faith has fragmented into hundreds of denominations that differ over theology, morality, and politics. One out of 15 Americans now belongs to a religion other than Christianity. Almost a third of Americans don’t identify with any particular religion, yet belief still flourishes. Over half of Americans consider religion very important in daily life; that share struggles to reach 20 percent in other economically advanced nations. As America grows more religiously diverse, the Founders’ decision to separate church and state looks increasingly wise. Though it’s easy to spot flaws in the Founders themselves and the Constitution they crafted (the Electoral College, for instance, or the three-fifths clause), what Thomas Jefferson called the “wall of separation” was one thing they definitely got right. (Texas Observer; 3.17.26)READMORE>>>>>>
A Wall That’s Worth Defending
When our nation’s Founders took the revolutionary step of creating a republic with no state religion, they likely never envisioned how religiously diverse the nation would become. Drive around my hometown of Fort Worth, or any populous Texas city, and you’ll see Muslim mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and Jewish synagogues, as well as Christian churches of all sizes and varieties. Once-predominant Christians now account for less than two-thirds of Americans, and their faith has fragmented into hundreds of denominations that differ over theology, morality, and politics. One out of 15 Americans now belongs to a religion other than Christianity. Almost a third of Americans don’t identify with any particular religion, yet belief still flourishes. Over half of Americans consider religion very important in daily life; that share struggles to reach 20 percent in other economically advanced nations. As America grows more religiously diverse, the Founders’ decision to separate church and state looks increasingly wise. Though it’s easy to spot flaws in the Founders themselves and the Constitution they crafted (the Electoral College, for instance, or the three-fifths clause), what Thomas Jefferson called the “wall of separation” was one thing they definitely got right. (Texas Observer; 3.17.26)READMORE>>>>>>
When our nation’s Founders took the revolutionary step of creating a republic with no state religion, they likely never envisioned how religiously diverse the nation would become. Drive around my hometown of Fort Worth, or any populous Texas city, and you’ll see Muslim mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and Jewish synagogues, as well as Christian churches of all sizes and varieties. Once-predominant Christians now account for less than two-thirds of Americans, and their faith has fragmented into hundreds of denominations that differ over theology, morality, and politics. One out of 15 Americans now belongs to a religion other than Christianity. Almost a third of Americans don’t identify with any particular religion, yet belief still flourishes. Over half of Americans consider religion very important in daily life; that share struggles to reach 20 percent in other economically advanced nations. As America grows more religiously diverse, the Founders’ decision to separate church and state looks increasingly wise. Though it’s easy to spot flaws in the Founders themselves and the Constitution they crafted (the Electoral College, for instance, or the three-fifths clause), what Thomas Jefferson called the “wall of separation” was one thing they definitely got right. (Texas Observer; 3.17.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Trashing Evangelicals Is No Way to Fight Conspiracism
Jared Stacy’s new book correctly identifies a serious problem. But his depiction of evangelicalism is overblown and unreasonable. No good editor will let you start an article with a dictionary definition, which is perhaps the surest sign that a writer has no idea where to begin. But for this review, I must break the rule, because grasping a handful of related terms is vital to understanding the focus of Jared Stacy’s Reality in Ruins: How Conspiracy Theory Became an American Evangelical Crisis—and to understanding how and why it is an unsuccessful book. (Christianity Today; 3.17.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Jared Stacy’s new book correctly identifies a serious problem. But his depiction of evangelicalism is overblown and unreasonable. No good editor will let you start an article with a dictionary definition, which is perhaps the surest sign that a writer has no idea where to begin. But for this review, I must break the rule, because grasping a handful of related terms is vital to understanding the focus of Jared Stacy’s Reality in Ruins: How Conspiracy Theory Became an American Evangelical Crisis—and to understanding how and why it is an unsuccessful book. (Christianity Today; 3.17.26)READMORE>>>>>>
March 16, 2026
Should Christians Always Stand with Israel?
With the United States and Israel working as allies in the present conflict with Iran, Christians from many nations may find themselves asking afresh how we, as Christians, are to think of the modern nation-state of Israel. In view of Old Testament promises, New Testament expectations, and our common spiritual ancestry, should Christians always support Israel? Should we defend its claims to the land? These realities can be complex for us as both Christians and earthly citizens. Our foremost allegiance is to Jesus, even as we have our secondary allegiances to various modern nations. Simple answers may not suffice, especially in times of war. Of course, Christians have wrestled with these issues before; they’ve been in the water since the founding of the modern state of Israel in 1948. In times like these, reviewing perspectives from outside our immediate context can bring much-needed clarity. To that end, we’ve curated the following resources from John Piper, ranging from 12 to 22 years old. At issue here is not primarily how particular nations should relate to the modern nation of Israel, but how Christians as citizens of heaven might think about Israel today. (Desiring God; 3.16.26)READMORE>>>>>>
With the United States and Israel working as allies in the present conflict with Iran, Christians from many nations may find themselves asking afresh how we, as Christians, are to think of the modern nation-state of Israel. In view of Old Testament promises, New Testament expectations, and our common spiritual ancestry, should Christians always support Israel? Should we defend its claims to the land? These realities can be complex for us as both Christians and earthly citizens. Our foremost allegiance is to Jesus, even as we have our secondary allegiances to various modern nations. Simple answers may not suffice, especially in times of war. Of course, Christians have wrestled with these issues before; they’ve been in the water since the founding of the modern state of Israel in 1948. In times like these, reviewing perspectives from outside our immediate context can bring much-needed clarity. To that end, we’ve curated the following resources from John Piper, ranging from 12 to 22 years old. At issue here is not primarily how particular nations should relate to the modern nation of Israel, but how Christians as citizens of heaven might think about Israel today. (Desiring God; 3.16.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Evangelicals spread conspiracies and ‘disreality,’ says author
Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump flew a U.S. flag with a symbol from the group QAnon as they gathered outside the U.S. Capitol January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)Jared Stacy wasn’t surprised by a 2021 Lifeway report: “Half of U.S. Protestant Pastors Hear Conspiracy Theories in their Churches.” Conspiracies about Democratic pedophile rings and other nonsense infested Spotswood Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, Va., where he was pastor to college and young adults.
He resigned that year and took his wife and family to Scotland, where he earned a Ph.D. Now back in the U.S., he’s a “post-evangelical theologian and ethicist” with a new book, Reality in Ruins: How Conspiracy Theory Became an American Evangelical Crisis. (Baptist News Global; 3.16.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump flew a U.S. flag with a symbol from the group QAnon as they gathered outside the U.S. Capitol January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)Jared Stacy wasn’t surprised by a 2021 Lifeway report: “Half of U.S. Protestant Pastors Hear Conspiracy Theories in their Churches.” Conspiracies about Democratic pedophile rings and other nonsense infested Spotswood Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, Va., where he was pastor to college and young adults.
He resigned that year and took his wife and family to Scotland, where he earned a Ph.D. Now back in the U.S., he’s a “post-evangelical theologian and ethicist” with a new book, Reality in Ruins: How Conspiracy Theory Became an American Evangelical Crisis. (Baptist News Global; 3.16.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Christopher Willett, Former Mississippi Pastor, Expected to Plead Guilty to Sex Crimes, Could Face 25 Years in Prison
Former Mississippi pastor Christopher Willett is expected to plead guilty to multiple sex-crime charges in a case that has shaken both the local community and the wider church. Prosecutors say Willett, who previously served as pastor of a Presbyterian congregation in Crystal Springs, could face up to 25 years in prison depending on the outcome of the sentencing. According to reports, the charges stem from allegations that Willett sexually abused a minor and used digital communication to lure the victim. Authorities say the investigation began after the victim reported the abuse to local law enforcement, prompting a broader inquiry into the pastor's conduct.
(Jubilee Cast; 3.16.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Former Mississippi pastor Christopher Willett is expected to plead guilty to multiple sex-crime charges in a case that has shaken both the local community and the wider church. Prosecutors say Willett, who previously served as pastor of a Presbyterian congregation in Crystal Springs, could face up to 25 years in prison depending on the outcome of the sentencing. According to reports, the charges stem from allegations that Willett sexually abused a minor and used digital communication to lure the victim. Authorities say the investigation began after the victim reported the abuse to local law enforcement, prompting a broader inquiry into the pastor's conduct.
(Jubilee Cast; 3.16.26)READMORE>>>>>>
John Pavolvitz
In record numbers, the Conservative American Church is consistently and surely making Atheists, or at the very least, it is making former Christians; people who no longer consider organized religion an option because the Jesus they recognize is absent. With its sky-is-falling hand-wringing, its political bed-making, and its constant venom toward diversity, it is giving people no alternative but to conclude that, based on the evidence of people professing to be Godly, God is of little use. This God may, in fact, be a monster.
And that’s the greatest irony of it all: that the very Evangelicals who’ve spent the last 50 years in this country demonizing those who reject Jesus are now the single most compelling reason for them to do so. They are giving people who suspect that all Christians are self-righteous, hateful hypocrites, all the evidence they need. The Church is confirming the outside world’s most dire suspicions about itself.
People rejecting Evangelical Christian nationalism aren’t stupid. They realize that bigotry, even when it is wrapped in religion or justified by the Bible or spoken from a pulpit, is still bigotry. They can smell the putrid stench of phony religion from a mile away, and this version of the Church, frankly, reeks of it. People are steering clear in droves, choosing to find meaning and community, and something that resembles love outside its gatherings. -John Pavolvitz: Conservative Christians are Deporting Jesus, Killing the Church, and Making Atheists 3.15.26
And that’s the greatest irony of it all: that the very Evangelicals who’ve spent the last 50 years in this country demonizing those who reject Jesus are now the single most compelling reason for them to do so. They are giving people who suspect that all Christians are self-righteous, hateful hypocrites, all the evidence they need. The Church is confirming the outside world’s most dire suspicions about itself.
People rejecting Evangelical Christian nationalism aren’t stupid. They realize that bigotry, even when it is wrapped in religion or justified by the Bible or spoken from a pulpit, is still bigotry. They can smell the putrid stench of phony religion from a mile away, and this version of the Church, frankly, reeks of it. People are steering clear in droves, choosing to find meaning and community, and something that resembles love outside its gatherings. -John Pavolvitz: Conservative Christians are Deporting Jesus, Killing the Church, and Making Atheists 3.15.26
March 15, 2026
The New Faces of Christian Nationalism
On a Sunday morning in February, about a thousand people filled the high-ceilinged sanctuary at Mercy Culture, a nondenominational evangelical megachurch in Fort Worth, Texas. The senior lead pastor, Landon Schott, gave a sermon that was mostly about the virtues of generosity, although he occasionally veered into political territory. “I do not believe with any part of me that the vaccine was the mark of the beast, but it sure was conditioning for it,” he said, at one point. Then the worship band kicked in, and the young, diverse congregation lifted up their hands. A few hours later, the church hosted a more explicitly ideological gathering put on by For Liberty & Justice, the church’s political arm. The organization was founded in 2021 to promote candidates who may not attend the church but who are committed to a shared vision of religiously infused far-right politics; it has since helped usher more than a hundred candidates into office. Nate Schatzline, the founder of For Liberty & Justice, is a living embodiment of the nonprofit’s goal of Christianizing government: he has served both as a pastor at Mercy Culture and as one of the most conservative members of the Texas legislature.
(New Yorker; 3.15.26)READMORE>>>>>>
On a Sunday morning in February, about a thousand people filled the high-ceilinged sanctuary at Mercy Culture, a nondenominational evangelical megachurch in Fort Worth, Texas. The senior lead pastor, Landon Schott, gave a sermon that was mostly about the virtues of generosity, although he occasionally veered into political territory. “I do not believe with any part of me that the vaccine was the mark of the beast, but it sure was conditioning for it,” he said, at one point. Then the worship band kicked in, and the young, diverse congregation lifted up their hands. A few hours later, the church hosted a more explicitly ideological gathering put on by For Liberty & Justice, the church’s political arm. The organization was founded in 2021 to promote candidates who may not attend the church but who are committed to a shared vision of religiously infused far-right politics; it has since helped usher more than a hundred candidates into office. Nate Schatzline, the founder of For Liberty & Justice, is a living embodiment of the nonprofit’s goal of Christianizing government: he has served both as a pastor at Mercy Culture and as one of the most conservative members of the Texas legislature.
(New Yorker; 3.15.26)READMORE>>>>>>
The Real Difference Between Evangelicals and Liberal Protestants
Evangelicals and liberal Protestants badly misunderstand each other. I noticed that in the comments I received to my last post, on James Talarico’s progressive Christianity. Many of the theologically conservative Christians who commented on the piece insisted that Talarico could not be a true Christian, so at one point, readers began arguing over what a real Christian was. One side in the debate said that a Christian was someone who trusted Jesus as savior; the other side said that it was someone who followed Jesus’ teachings. Neither side seemed able to understand the other, even as they condemned the other as a heretic. “Gnostic” and “heretic” were two of the terms some readers used to describe Talarico’s theology. One even accused him of being a tool of Satan. But liberal Protestants’ attitudes toward evangelicals is not much more charitable. One of the professors at the seminary Talarico attended has just cowritten a book titled Being Presbyterian in a Dysvangelical America. The catalog copy for the book begins with the line, “Dysvangelical names a theology that is distorted, dysfunctional, and dystopian, twisting the good news of God’s grace into a message of fear, partisanship, and exclusion.”
(The Dispatch; 3.15.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Evangelicals and liberal Protestants badly misunderstand each other. I noticed that in the comments I received to my last post, on James Talarico’s progressive Christianity. Many of the theologically conservative Christians who commented on the piece insisted that Talarico could not be a true Christian, so at one point, readers began arguing over what a real Christian was. One side in the debate said that a Christian was someone who trusted Jesus as savior; the other side said that it was someone who followed Jesus’ teachings. Neither side seemed able to understand the other, even as they condemned the other as a heretic. “Gnostic” and “heretic” were two of the terms some readers used to describe Talarico’s theology. One even accused him of being a tool of Satan. But liberal Protestants’ attitudes toward evangelicals is not much more charitable. One of the professors at the seminary Talarico attended has just cowritten a book titled Being Presbyterian in a Dysvangelical America. The catalog copy for the book begins with the line, “Dysvangelical names a theology that is distorted, dysfunctional, and dystopian, twisting the good news of God’s grace into a message of fear, partisanship, and exclusion.”
(The Dispatch; 3.15.26)READMORE>>>>>>