“'Christian nationalism is fascism and authoritarianism decorated with Christian symbolism. It is a racist, xenophobic, authoritarian, fascistic ideology that gets sold as Christianity.'”

#Trump #Hegseth #WhiteChristianNationalism #bible #resistance
/8

"Mennonite pastor Jonny] Rashid pointed to centuries of Christianity used as a tool of empire and repression, from manifest destiny and racialized chattel slavery to funding the fall of Roe v Wade. …

While the right has organized some Christian denominations into a powerful voting bloc and Christian nationalism has grown in recent years, Rashid argues that it is not true Christianity:"

#Trump #Hegseth #WhiteChristianNationalism #bible #resistance
/7

But in reality, faith leaders have been some of the loudest and most consistent voices organizing against the administration’s policies. …

Multiple faith leaders told the Guardian they understand why people may not associate progressive organizing with Christianity."

#Trump #Hegseth #WhiteChristianNationalism #bible #resistance
/6

"The Trump administration has long tried to wrap itself in Christianity, with Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, invoking warfare 'in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ'. Trump even recently posted an AI image of himself as a Christ-like figure (later claiming he thought it was a doctor) and streamed himself reading the Bible."

~ Lex McMenamin

#Trump #Hegseth #WhiteChristianNationalism #bible #resistance
/5

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/25/progressive-christians-religion-trump-pope

‘Counter to the message of Jesus’: progressive Christians stake a claim to their religion amid Trump-pope feud

Anti-war, anti-ICE, anti-authoritarian Christians are organizing around their faith in opposition to the version claimed by Trump and Hegseth

The Guardian

"'JD Vance is exhibit A in all this process because he’s the youngest and he’s the most powerful because he’s vice-president. He embodies this drift towards a very ethnocentric view of America and a very theocratic idea of the state, where religion is the centre of the identity of the nation.'”

#PopeLeo #Trump #JDVance #Catholics #WhiteChristianNationalism
/4

"'Some of them really have this plan to not just make America great again, but also to make Catholicism more nationalist, more American,' said Massimo Faggioli, who recently became a professor in ecclesiology at the Loyola Institute at Trinity College Dublin after working in US universities for 17 years."

#PopeLeo #Trump #JDVance #Catholics #WhiteChristianNationalism
/3

"This is a profound generational shift from in the late 1960s, when 68 per cent of newly ordained priests in the US described themselves as theologically progressive, and only 16 per cent conservative. It has long-term implications.

The trend has been under way since the 1980s, when there was a growth of conservative Catholicism within elite circles in the US, accompanied by a wave of conversion."

#PopeLeo #Trump #JDVance #Catholics #WhiteChristianNationalism
/2

"The fact that the Catholic Church is attracting conservatives in the US is underlined by survey data by the National Study of Catholic Priests showing that 84 per cent of newly ordained priests describe themselves as theologically conservative and just 2 per cent as progressive."

~ Naomi O'Leary

#PopeLeo #Trump #JDVance #Catholics #WhiteChristianNationalism
/1

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2026/04/25/rise-of-new-catholics-hardens-battle-lines-between-us-and-the-vatican/

Rise of ‘new Catholics’ hardens battle lines between US and the Vatican

JD Vance’s recent comments reflect a growing movement of conservative believers promoting a more traditionalist, ethnocentric path

The Irish Times

Kristin Du Mez offers a helpful compilation of her recent commentary on Trump, Iran, Jesus, the pope, and truth.

#PopeLeo #Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #HolyWar #WhiteChristianNationalism
/8

https://kristindumez.substack.com/p/trump-vs-iran-jesus-the-pope-and

Trump vs. Iran, Jesus, the pope, and the truth

What a time to be alive

Du Mez CONNECTIONS

"Finally, Pope Leo XIV has permission.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday conceded some authority to the pope. 'The pope’s gonna do his thing, that’s fine,' Hegseth said, answering a question about the pontiff’s criticism of the administration’s war on Iran. ...

Of course, Hegseth has spent past several weeks justifying the war in divine terms."

~ Josh Kovensky

#PopeLeo #Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #HolyWar #WhiteChristianNationalism
/7

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/the-weekender/saved-pete-hegseth-gives-the-pope-leeway-to-do-his-thing

Saved! Pete Hegseth Gives the Pope Leeway to ‘Do His Thing’

Hello, it’s the weekend. This is The Weekender ☕️ Finally, Pope Leo...

TPM - Talking Points Memo