franklin graham

Trump's Arrest 'Prediction' Inflames Holy War Narrative and Sanctifies Violence — Welcome to Trump '24

Thomas Lecaque — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 04:20:27 EDT

This coming Saturday, March 25 th—one week after a hysterical all-caps social media post in which he declared that he “will be arrested on Tuesday” and called on supporters to “protest, take our nation back!”— Trump will host his first…

Putin's Violent Holy War Rhetoric Made it to the Christian Right Fringe — And There's Reason to Believe it'll Go Mainstream

Thomas Lecaque — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 05:30:57 EDT

It starts with a tweet: https://twitter.com/realRickWiles/status/1585375961033605120?s=20&t=DZQ… And it is, of course, not simply that. Shortly before, in support of Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin appointing a “chief exorcist” against Satanism, he said : “Can you think of anybody, in the…

Russia and the US Have More in Common Than You Might Think

Chrissy Stroop — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 03:51:02 EST

As I write, Russia has invaded Ukraine, thousands of people have reportedly died, and hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled the country. It’s a more comprehensive version of the invasion carried out in 2014, when president Vladimir Putin invoked…

Not Peace, But Division? Evangelical Vaccine Refusers Divide Families

Chrissy Stroop — Wed, 12 May 2021 02:42:26 EDT

A friend of mine was raised in a family that was quirky, sarcastic, into alternative medicine, and, although not overly legalistic, evangelical. This friend was also raised with the notion that the proper Christian approach to voting is to go…

Billy Graham, Most Famous Religious Figure of 20th C, Dies at 99

Randall Balmer — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 11:19:11 EST

Billy Graham, by any measure the most famous religious figure of the twentieth century, died today [at his home in Montreat, North Carolina]. He was ninety-nine years old. In a career that extended well over half a century, Graham took a simple evangelical message – give your heart…

Pence Meets With One of Putin's Top Clerics: Strange Bedfellows at BGEA's World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians

Chrissy Stroop — Fri, 12 May 2017 08:12:01 EDT

Yesterday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made headlines for his appearance at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians, where he proclaimed Christians to be among the most persecuted people in the world. While there…

Why So Many American Christians Don't Understand Protest

Leah Pannell — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 10:03:04 EST

We would do well to remember that our good news first came as an act of divine protest in the body of a poor, brown baby born in a barn.

A King for Jesus: What the Religious Right Sees in Trump

Roger Friedland — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 04:02:03 EDT

Trump is not a Christian warrior; he is, however, a warrior for Christ.

Repent, Hillary: Trump's Evangelical Backers Play the Sin Card

Hollis Phelps — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 01:48:10 EDT

In the Atlantic this morning, Jonathan Merritt writes a bemused narrative of this week’s evangelical about-face as, one by one, the biggest names in conservative Christianity fall in line behind Donald Trump. An “a wkward love story,” indeed. But I…

When Muhammad Ali Met Billy Graham

Paul Harvey — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 11:47:45 EDT

How far we’ve come.

Mormons Declare Same-Sex Marriage Apostasy, Deny Baptism to Children of Same-Sex Couples; Colombian Court OKs Adoption Over Church Objections; Franklin Graham Praises Putin's Anti-Gay Policies; Global LGBT Recap

Peter Montgomery — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 11:51:48 EST

Transgender Europe celebrated its 10 th anniversary. In the U.S., the Union for Reform Judaism, the largest Jewish denomination in the country, affirmed its commitment “to the full equality, inclusion and acceptance of people of all gender identities and gender…

Billy Graham Is Probably Not the Author of His Own "Final Chapter"

Elesha Coffman — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 01:54:44 EST

In a blog post that made waves in the Christian press last week, Billy Graham warns churches to “prepare for persecution.” Message aside, determining whether or not the nearly 97-year-old evangelist actually issued this warning himself is another matter. A…

“I Was a Wild Man”: How to Decode Evangelical Testimony

Eric C. Miller — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 11:27:08 EDT

Last month, as many conservative Christians mourned the “collapse of marriage” nationally, one notable evangelical marriage quietly collapsed in Florida. Reverend Tullian Tchividjian (pronounced cha-vi-jin), grandson of Billy Graham (and nephew to Franklin), admitted to an extramarital affair. Though the…

Why Tony Campolo's LGBTQ Reversal is Evangelicalism's Tipping Point

Cathleen Falsani — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 02:19:52 EDT

That crashing sound you heard Monday morning was waves of change breaching the levees of the evangelical Christian world when one of its most venerable icons, the Rev. Tony Campolo, came out in favor of full inclusion of LGBTQ people…

What Happens When There's Nothing Left to Say About Marriage

Sarah Posner — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 03:39:30 EDT

Tony Campolo has an epiphany. Franklin Graham has a meltdown. And Scott Walker decides to time-travel. It might be the start of a joke: three white evangelical men walk into a bar (or a Chick-Fil-A)… But it’s not…

Four Changes Evangelicals Must Make

Richard Pierard — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 06:53:29 EST

In the process of doing all they could to defeat Obama, self-proclaimed and media-designated evangelicals discredited their message and reduced it to a mere political gospel.

Electionpocalypse, Part I (Christianity)

Sarah Posner — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 06:43:36 EDT

As Election Day approaches, the most craven, partisan, dire (and dumb) religious appeals begin to surface.

Mitt Romney’s Prosperity Gospel

Peter Laarman — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 02:08:23 EDT

Mitt Romney’s endorsement by various televangelists obscures the more important ways in which the candidate himself now projects the essence of televangelism.

Did Billy Graham Really Tell Romney He’d ‘Help’?

Evan Derkacz — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 12:45:10 EDT

It’s being widely reported, but there’s just one problem… okay, two. There are at least two problems…

NAACP Calls Out Franklin Graham

Sarah Posner — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:27:57 EST

Letter from faith leaders critical of his comments about Obama’s religion.

Interfaith Group to Political Candidates: Ditch Divisive Religious Appeals

Sarah Posner — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:02:11 EST

Respect the Constitution and the voters.

Graham Whistles “Dixie” on Morning Joe

Anthea Butler — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:21:28 EST

Franklin Graham, panderer to the most powerful (and most conservative) members of the GOP, revives Obama as Muslim lie.

Birtherism, Conspiracy Theories, and the “Christian Nation”

Sarah Posner — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:27:05 EDT

What’s driving the birtherism? Not Donald Trump.

Franklin Graham Defends Himself from Birtherism Charges by Engaging in... Birtherism

Sarah Posner — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:27:43 EDT

Evangelist tries damage control at Christianity Today.

Graham’s Muslim Brotherhood Conspiracy Theory Not New

Sarah Posner — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:11:56 EDT

Evangelical power broker did not invent the conspiracy theory that the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the U.S. government.