Franklin Graham's Defense of Trump's Jesus Image Reveals the Real Problem

 

Apr 26, 2026 #FranklinGraham #DonaldTrump #ChristianNationalism

This video examines Franklin Graham's controversial defense of the AI image Donald Trump shared on Truth Social We explore the implications of this "trump as jesus" depiction for "christianity" and the broader intersection of "faith" and "religion and politics". This incident, which many consider "trump blasphemy", requires attention from Christians given its public and undeniable nature, and is making "donald trump news". This video examines a controversial event where Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus. We explore the implications of this "trump as jesus" depiction for "christianity" and the broader intersection of "faith" and "religion and politics". This incident, which many consider "trump blasphemy", requires attention from Christians given its public and undeniable nature, and is making "donald trump news".

The Altar SD launched March 29, 2026

1355 Fern St, San Diego, CA 92102 

The Altar SD, launched Sunday services on March 29th. It was a time of celebration and thankfulness, remembering all God has done and looking forward to all He will continue to do in their San Diego, CA, community. Please pray with us that The Altar will be a place where "...the lost will be found, and the saints will be strengthened, to the glory of God."

Learn more about The Altar and its leadership team at thealtarsd.org/

What the Nones and Dones Teach Us About the Future of Faith’

Artistic creativity fuels a Houston church’s mission BY LINDSAY PEYTON A Sanctified Art creates worship materials that affirm diversity and expand imagination BY EDIE GROSS

‘What is our church art for?’ Q&A WITH KELLY LATIMORE

Rethinking the image of Christ BY ANNETTE JOHN-HALL

Why conspiracy theories find fertile ground in American evangelicalism

Q&A with Jared Stacy

Disinformation and conspiracies thrive because they are storytelling acts, says the author of “Reality in Ruins.” What’s needed to combat them is a different story.

‘Church Tomorrow? What the Nones and Dones Teach Us About the Future of Faith’

By Stephanie Spellers

In this excerpt from her new book, a former None who is now a denominational leader writes about the future of the church.

Yeah, I’m vehemently pro-pastor

By Nicole Marie Bergeron

The pastoral housing crisis reveals the cost of a sacrifice that the church has stopped naming, writes the founder of a Christian housing nonprofit. Her essay is a call to old faithfulness.

Building resilient neighborhoods

Q&A with Paul Abernathy

A faith-based community development program in Pittsburgh works to heal the traumas of local residents and create sustainable change. Meanwhile, it’s coping with federal funding cuts amid growing demand for its services.

Why would an established organization change its name?

By David L. Odom

Leadership Education at Duke Divinity is now the Forum for Congregational Life. The organization’s executive director explains that there are important reasons for the name change, including a revised focus.

Abundance at the margins: How faith and food justice converge for farmworkers

By Alexandra Martinez

A ministry in southwest Florida grows and gives away food to the people who harvest the nation’s crops but have little access to fresh food themselves.

Pope prays with Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally

Pope prays with Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally in historic encounter, vows dialogue
National Catholic Reporter: The encounter would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, given the divisions between their two churches over women’s ordination in general and Mullally’s appointment in particular.

 

Former Sen. Ben Sasse, dying of cancer, reflects on family, faith and the future of America
60 Minutes: “I hate cancer. But I’m also grateful for it. I tell a lot more truth to myself than I used to do it when I thought I was super omni-competent and interesting,” Sasse told interviewer Scott Pelley.

 

America’s founding promise of religious freedom has long coexisted with prejudice, even as many Christians have worked to confront it
The Conversation: The tension between embracing religious liberty and the marginalization of other religions in favor of Christianity is not new.

 

The apocalypse goes mainstream*
New York Times: About 40 percent of American adults believe that we are living in the “end times,” according to a 2022 poll. Where did that idea come from?

 

Clergy launch statewide fast, urge change as family seeks release for Baldwin detainee
UpNorthLiveABC: Michigan faith leaders call for a statewide fast in solidarity with detainees who are on a hunger strike over poor conditions at a Michigan processing center.

Official roster of events for Fulton Sheen beatification announced

Official roster of events for Fulton Sheen beatification announced Archbishop Fulton Sheen will be beatified in St. Louis on Sept. 24. Pope sends new shipment of humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Ukraine Both war-torn countries will receive essential medications, and Ukraine will receive other needed items, including food and clothing. ‘A generation that won’t be silenced’: Young people turn out for pro-life march in Mexico City The April 25 March for Life in Mexico City was marked by a strong presence of young people, a generation that has vowed to not give up the fight in face of the majority of states legalizing abortion. Here are the patron saints of World Youth Day Seoul 2027 The five saints chosen for the international youth gathering reflect the event’s spiritual themes of truth, love, and peace.

Hotline operator named Catholic Charities USA 2026 volunteer of the year “Callers thank me for just being willing to listen and empathize. I really feel good after those calls,” Julie Abbott said.

In Search of Robert Prevost

 

Over the past few weeks, Pope Leo XIV’s commitment to Gospel truth has powerfully evangelized parts of society that are generally unaware of papal activities. Non-Catholics (even agnostics) have been saying, “He’s my pope,” and “I never really paid attention to the Pope before but he is really good.” While their statements reflect a well-deserved respect for Pope Leo, what these admirers are really attracted to – whether or not they recognize it to be true – is the message of Christ that the Holy Father is living out. His unwavering stand for peace makes me wonder how God has used Pope Leo’s personal history to shape his present faithfulness. Who is this man who has been elected to lead the Church? Where did he come from?

This past weekend, I was given the opportunity to explore Chicago, the city of Pope Leo’s birth. It offered me a brief glimpse of the child Robert Prevost, who grew up to become the first American Pope.

Worship attendance at churches up for the first time in decades

Washington attack suspect sought to justify himself to Christians*
Christianity Today: In writings, Cole Tomas Allen thanked his church and argued that his attempt to assassinate Trump administration officials was compatible with his faith.

 

Worship attendance at churches up for the first time in decades, according to new report
Religion News Service: Researchers from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research said the median congregation grew from 65 in 2020 to about 70 today. That is not enough to erase earlier declines, but it is noteworthy.

 

GOP ethics complaint says Kansas City-area pastor improperly used church resources
Kansas Reflector: The Rev. Adam Hamilton, pastor of the largest church in Kansas, is toying with the idea of running for U.S. Senate, but he has yet to officially file.

 

How white Christianity shifted from New Deal Democrats to the GOP
Religion Unplugged: It has become increasingly the case that to be white and Christian is to support the Republican Party. That simply wasn’t the case not too terribly long ago, writes researcher Ryan Burge.

 

Isaac Herzog, accused by UN panel of inciting genocide, to deliver JTS commencement address
Jewish Currents: New York’s Jewish Theological Seminary will honor Israeli President Isaac Herzog next month.

The laywoman who has quietly formed a generation of priests and sisters in South Asia

U.S. bishops say violence 'never the answer' after shooting at White House press dinner Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, condemned violence, and Bishop David Bonnar of Youngstown, Ohio said the issue of gun violence must be addressed.

Pope Leo XIV tells new priests: 'You are a channel, not a filter'

The pope ordained 10 men to the priesthood on Good Shepherd Sunday and later warned at the Regina Caeli against the “thieves” that rob people of freedom, dignity, and peace.

U.S. to finance restoration of ‘Sistine Chapel of the Andes’ in Bolivia The U.S. Department of State’s Cultural Preservation Fund will finance the project, which will repair and waterproof thatched roofs, reconstruct buttresses, and restore exterior walls and façades.

The laywoman who has quietly formed a generation of priests and sisters in South Asia On World Vocations Day, EWTN News pays tribute to a woman called the “caregiver of vocations” in a place where Catholics are a minority.

Pro-Lifers Win Again at UN Conference

Why do people stay with (or leave) religion? Interesting findings from a study

Jorge Enrique Mújica

Taken together, these findings depict a religious landscape marked not by sudden collapse but by gradual reconfiguration. Belief, meaning, and personal experience remain central drivers of affiliation, while institutional credibility and cultural alignment increasingly shape decisions to stay or leave

In the Spanish capital, the courts have authorized the designation of Jehovah’s Witnesses as a “destructive cult”

ZENIT Staff

The court’s reasoning is notable not so much for endorsing a doctrinal judgment about a religious group, but for clarifying the legal scope of expression in matters of public interest

A generation returns? New data suggest a surprising revival of Catholic identity among Spanish youth

ZENIT Staff

The data do not necessarily indicate a uniform revival across all segments of youth, nor do they guarantee long-term retention. The history of religious affiliation in Europe suggests that identification does not always translate into sustained practice

Priestly vocations in the military? Record attendance at “military” vocational retreat

ZENIT Staff

Of the 38, 15 are considering a vocation as chaplains in the U.S. Air Force, eight in the Navy, and seven in the Army. Another eight are still discerning which branch of service they hope to join if ordained as priests

Foundation Promoted by Pope Francis Proposes FIFA’s «Rag Ball» Award to Recognize Social Commitment

ZENIT Staff

The goal is to create an award that, alongside the famous Ballon d’Or for elite players, recognizes the best social initiatives related to football.

Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi Strengthen and Relaunch Their Christian Charity Initiatives

ZENIT Staff

A study indicates that the total fertility rate has fallen to 1.57 births per woman, below the replacement rate of 2.1, which is necessary to maintain the population size.

What does it mean to be a Christian in politics? Pope Leo XIV’s response during his first meeting with MEPs

ZENIT Staff

The Pope’s Address to Members of the European People’s Party at the European Parliament

Holy Land: Catholic Church denounces Jewish settlers’ encroachment on church-owned properties. Israeli government seeks to mend relations

ZENIT Staff

The Patriarchate condemns «encroachments» in Tayasir, stressing that protecting Church properties is a «red line.» Following a formal report to Israeli civil and military authorities, action has been taken against those responsible. As violence escalates Pizzaballa appeals for support for the local population. Meanwhile, Israel appointed a special envoy for the Christian world to mend relations.

Which “thieves” have tried to break into our fold? The Pope’s thoughtful response

ZENIT Staff

Address on the occasion of the Regina Coeli prayer on Sunday, April 26, 2026

Here are the 5 themes for World Youth Day Seoul 2027: the major global gathering of young Catholics

ZENIT Staff

The selection process began in late 2024 and included a nationwide survey of young people, youth ministers and pastoral workers, followed by a review of candidates and deliberation by the LOC

Questions about liturgy: On Blessings

Fr. Edward McNamara

Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.

Pro-Lifers Win Again at UN Conference

Stefano Gennarini

The Commission on Population and Development, which meets for one week in April every year, is the scene of ongoing debates about abortion, gender ideology, population control, and other controversial social policies. It has failed to reach an agreement in seven of the last ten sessions.

The Death Penalty in the U.S.: On the Same Day, Pope Leo XIV and the Trump Administration Weigh In (With Opposing Views)

ZENIT Staff

In 2025, 11 of those states carried out executions. In 2024, 9 states carried out the death penalty, and in 2023, 5