Here’s some good news during this Holy Week from Washington DC. We have a White House and administration not afraid of openly embracing the Christian faith.
President Trump and the First Lady issued a Presidential Message marking this Easter season. Their statement’s direct presentation of the gospel is encouraging. Here are a few quotes:
“This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity. . . .
“This week is a time of reflection for Christians to memorialize Jesus’ crucifixion—and to prepare their hearts, minds, and souls for His miraculous Resurrection from the dead. . . .
“Through His suffering, we have redemption. Through His death, we are forgiven of our sins. Through His Resurrection, we have hope of eternal life. On Easter morning, the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and light prevails over darkness—signaling that death does not have the final word.”1
Of course, all presidents release statements recognizing religious holidays of different faiths. But this statement leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday leaves no doubt that the “First Couple” will personally celebrate Easter.
Something else is apparent too. The Trump administration just reiterated its commitment to protect religious liberty. The president’s statement included this promise:
“This Holy Week, my Administration renews its promise to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government. We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square.”2
These are not empty words. Bible-believing Christians have been appointed to positions throughout the administration, and their numbers are growing.
Just a few days ago, President Trump nominated former US Rep. Mark Walker as the new US Ambassador at Large for international religious freedom. Walker is also a former pastor.
The president has made clear that protecting religious liberty and stopping Christian persecution are high priorities. Unfortunately, the previous administration was openly hostile to Christians. The administration monitored traditional Catholic churches, claiming they were sources of “domestic extremism.” Christian pro-life activists and demonstrators were thrown in jail. A chaplain at the Veterans Administration was disciplined for delivering an overtly Christian message in his sermon. The Biden administration cooperated with the most radical atheist groups whose goal is to remake America as a country founded on secular humanism rather than being “one nation under God.”
During a recent address at the US Merchant Marine Academy, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asked, “Can we bring Jesus up from the basement?”3 He was referring to a Biden-era controversy in which a beautiful painting of Jesus and sailors in a storm was covered up and then removed to a basement hallway. The midshipmen in the audience roared their approval of Duffy’s insistence that they get “Jesus out of the basement.” 4
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently took action to address any discriminatory practices against Christian employees during the Biden administration. In a memo to department staff and overseas embassies, Rubio asked State Department employees to report any “examples of anti-religious bias . . . where the Department targeted anyone for their religion . . . or in retaliation for exercising their religious rights.”5
Finally, in his Holy Week message, President Trump specifically asked God for this:
“This week, we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved Nation. We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven.
“May God bless you and your family during this special time of year and may He continue to bless the United States of America.”6
JDFI joins the president in asking God to continue His blessings for our country and healing in our land.