TOI Washington correspondent: For a country whose constitution avoids even a single mention of Jesus Christ, America suddenly looks suspiciously like it’s auditioning for a biblical reboot.Thousands of jubilant conservatives gathered on the National Mall in the nation’s capital on Sunday for “Rededication 250,” an eight-hour, White House-backed prayer event that critics are calling a colossal Behemoth project: Making America Christian.There are evangelical pastors, worship bands, Bible re-singers, MAGA influencers, cabinet secretaries, conservative legislators, and plenty of references to God, salvation, and spiritual warfare that left medieval Europe feeling under-churched.President Donald Trump addressed the crowd via video, urging Americans to “rededicate” the country as “one nation under God,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted that Christianity was the driving force behind the American experiment itself.“This is the order from which America came,” Rubio declared, tracing the country’s origins to Christianity rather than to Enlightenment philosophy, anti-monarchy rebellions and a bunch of wig-wearing deists who spent much of their time arguing with organized religion.The event, which was funded in part with taxpayer funds and featured remarks from Vice President Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegers and House Speaker Mike Johnson, represented the clearest expression of the Trump-era effort to fuse American identity with Christianity. As one scoffer put it, church and state are no longer separated by a wall but connected by a stairway to heaven.The irony is abundant. For decades, Washington has lectured countries such as India and Turkey against conflating religion with nationalism and warned against “majoritarianism” and “religious revivalism.” Yet the same establishment in Washington now watches as MAGA activists—the “American Taliban”—claim that the United States is a Christian nation in need of spiritual renewal.Several speakers went further. MAGA pastor Robert Jeffries declared that the Founding Fathers “would be called Christian Nationalists today.” Conservative commentator Eric Metaxas told the crowd that “God waited two centuries to resurrect Trump” so he could build a ballroom, prompting applause usually reserved for touchdowns or second downs.One attendee wore a shirt that read, “Jesus is my savior. Trump is my president.” Another described Trump as a divinely chosen tool to fight “globalists” and the “deep state,” a phrase that in MAGA theology increasingly means anyone with a graduate degree and valid punctuation.All of which might have confused the true Founding Fathers. Thomas Jefferson was famous for using scissors to cut miracles out of his personal Bible. James Madison repeatedly warned the government not to get entangled with religion. George Washington talked about morality and God but conspicuously avoided evangelical language.For more than two centuries, American presidents have largely respected this distinction. Jimmy Carter taught Sunday school but did not propose a Baptist republic. Ronald Reagan enthusiastically courted evangelicals but avoided formally redefining America as an explicitly Christian nation. Even George W. Bush adhered to traditional constitutional balancing act.Yet Trump embraced the symbolism despite his poor record as a particularly devout Christian. He rarely attended church, struggled with biblical references and once posed for photos while holding an upside-down Bible. In “Rededicate 250,” critics noted that he stuttered while reading a passage about humility and repentance — two concepts not typically associated with Trump.Yet evangelical Christians remain among his strongest supporters. White evangelical Protestants make up about 13-14% of the U.S. population, but are the emotional backbone of MAGA politics. In recent elections, about 75 to 80 percent of people voted Republican, supporting Trump despite his divorce, casino ownership, and theological riffs.Their support depends more on political utility than on personal piety. Trump has appointed conservative Supreme Court justices, abortion restrictions and a culture war agenda centered on gender, immigration and secular liberalism. Now they want him to launch a CUS – Christian America.
