Trump-backed faith event features conservative Christians as critics decry blurring of church-state lines

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

May 17, 2026 6:06 AM EDT Updated 1 hour ago


WASHINGTON, May 17 (Reuters) - A Trump administration-backed celebration of U.S. religious heritage on Sunday is highlighting conservative Christian leaders' ties to the president as ​critics say the gathering does not reflect the country's diverse faith landscape. The nine-hour program, called "Rededicate 250: National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving," ‌mostly features speakers from two Christian traditions — evangelical Christianity and conservative Catholicism.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to appear in a video message while senior Republicans including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will speak on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. According to organizers, the event is meant to "prepare for the nation’s 250th birthday with Scripture, testimony, prayer, and rededication of our country ​as One Nation to God.". The gathering is organized by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership created by the White House to coordinate 250th anniversary celebrations ​alongside federal agencies.

Advocates of church-state separation say the event blurs government and religion. “This government-sponsored prayer fest is the epitome of ⁠exactly what our secular Constitution forbids our government from doing,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, in a statement. “It is a ​fusion not only of church and state, but also of our federal government with Christian nationalism,” said Gaylor, whose organization advocates for the separation of church and ​state.

Some critics have pointed to the absence of religious groups such as mainline Protestant churches including Lutherans, Methodists and Episcopalians. Also not represented are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. More than a quarter of all U.S. adults identify as religiously unaffiliated, according to figures from the Pew Research Center. About 23% and 19% identify ​as evangelical Protestant and Catholic, respectively, and about 11% identify as mainline Protestant.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-backed-faith-event-features-conservative-christians-critics-decry-blurring-2026-05-17/

[pnwmom]

1. And most Catholics do NOT identify as conservative Catholic

since most, according to polls, use birth control and support the rights to abortion and of LGBTQ people.

Bishops Barron and Dolan represent far right Catholics, not mainstream.

[Sequoia]

2. National disgrace

[littlemissmartypants]

3. The last thing we have to worry about are these ...

masturbatory gatherings.

What we should be concerned about is that "The Violent Take it By Force" ...
Audiobook preview

[EarthFirst]

4. Translation: "Money give. Money me. Money now." bt

[slightlv]

5. One way to have made this abomination short, would be by demanding the

President who authorized it (as well as those who helped him), sit in the front row during the entire time it was happening. And to elbow trump every time he fell asleep!

I can't express how dangerous this whole thing seems to me. It's the next great worry once we get trump and his minions out of office. These conservative, Dominionist, xtians have been infiltrating our government since before the days of Bush jr. But they went crazy with the embedding once Jr. was in office. Getting them out of government is going to be a huge firestorm, from both the political and "freedom of religion" aspect. Deprogramming them is going to be something else altogether!

[wolfie001]

10. fat clown only deserves to be mocked and then forgotten

Worst curse on America thanks to these religious freaks.

[Solly Mack]

6. If any are lurking...

Fuck your religion. Fuck your god. Fuck you.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. This is what Jesus said about events like this

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Matthew 6

[Stargazer99]

8. You hypocrites have been given your instructions by Jesus quit kidding yourselves with your egos

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

9. Horus/Church & Set/State. You'd think Christians wouldn't want to put those two guys in bed together.

[OldBaldy1701E]

11. Yeah, the word is not 'blurring'...

The word is 'ignored'.

They ignored the separation of church and state.

Which is so funny, since they don't care about religion, other than the fact that it seems to gather those who love to be led by the nose.

They love people like that.

[mb40]

12. Vance was scheduled also. So the Pope should stay in his lane?

Stay in your lane Pope for preaching the actual Gospel and calling for peace.

But these clowns can mix politics and their twisted religion all they want with Vance's support.