ReAwaken America starting at Trump Doral. This traveling carnival of extremism & conspiracies has long backed Trump as God's chosen, but now they're at 1 of his properties. I attended 1 last year; this political movement borrows liturgy of church:
publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-reawaken… Michael Flynn opens ReAwaken America at Trump Doral with claims about nation built on Judeo-Christian beliefs (as he's done before: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/one-nation-u…). And he says liberals don't believe in God & don't have souls (such demonization's common: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-new-sata…)

A rally in Mo. Capitol to push anti-trans bills is starting with hour-long worship service with contemporary Christian praise songs. #moleg Main organizing group behind rally last year held event at Mo. Capitol saying God wanted gerrymandering:
publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/jesus-and-ge…
Charlie Kirk's Turning Point also here with materials & someone who will speak along with state lawmakers & Mo Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft

Latest round of ReAwaken America Tour is starting in Nashville. This traveling MAGA variety show of extremism & conspiracies co-opts Christians symbols & rhetoric, as I reported from last event in Branson:
publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-reawaken… 1/ ReAwaken America events have embraced #ChristianNationalism (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/how-most-chr…), demonized opponents (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-new-sata…), & pushed for violent view of spiritual warfare politics (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/taking-off-t…). 2/

Seeing more attention to role of religion & #ChristianNationalism in Jan. 8 violence in #Brazil. Important to understand this (like in Jan. 6 in US). @beauunderwood & I first detailed last week how Christian symbols & leaders showed up in Jan. 8 mob: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/christian-na… 1/ @beauunderwood Also last week, @ardenthistorian wrote about religion & Jan. 8 for @RDispatches (religiondispatches.org/coups-of-a-fea…). And @BradleyOnishi & Dan Miller talked about it on @StraightWhiteJC (open.spotify.com/episode/4xkiAE…). 2/

In Branson at ReAwaken America Tour. Will be writing about it for @WordandWay. Been covering tour from livestream for a year but this will be different. Wrote about ReAwaken America in @MO_Independent today:
"Missouri leaders should condemn this weekend’s Christian nationalist rally in Branson"
missouriindependent.com/2022/11/04/mis…

Next iteration of ReAwaken America Tour starts today in Pennsylvania with speakers like Michael Flynn, Eric Trump, Roger Stone, Doug Mastriano, Greg Locke, & Mike Lindell. We've been covering RAT for a year in @WordandWay's newsletter A Public Witness (publicwitness.wordandway.org) Our reports on previous ReAwaken America events have covered Flynn's #ChristianNationalist vision (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/one-nation-u… & publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-sermon-m…), demonizing of political opponents (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-sermon-m…) & use of militant rhetoric (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/taking-off-t…).

Last night, @bartbarber defeated @tomascol in #SBC22 president election. And it wasn't close. What happened? Let's consider some reasons Ascol & @BaptistNetwork failed in attempt to push SBC further rightward.
🧵 1/ 1. Barber was establishment pick, thus had institutional momentum on his side. And solidly conservative, claims of SBC going "liberal" or "woke" didn't fit. Even Ascol praised him as conservative & merely suggested he wouldn't fight enough against those allegedly not. #SBC22 2/

Motions made at #SBC22 to investigate finances of North American Mission Board & salaries of various executives. Another wants to attack President Litton on plagiarism (but isn't really a proper motion). More motions at #SBC22 to eliminate executive sessions for @SBCExecComm (not going to happen for legal reasons) & release of nominees for EC to be released earlier. Another motion targets churches that have a "woman pastor of any kind."

First couple of rounds of voting at #SBC22 have gone against @BaptistNetwork that's trying to push SBC further rightward. But those votes also are not good predictors of what will come today. Let's consider what happened yesterday & what's maybe happening today. 🧵 1/ .@SBCExecComm elected new officers yesterday. Candidates who voted to waive attorney-client privilege in sex abuse investigation defeated those who opposed. But many CBNers who opposed waiving privilege resigned in protest last fall. apnews.com/article/politi…
2/

Watching @firstdallas online. #Trump giving Jesus run for money in comments. Some seem really excited about Advent of Trump back in White House. @firstdallas After instrumental music, "service" starts with announcement of #Trump & standing ovation/cheers as @robertjeffress ushers Trump in. So much for James 2 saying not to give special treatment to some visitors.

.@albertmohler tells @AP that he's
"polarizing only at the extremes" of Baptist life. That may be true, but it doesn't mean he's where he should be. The prophets were usually out of the mainstream & considered "extreme."
wordandway.org/2021/01/24/som… @albertmohler @AP What's troubling is Mohler thus implies Black Southern Baptists are "extreme" & out of mainstream. That sounds bit like attitude of SBTS's enslaver founders he calls "orthodox." He declares himself in mainstream & thus wishes to be voice on race without listening to Black voices

.@CharissaKoh of @WNGdotorg wrote about controversy at @SBUniv, but gave a lopsided, inaccurate take. I should know since no one has reported more about case over past 11 months. 1/ @CharissaKoh @WNGdotorg @SBUniv Article frames Clint Bass as hero, starting & ending with mini profile of him. And it relies heavily on his claims against his former colleagues, despite fact some claims already debunked. And investigation by trustees affirmed his firing (a fact not mentioned in article). 2/