Work continues on the stage for the Rededicate 250 celebration on the National Mall in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
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Alex Brandon/AP
(RNS) — This weekend, the National Mall in Washington will host “Rededicate 250,” a prayer event organized by the Trump administration. The lineup includes cabinet members, Catholic bishops, evangelical influencers, and an actor who portrays Jesus.
The event is billed as a “rededication of our country as One Nation Under God” and is designed to be a “once in a lifetime national moment.” Scheduled for Sunday, it aims to reflect on the religious beliefs of America’s founders and seek divine guidance for the nation.
Organized by Freedom 250, a public-private initiative with White House backing, the event celebrates America’s 250th anniversary. While supporters view it as a homage to America’s roots, critics argue it presents a narrow, Christian-dominated view of the nation’s history and future. Americans United for Separation of Church and State has criticized it for promoting Christian nationalism instead of religious freedom.
The event has sparked both support and opposition, with pre-events led by activist Sean Feucht and countered by the Interfaith Alliance and other progressive religious leaders.
Recently, several Christian celebrities have been confirmed as participants in Rededicate 250. Grammy-winning musician Chris Tomlin, known for songs like “Holy Forever” and “How Great Is Our God,” is set to headline. Actor Jonathan Roumie, of “The Chosen,” will also speak, alongside evangelical influencer Sadie Robertson Huff, who has a significant social media following.
The event will feature many of Donald Trump’s close allies, primarily conservative Christians. Notable figures include House Speaker Mike Johnson, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump is expected to share a recorded message.
Of the 19 faith leaders currently listed, 18 identify as Christian, mostly evangelical. Among them are the Rev. Franklin Graham, Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, Paula White-Cain, and Pastor Robert Jeffress.
Catholic leaders like Bishop Robert Barron and Cardinal Timothy Dolan are also scheduled to speak. The only non-Christian leader listed is Rabbi Meir Soloveichik from New York City.
Organizers indicate that the speaker list is still being finalized.
A new Pew Research poll released Thursday (May 14) suggests that Americans are not in favor of merging Christianity with government. While more than half view religion as a positive societal force, they support maintaining the separation of church and state.
The survey, conducted in April with 3,592 U.S. adults, shows little change in attitudes over recent years. Eight out of ten Americans believe religious congregations should not endorse political candidates, and two-thirds think houses of worship should remain politically neutral.
Christian nationalism is not widely supported. Only 17% of Americans favor making Christianity the official U.S. religion, an increase from 13% in 2024. Generally, 31% view Christian nationalism negatively, 10% positively, and the remainder are indifferent or uninformed.
“If President Trump advocates Christian nationalism at this rally, he won’t gain much support beyond the attendees,” said John Green, professor emeritus at the University of Akron. “This view is held by a small minority, even within the Republican Party.”
The poll also reveals that 52% of U.S. adults feel conservative Christians overly influence government and public schools. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
Several organizations oppose Rededicate 250. The Council on American-Islamic Relations urges organizers to include diverse religious speakers, highlighting America’s longstanding religious diversity.
“Muslims have been present in significant numbers in the country since the colonial era,” the organization emphasized. “Incorporating speakers from various faiths underscores our religious liberty.”
Americans United for Separation of Church and State contend the event promotes Christian nationalism over religious freedom. On Friday, progressive faith leaders plan to hold a virtual press briefing to argue that Rededicate 250 misrepresents the founders’ approach to religious tolerance.
As a response to Rededicate 250, the Interfaith Alliance will collaborate with artist Robin Bell to project messages like “Democracy NOT Theocracy” and “Reject Christian Nationalism” on the National Gallery of Art’s walls on Thursday evening.
This article was produced in partnership with NPR and Religion News Service.
