A government-sponsored religious gathering in Washington D.C. is drawing fire from church-state separation advocates who argue the event inappropriately mixes faith and federal authority.
The lengthy nine-hour celebration, titled “Rededicate 250: National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving,” primarily showcases speakers from evangelical Protestant and conservative Catholic backgrounds.
President Donald Trump plans to deliver remarks via video, while top Republican officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will address crowds gathered on the National Mall. Event organizers describe their mission as efforts to “prepare for the nation’s 250th birthday with Scripture, testimony, prayer, and rededication of our country as One Nation to God.”
Freedom 250, a collaborative effort between the White House and federal agencies established to coordinate America’s 250th anniversary commemorations, is behind the event’s organization.
Church-state separation advocates are raising constitutional concerns about the government’s involvement.
“This government-sponsored prayer fest is the epitome of exactly what our secular Constitution forbids our government from doing,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, in a statement.
“It is a fusion not only of church and state, but also of our federal government with Christian nationalism,” said Gaylor, whose organization advocates for the separation of church and state.
Critics note the notable absence of various religious communities, including mainline Protestant denominations like Lutherans, Methodists and Episcopalians. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism also lack representation.
Pew Research Center data shows more than a quarter of American adults consider themselves religiously unaffiliated. Evangelical Protestants make up about 23% of the population, Catholics represent 19%, and mainline Protestants account for roughly 11%.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, urged the organizers to include speakers from other religious groups. Muslims arrived in North America before U.S. independence, said Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director at the organization.
“The reality is that the religious landscape in the United States was more diverse than many people think of, and it certainly means today we have a religious landscape that deserves to be looked at and respected,” Saylor told Reuters.
‘SCREENSHOT’ OF EARLY AMERICA
Religious leaders scheduled to participate include Bishop Robert Barron, from the Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester; Jonathan Falwell, chancellor of Liberty University, a school established by Christian evangelicals; and Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, senior rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City.
Political participants include Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican Senator Tim Scott. No high-profile Democrats are scheduled to participate.
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference leader Samuel Rodriguez, one of the scheduled speakers, defended the predominantly Christian lineup during an interview, arguing it mirrors the religious makeup of American colonies following the 18th century Great Awakening religious revival.
“It’s pretty much a depiction, a screenshot of our foundation,” Rodriguez told Reuters.
This gathering represents the first of 16 events the administration has scheduled for America’s 250th anniversary celebration in 2026. The event’s website states its purpose is to offer “praise to God for 250 years of His Providence for the United States, in praying that God Bless and Protect America for the next 250 years, and in solemnly rededicating our country as One Nation under God.”
Critics argue the Freedom 250 events minimize or overlook darker chapters of American history, including slavery and violence against Indigenous populations.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, have criticized Pope Leo and other faith leaders who disagree with the administration’s policies. After feuding with the pope, Trump briefly posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Christ-like figure before deleting it following criticism from some administration supporters.
