The Trump administration is planning a prayer event on the National Mall. All but one of the speakers is Christian - BERITAJA

Work continues connected the shape for the Rededicate 250 ceremony connected the National Mall successful Washington. Alex Brandon/AP

Alex Brandon/AP

(RNS) —Cabinet members, Catholic bishops, evangelical influencers, and an character who plays Jesus are a fewer of the speakers and performers scheduled to participate successful "Rededicate 250," the Trump administration's daylong dream ceremony happening connected the National Mall this weekend.

Advertised arsenic a "rededication of our state arsenic One Nation Under God" and a "once successful a life nationalist moment," the Sunday arena is intended to bespeak connected the religion of America's founders and to entreaty to God to bless and guideline the nation.

It's an inaugural of Freedom 250, a White House-backed, public-private run staging patriotic events to observe the nation's 250th birthday. Supporters invited the arena arsenic a tribute to America's roots, while critics opportunity the Christian-saturated, MAGA-heavy show casts an exclusionary imagination of America's past and present. Americans United for Separation of Church and State suggested the arena advances Christian nationalism alternatively than belief freedom.

The rally has inspired some supportive and oppositional pre-events, the erstwhile led by activistic and believe leader Sean Feucht, and the second spearheaded by the Interfaith Alliance and a cadre of progressive belief leaders.

In caller days, a fistful of Christian celebrities person been announced arsenic Rededicate 250 participants. Grammy-winning Christian musician Chris Tomlin, known for the hits "Holy Forever" and "How Great Is Our God," will header the event. Jonathan Roumie, the Catholic actor, influencer and prima of the deed Jesus show "The Chosen," was precocious added arsenic a speaker. Roumie has spoken astatine the March For Life and starred successful a Super Bowl ad. He will beryllium joined by evangelical influencer, podcast big and "Duck Dynasty" alum Sadie Robertson Huff, who built a ministry level catered to women and has complete 5 cardinal Instagram followers.

Other listed speakers see galore of President Donald Trump's closest friends and allies, about of them blimpish Christians. Prominent governmental figures see House Speaker Mike Johnson (a Southern Baptist); Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (who worships successful churches linked to the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches); and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (a Catholic). Trump is expected to nonstop a recorded video message.

Of the 19 religion leaders presently listed, 18 are Christian, and about are evangelical. Among them are the Rev. Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; Pentecostal preacher and White House religion agency elder advisor Paula White-Cain; and Pastor Robert Jeffress, who leads First Baptist Church successful Dallas.

Bishop Robert Barron, who leads the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who precocious retired from his position arsenic bishop of the Archdiocese of New York, some Catholic, are besides scheduled speakers.

The only non-Christian belief leader presently listed is Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, who leads Congregation Shearith Israel successful New York City and serves connected Trump's Religious Liberty Commission.

According to organizers, the speaker database is still being finalized.

If Trump's belief revival is meant to promote a fusion of Christianity and government, a caller Pew Research canvass released Thursday (May 14) shows Americans are not buying it. Although much than half of Americans opportunity belief plays a affirmative domiciled successful society, they do not want their authorities to extremity enforcing separation of religion and state.

The poll, taken successful April among 3,592 U.S. adults, shows that those views person hardly budged complete the past fewer years. Eight of retired 10 Americans opportunity belief congregations should not support candidates successful elections. And two-thirds opportunity churches and different houses of believe should support retired of governmental matters.

As for Christian nationalism, the canvass shows, it is acold from popular.

Only 17% of Americans deliberation the authorities should state Christianity the charismatic belief of the U.S., a flimsy jump complete 2024 erstwhile 13% said so. Generally, the thought of Christian nationalism remains much antagonistic than positive: 31% position it unfavorably, 10% position it favorably and the remainder don't cognize capable aliases don't person an opinion.

"To the grade that President Trump has a rally that explicitly espouses Christian nationalism, he's not going to get very acold beyond, perhaps, the group astatine the rally," said John Green, professor emeritus of governmental subject astatine the University of Akron. "There are group that person that view, but they're a very mini minority, moreover wrong the Republican Party."

The canvass besides recovered 52% of U.S. adults deliberation "conservative Christians person gone excessively acold successful trying to push their belief values successful the authorities and nationalist schools." It had a separator of correction of positive aliases minus 1.9 percent points.

Several groups person travel retired against Rededicate 250. The Council connected American-Islamic Relations called for organizers to grow the speakers database to amended bespeak the nation's divers belief landscape.

"Muslims person been coming successful important numbers successful the state since the assemblage era," the defense statement said. "Inviting speakers who correspond galore faiths projects the spot of our belief liberty."

Americans United for Separation of Church and State said the arena will beforehand Christian nationalism alternatively than belief freedom, and connected Friday, a group of progressive religion leaders will big a virtual property briefing that argues Rededicate 250 misrepresents really America's founders approached belief tolerance.

As a counterpoint to the Rededicate event, Interfaith Alliance said it will squad up pinch protestation creator Robin Bell to task pro-religious state messages, including "Democracy NOT Theocracy" and "Reject Christian Nationalism," connected the walls of the National Gallery of Art connected Thursday evening.

This communicative was produced via a collaboration betwixt BERITAJA and Religion News Service.