Thousands descended on the National Mall Sunday for a daylong Christian prayer event, drawing swift criticism from religious progressives who say the gathering dangerously conflates faith with government power.
The rally, formally titled "One Nation Under God" and backed by the White House, featured Republican heavyweights sharing a stage with evangelical clergy in what organizers billed as a national rededication. The event coincided with 250th anniversary celebrations of American independence.
The setting itself reinforced the religious message. A stage display featured arched stained-glass windows positioned beneath columns mimicking federal architecture, with imagery of the nation's founders alongside a white cross. Worship music filled the National Mall near the Washington Monument as thousands gathered despite light rain.
Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, a prominent evangelical voice, told the crowd that "America is done with God, and God is not done with America." Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina drew roaring approval when he asked attendees directly, "Are you a believer in Jesus?"
The event's roster of speakers reflected deep ties between the Republican Party and evangelical Christianity. Paula White-Cain, who holds a position in the White House faith office, and Franklin Graham of Samaritan's Purse were among the lineup. Only one non-Christian appeared on the program: Orthodox rabbi Meir Soloveichik. Former President Trump was scheduled to address the gathering via video, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The rally triggered immediate pushback from religious leaders uncomfortable with the blending of spiritual messaging and state power. Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, a Baptist minister heading the progressive Christian organization Sojourners, issued a sharp rebuke.
"We are deeply concerned that what is really being rededicated is a nation to a very narrow and ideological part of the Christian faith that betrays our nation's fundamental commitment to religious freedom," Taylor said.
The timing of the event, during a year marking the nation's founding, appeared intentional. Defense Secretary Hegseth's video message drew a direct line from George Washington's faith to current calls for national prayer, urging Americans to "pray without ceasing" for the country "on bended knee."
Organizers anticipated roughly 15,000 attendees. The turnout underscores the energized base within evangelical Christianity and Republican politics, even as broader demographic trends show religious affiliation declining. More than one-quarter of Americans now identify as atheist, agnostic, or unaffiliated with any faith tradition.
Author James Rodriguez: "This was a high-wire act that Republican officials seem confident walking now, and progressive clergy are right to worry about where it leads."
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