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https://twitter.com/Church_Militant/status/1307510820830666752

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Jack Jenkins

@jackmjenkins

Jan 17

https://twitter.com/theblaze/status/1879590891188543680

1. So, this article and its headline (which are, hilariously, partly about me while not naming me) are inaccurate, but I want to talk about it, because I think it actually ends up making my oft-voiced argument as to why folks should hire more religion reporters.

Hear me out…

https://twitter.com/theblaze/status/1879590891188543680

2. First, a factual note: A charitable reading of this article/headline is the author missed some things. E.g., I didn’t “dispute” anything here — I just asked why Speaker Johnson believed scripture supports the position he has often outlined.

3. It’s not clear how the writer missed this, since it’s *in the video of the press conference he links to.*

But perhaps even more curiously: despite the fact that I identify myself and my outlet, RNS, when I asked my question, the author doesn’t note that at all.

Read 10 tweets

Jack Jenkins

@jackmjenkins

Dec 31, 2024

https://twitter.com/andrewtwalk/status/1874075161013416253

1. To be clear: This is a theological argument, not descriptive one, as is the declaration* that Mainline Protestantism is a tradition whose theology is "hollowed out."

The Baptist denomination of Carter's church to is often classified as mainline, but it's a bit complicated.

https://twitter.com/andrewtwalk/status/1874075161013416253

2. *This is roughly the same insult evangelicals have lobbed at Mainliners for roughly a century, back when what was then called Fundamentalism broke from what is now called Mainline Christianity.

This argument often suggests that Liberalism (whose definition shifts)…

3. …is tantamount to an abandonment of Christianity. The idea is that "secular" culture is forming Mainliners, as opposed to the other way around.

Again, this is a theological argument, not a historical one, and something Mainliners have rejected since the beginning.

Also…

Read 6 tweets

Jack Jenkins

@jackmjenkins

Dec 15, 2023

1. Spent a good part of this year investigating Christian nationalism in the U.S., particularly where the ideology is strongest.

In February, I tripped to North Idaho, where Christian nationalism and Christian separatism are transforming local politics. religionnews.com/2023/02/22/how…

2. This summer I ventured to Arizona, where Turning Point USA is based.

In addition to partnering with churches there, TPUSA is encouraging pastors to embrace CN and right-wing rhetoric as a church-growth strategy — and, as I witnessed, it may be working. religionnews.com/2023/06/09/wit…

3. Then I hopped down to Florida, where upstart conservative group Citizens Defending Freedom — which critics call "Moms for Liberty in suits" — is taking Christian nationalist politics local, working to influence school boards, county officials and more. religionnews.com/2023/07/12/whe…

Read 8 tweets

Jack Jenkins

@jackmjenkins

Dec 15, 2023

1. The latest in my Christian nationalism series delves into the Texas public school chaplains debate.

One activist described public schools to me as a "mission field," and others are thinking big: school chaplains bills are likely coming to other states. religionnews.com/2023/12/14/in-…

2. Background: Back in May, the Texas legislature approved a bill allowing public schools to hire chaplains.

It's not clear why it passed and other faith-themed bills didn't, and it survived ample Democratic pushback.

But the final bill raised questions…religionnews.com/2023/05/10/tex…

3. For starters, liberal TX activists and Dems such as state Rep. @jamestalarico noted those behind the bill (who, per a GOP rep and an activist, advised and/or helped author it) used rhetoric that appeared to support chaplains proselytizing to students. religionnews.com/2023/05/24/mee…

Read 11 tweets

Jack Jenkins

@jackmjenkins

Oct 29, 2023

1. The thing about Speaker Johnson insisting in his *first speech as Speaker* that elected leaders = ordained by God: it raises a pretty specific theological question about his effort to stop Biden's certification in 2020.

i.e., was he…going against God? religionnews.com/2023/10/25/mik…

2. People forget, but this was actually a live question among Trump's evangelical advisers back in 2017 — particularly Paula White, who made *this exact argument* about Trump in 2017:

religionnews.com/2017/08/22/tru…

3. I asked White about that later, and she told me (and a room full of religion reporters) that she regretted those remarks and expanded them to include all elected officials — but didn't fully address the question regarding "going against" God. religionnews.com/2017/09/09/pau…

Read 5 tweets

Jack Jenkins

@jackmjenkins

Jun 9, 2023

1. So, Turning Point USA, headed by Charlie Kirk, has pivoted to faith outreach — and, critics say, embracing Christian nationalism.

In doing so, they're urging pastors to embrace right-wing politics as a *church growth strategy.*

It may be working. religionnews.com/2023/06/09/wit…

2. Of note: there’s been lots of coverage of Turning Point’s faith pivot. Rolling Stone had a whole feature on it recently.

But I was curious about the churches involved — who they are, why they do it, how their involvement impacts congregations, etc. rollingstone.com/politics/polit…

3. To investigate this, I went out to Phoenix, AZ, to visit "Freedom Night" at Dream City Church — a congregation that has slowly become something of the model for TPUSA's church outreach.

And other things, church leaders expressed a desire to make Arizona "a Christian state."