‘Christian America’ dwindling, including white evangelicals, study shows

The deteriorating Chapel of Gensterbloom in 2014. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons/Tom Blackwell
The deteriorating Chapel of Gensterbloom in 2014. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons/Tom Blackwell

(RNS) — The future of religion in America is young, non-Christian and technicolor.

Almost every Christian denomination in the U.S. shows signs of growing diversity as white Christians, once the majority in most mainline Protestant and Catholic denominations, give way to younger members, who tend to be of different races, according to a study released Wednesday (Sept. 6) by the Public Religion Research Institute.   Continue reading

Evangelicals in Trump’s Cabinet: Choice of Pruitt alarms scientists, environmentalists

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt departs after a meeting with U.S. President elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower New York, U.S., November 28, 2016.  REUTERS/Lucas Jackson - RTSTQYT
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt departs after a meeting with U.S. President elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower New York, U.S., November 28, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson – RTSTQYT

(RNS) President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency has increased concerns about science foes in the incoming president’s inner circle.

Pruitt, who is Oklahoma’s attorney general, is a climate-change denier. In the National Review last May, he and co-author Luther Strange wrote, “Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind.”

The vast majority of scientists do not disagree that global warming is linked to mankind’s use of fossil fuels. Pruitt heads a coalition of Republican state attorneys general who are suing the EPA and the Obama administration over its climate change initiatives.   Continue reading

Partisan pope? Falwell critiques Pope Francis on Twitter

thmbfallwellfrancis(RNS) The alliance between Roman Catholics and evangelical Protestants on a range of issues dear to social conservatives has been one of the biggest storylines in religion and politics in recent decades.

But in the Age of Pope Francis and the Era of President Trump that union may be fraying.

In a tweet posted Monday night (Nov. 14), Jerry Falwell Jr. — a Baptist and leader of the religious right who was one of Trump’s chief promoters — delivered a pithy and pointed critique of the pontiff.

“Pope Francis lost all credibility when he failed to call out US Left for policies that impoverished inner cities 4 Dem politicalgain,” Falwell tweeted.   Continue reading

White evangelicals, Catholics and Mormons carried Trump

Supporters cheer during a campaign rally by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Manchester, New Hampshire, on November 7, 2016.  Photo courtesy of Reuters/Carlo Allegri *Editors: This photo may only be republished with RNS-RELIGION-VOTE, originally transmitted on Nov. 9, 2016.
Supporters cheer during a campaign rally by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Manchester, New Hampshire, on November 7, 2016. Photo courtesy of Reuters/Carlo Allegri
*Editors: This photo may only be republished with RNS-RELIGION-VOTE, originally transmitted on Nov. 9, 2016.

(RNS) A strong white evangelical, Catholic and Mormon vote for Donald Trump belied the condemnation many religious leaders had leveled at the tycoon and paved the way for a stunning upset after a long and polarizing campaign.

Preliminary exit polls indicate these religious groups voted for Trump by strong margins — in some cases larger than they had given to GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012.

Christians who described themselves as evangelical and born-again gave Trump 81 percent of their votes, up 3 percentage points from their support for Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton garnered 16 percent of their votes.

Evangelical support for Trump surged even as prominent evangelicals, including Southern Baptist Russell Moore, railed against Trump’s behavior toward immigrants, women and other groups as un-Christian.“Donald Trump made the most full-throated and aggressive appeal to evangelical voters … since Ronald Reagan spoke to the Religious Roundtable in August of 1980,” said Ralph Reed, chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. “He made these voters of faith a centerpiece of his campaign.”   Continue reading

Pastors Pray Against ‘Concentrated Satanic Attack’ Being Waged Against ‘God’s Choice’ Donald Trump

donald-trumpNew Spirit Revival Center church pastor Rev. Darrell Scott declared Wednesday that there is a “concentrated satanic attack” being waged against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who is believed by some evangelicals to be God’s choice for president.

Speaking at the Midwest Vision and Values Pastors Leadership Conference held at his church in Cleveland, Scott who is CEO of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump, revealed at the event that a “nationally known” preacher had warned Trump prior to the launch of his presidential campaign “that if you choose to run for president, there’s going to be a concentrated Satanic attack against you.”

“He said there’s going to be a demon, principalities and powers, that are going to war against you on a level that you’ve never seen before and I’m watching it every day,” Scott said.   Continue reading

Hillary Clinton Woos Catholic and Evangelical Leaders With Global Development

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton applauds as she sits on stage at a rally at Omaha North High Magnet School in Omaha, Neb., Monday, Aug. 1, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton applauds as she sits on stage at a rally at Omaha North High Magnet School in Omaha, Neb., Monday, Aug. 1, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Hillary Clinton campaign representatives and supporters have held two private meetings with top Catholic and evangelical leaders in Washington to discuss the global development policies of a potential Clinton administration.

Several of Clinton’s former State Department advisors organized the meetings via their foreign policy volunteer group, “Idealists for Hillary,” which is working to activate supporters in global development networks. Cindy Huang, a former advisor for State’s Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative, helped to convene the closed-door sessions, each for about a dozen religious leaders. Continue reading

Donald Trump Promises Evangelicals ‘Great Power’, Higher Church Attendance

donald-trumpRepublican presidential nominee Donald Trump promised a group of pastors Thursday that he will unmuzzle and empower the “silenced” church and increase church attendance by repealing the Johnson Amendment if he is elected president in November.

The Johnson Amendment, which is a piece of legislation prepared by former President Lyndon Johnson and passed by Congress in 1954, is often described as prohibiting charitable organizations (including churches) from endorsing political candidates.

Trump took aim at the legislation while speaking at a two-day event which began Thursday at the Hyatt Regency on International Drive in Orlando, Florida, entitled “Rediscovering God in America Renewal Project.” Continue reading