Thousands of people have streamed onto the National Mall in Washington for a daylong prayer rally. The event Sunday is billed as a “rededication of our country as One Nation under God.” President Donald Trump read a passage of Scripture in a video shown at the rally, the same footage used in a Bible-reading event last month. Most speakers celebrated Christianity’s ties to American history. It's a blending of ideas that critics flagged in advance of the prayer gathering as supporting Christian nationalism. The event was organized by a public-private partnership backed by the White House. Congressional Democrats see it as a Trump-controlled end run around a commission charted by Congress a decade ago to prepare 250th anniversary events.
President Donald Trump and several top administration officials are joining with a cast of mostly conservative Christian clergy this Sunday for a prayer gathering. The event is scheduled to take place on the National Mall in Washington, and Trump is expected to address the crowd by video. It's billed as a rededication of the United States as "One Nation Under God” upon America’s 250th birthday. Some critics call the event an effort to “hijack” U.S. history with a false, Christian nationalist narrative they say fuses American and Christian identities and threatens a constitutional separation of church and state.
A Tennessee doctor is practicing reproductive medicine aligned with his Christian faith. Dr. John Gordon’s Knoxville clinic limits how many embryos it creates and does not discard viable embryos, genetically test them or donate them to science. His clinic draws patients nationwide who are concerned over the moral issues that surround in vitro fertilization. The IVF debate has been growing since court decisions ended federal abortion rights nationally and designated embryos as children in Alabama. Some Christians and anti-abortion activists who believe IVF is unethical have criticized Gordon. But he says he's still committed to reconciling his work with his faith.
IVF presents challenges for some anti-abortion Christians who believe life begins at fertilization. Dr. John Gordon is a Christian IVF doctor. He grew troubled over moral dilemmas in traditional IVF and now runs a faith-based fertility clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee. Rejoice Fertility clinic does not discard viable embryos, genetically test them, or donate them to science. Instead, it facilitates embryo adoptions and limits the number of embryos it helps create. Gordon’s approach resonates with patients who share his beliefs as debates grow over popular IVF treatments.
President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission is preparing to make recommendations after more than a year of hearings. Commissioners have spoken about their wish lists for what they want to see in the report. They reflect the perspectives of the commission's largely conservative evangelical and Catholic membership. One idea is to increase avenues for religious expression in public schools and other public settings. Another is making public money more available to religious organizations. And there's a push for allowing for religious-based exemptions from regulations and classroom lessons. The commission's chair has repeatedly said "there is no separation of church and state.”
Joni Lamb, who cofounded one of the world's largest Christian TV networks with her late husband, has died. The Daystar Television Network said she died Thursday after suffering from serious health issues. She was 65. The network says its ministry will continue and that Lamb made sure a leadership team was in place. Based in the Dallas area, the Daystar Television Network says it is broadcast in more than 200 countries. Joni Lamb was the network's president and could be seen on the air hosting her signature daily women’s show.
Amy Grant's new album, “The Me That Remains,” reflects her journey of healing after a serious bicycle accident in 2022. The Grammy-winning musician has often defied labels throughout her career, moving between Christian and secular music. Her latest work explores themes of personal recovery and faith. Grant shares that writing music again felt therapeutic, helping her reconnect with her creative self. She acknowledges ongoing challenges from her accident but feels physically strong. Grant's willingness to explore darker themes in her music connects her to herself, others, and her faith, emphasizing honesty and curiosity in her artistic journey.
There's long been debate over the intentions of America's founders about the role of religion. That's been turbocharged with the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4. Some Christian activists are redoubling claims that the U.S. had a Christian founding. But scholars note there's no established religion in the Constitution and some of the most influential founders weren't Christian. But most also weren't deists or anti-religious skeptics. The founders believed in prayer and that God was helping the revolutionary cause. Scholars say they created a sort of free market in which American religion has thrived to this day.
There’s long been debate over the intentions of America’s founders about the role of religion. That’s been turbocharged with the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July Fourth. Some Christian activists are redoubling claims that the United States had a Christian founding. But scholars note that there’s no established religion in the Constitution and some of the most influential founders weren't Christian. But most of them also weren’t deists or anti-religious skeptics. The founders believed in prayer and that God was helping the revolutionary cause. Scholars say they created a sort of free market in which American religion has thrived to this day.
A Trump administration task force has alleged discrimination against Christians during Joe Biden's presidency. The report claims Christians were targeted in areas such as education and tax law. Critics argue it lacks evidence and is biased toward conservative Christian causes. The 200-page report accuses the Biden administration of limiting Christians' ability to act according to their faith, especially on issues like abortion and gender. Critics say it misrepresents policy disagreements as persecution.