The Congressional attempt to censure Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde for her homily at the Washington National Cathedral appears to be going exactly nowhere. Three months after the service tied to Donald Trump’s inauguration as president, the proposed resolution remains stuck…
Manipulating Christian worship for political gain
The inauguration of Donald Trump to a second term as president of the United States was another example of how religion and politics are being blended in America today. This merger challenges the idea that the government should not interfere…
What happened to Saddleback’s PEACE Plan?
Rick and Kay Warren gave an excellent interview to Krista Tippett, on the On Being radio show almost 20 years ago, on Dec. 6, 2007. In it, Pastor Rick says this: The reason there are hungry people in the world,…
A benediction gone bad
As sociologist Orrin Klapp observed in his 1962 book Heroes, Villains, and Fools: The Changing American Character, “The celebrity cult celebrates the triumph of ordinariness — charm without character, showmanship without ability, bodies without minds, information without wisdom.” The critique…
Praying over the president: Risks and rewards
While much attention on cable news and internet chatter has focused on the conclusion to the sermon delivered by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde during a post-inaugural prayer service held at Washington National Cathedral, relatively little has been said or…
Franklin Graham says Trump ‘stands with truth’
Donald Trump is a truth-teller and Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde is a liar, evangelist Franklin Graham told hosts of the Newsmax show “American Agenda” yesterday. “Trump stands with truth,” Graham declared. “As president, if Trump tells you something, he’s going…
When worship becomes an act of cruelty
Why are white evangelicals so conditioned for cruelty? After all, the debacle that was Donald Trump’s first day in office included ending birthright citizenship, erasing transgender and intersex people, threatening to colonize our neighbors, lying about the 2020 election results,…
We’ve been here before
Over the weekend, I finished reading Jerome E. Copulsky’s new book, American Heretics: Religious Adversaries of Liberal Order, just in time to watch the second inauguration of Donald J. Trump into the office of the presidency. As Copulsky demonstrates time…
A god of their own making
During his inaugural address Jan. 20, Donald Trump sought to assuage a long-held fear among religious conservatives. “My recent election,” he said, “is a mandate to completely and totally reverse … all of these many betrayals that have taken place…
Swift responses follow Trump’s promised executive orders
Just as quickly as President Donald Trump set in motion his controversial agenda for a new administration, leaders in the faith and civil rights communities began reacting. Within minutes of Trump’s fiery inaugural address, groups from Focus on the Family…
Franklin Graham equates Trump’s inauguration with God’s blessing
Evangelist Franklin Graham echoed Donald Trump’s dark view of America in peril as he took the podium to pray during Trump’s presidential inaugural Jan. 20. “Mr. President, the last four years there were times I’m sure you thought it was…