Free Republic

The debate is not just about the power of prayer. In the United States — with both a large religious population and the most mass shootings in the world — it’s also a polarized debate about gun control. In other words, the episode set off rhetorical skirmishes along two of the biggest dividing lines in America’s cultural and political wars: God and guns. (That doesn’t even count the scrutiny over the motives and gender identity of the shooter, who died by suicide after the attack.) Frey tapped into the principle of “Tikkun Olam,” in his Jewish faith, which speaks about...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Diocese of Washington, said Wednesday that she will continue to pray for President Donald Trump, hours after he lashed out at her over a sermon.“I don’t consider him an enemy,” Budde told The Associated Press.“I believe we can disagree respectfully and put our ideas out there and continue to stand for the convictions we’ve been given without resorting to violence of speech.”Budde made a direct appeal to Trump during a post-Inauguration prayer service he attended on Tuesday, asking him to show mercy to members of the LGBTQ+ community...

When the Rev. Lee Scott publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president during the Evangelicals for Harris Zoom call on Aug. 14, the Presbyterian pastor and farmer said he was taking a risk. “The easy thing for us to do this year would be to keep our heads down, go to the ballot box, keep our vote secret and go about our business,” Scott told the group, which garnered roughly 3,200 viewers according to organizers. “But at this time, I just can’t do that.” Scott lives in Butler, Pennsylvania, the same town where a would-be assassin shot former President Donald Trump...