WASHINGTON – An event in which faith leaders from various Christian denominations and a rabbi gathered on the National Mall to pray, sing and talk about America’s religious foundations was criticized by critics as favoring one faith at the expense of others.
The 250 Rededicate participants included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as well as religious and political leaders such as Franklin Graham, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and Rabbi Meir Soloveitchik. President Donald Trump was also scheduled to address the rally via video message.
In prerecorded remarks, Hegseth invoked the first president, George Washington, and told the crowd, “Let’s pray like he did. Let’s pray without ceasing. Let’s bend the knee and pray for our country.”
The National Jubilee Year of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving event to be held in the capital on May 17 was billed as a call to “bring together a wide range of voices united in love for God and country” in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary. This is part of the Trump administration’s “Freedom 250” initiative, which is separate from the bipartisan “America 250” initiative celebrating the nation’s 550th anniversary.
The event, which featured musical performances, testimonies, scripture, and prayers, focused on three pillars: “The Miracles That Made Us,” “The Miracles That Still Remain in Us,” and “A New Birth of Faith and Freedom.”
Pastor tells attendees: “We are in a spiritual war”
Gary Hamrick, senior pastor of Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia, compared the Revolutionary War and the Civil War to what he called modern-day “spiritual wars.”
“Folks, today we are in a spiritual battle,” Hamrick said. “This is a modern-day battle between good and evil, right and wrong, truth and lies, light and darkness,” Hamrick said.
“This is a battle for the very soul of America, but know this: Our hope is not lost,” he told the crowd.
“Our hope is built on the blood of Jesus, our hope is built on Jesus Christ, and our hope is built on nothing but the blood and righteousness of Jesus,” Hamrick continued.
Museum of the Bible leader says, “The lack of a wall should not divide people.”
Carlos Campo, CEO of the Washington Museum of the Bible, said there should be “no walls” separating people.
“Today, we stand here on the National Mall and declare that no wall or weapon built out of hatred, division, violence, or despair can ultimately stand against the purpose of Almighty God,” Campo said.
He added: “In a time marked by so much resentment and division, we pray today that the walls that separate neighbor from neighbor, nation from nation, and heart from heart will fall not with anger, but with truth, humility, justice, love, and peace.”
‘‘Duck Dynasty’ star Sadie Robertson speaks out
“Duck Dynasty” star Sadie Robertson Hough spoke at the beginning of the event’s program, sometimes referencing her famous family members. The “Dancing with the Stars” alum spoke to attendees about his family’s journey of faith, sharing the life story of his grandfather Phil Robertson, including his affair as a young married man, his rededication to his grandmother Kay, and how he overcame alcoholism and legal troubles.
“He lived to fulfill his desires,” Robertson Huff said. “He was doing everything just to numb his pain.”
“Obviously, his legacy didn’t end where it began,” she later said, detailing how Robertson was committed to their devout Christian faith.
Critics slam event as ‘deliberately exclusive’
Of the 15 faith leaders scheduled to attend the event, 14 were Christians, including seven evangelical leaders and two Catholics. Soloveitchik, an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, was the only non-Christian religious leader scheduled to attend.
In March, Freedom 250 told USA TODAY it was consulting with various non-Christian religious leaders for the event., Includes Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, etc. However, as of May 17th, no one is on the event’s participant list.
Some critics, historians, and religious groups have targeted the event for this reason. Interfaith alliances are suing the Trump administration, claiming Rededicate 250 is “deliberately exclusive.”
“This is truly an insult to the American religious community,” the Rev. Paul Rauschenbusch, CEO of the Interfaith Alliance and a Baptist minister, told USA TODAY earlier this month. “They could be using events like this as an opportunity to showcase the incredible diversity of American religious life, which is so rich, so beautiful and so powerful… They are rewriting American history.”
Contributor: Carissa Wadick, USA TODAY
Phaedra Torresan is a national correspondent for USA TODAY and writes about history and Americana. Contact her via email at ptrethan@usatoday.com, X @wordsbyphaedra, BlueSky @byphaedra, or Threads @by_phaedra..
