Viewpoint: Church leader calls on Christians to reject Project 2025
By Rev. Shelli Poe
The Fourth of July hit differently this year.
I have always felt fortunate to have been born a U.S. citizen, to have the challenges and opportunities afforded to me as a participant in our democracy, and to enjoy the freedoms granted by our constitution’s amendments.
And yet as I sat on the curb with my family, watching the Fourth of July parade go by, I was struck by the disjunction between our own sense of what it means to be a U.S. citizen and what we’re experiencing in this election cycle.
High school marching bands played the Star-Spangled Banner, attesting to our “land of the free and home of the brave.” Scout troops marched down the street. Librarians danced down the street with book carts twirling in a synchronized fashion.
But in the background of this jubilation, there hung over the day a sense of uncertainty, anxiety, and ambivalence. By now most of us have heard of Project 2025, a presidential transition project for the next conservative president.
Project 2025 seeks to infuse the federal government with “Christian values,” but the policies it proposes do not reflect the values proclaimed by Jesus Christ.
This project outlines the efforts of conservative organizations working together under the leadership of the Heritage Foundation to “deconstruct the [current] administrative state” by assembling a database of candidates to be considered for hire in the next administration and providing online training for them.
Project 2025 provides a 180-day roadmap for the president to hit the ground running. The plan outlines four priorities:
- “Restore the American family.”
- “Handcuff the bureaucracy.”
- Defend the nation by removing the U.S. from international organizations, sealing its borders, and increasing reliance on fossil fuels.
- Finally, the project prioritizes the pursuit of happiness, which is startlingly interpreted as follows: “Our Constitution grants each of us the liberty to do not what we want, but what we ought. This pursuit of the good life is found primarily in family – marriage, children, Thanksgiving dinners, and the like.”
Knowing that Project 2025 and its supporters are hoping to “save our republic” in this fashion, it was difficult, to say the least, to sit at the parade and not wonder what our country and our freedoms will look like should the project be implemented. The recent assassination attempt does not change my concern over the project and the future of our country.
I am concerned not only about the policies outlined in Project 2025, but I am outraged by the attempt to co-opt Christianity in support of such policies. The kind of Christianity that is being invoked in these pages is not synonymous with the whole of the Christian tradition.
Early Christians were concerned with upholding the dignity of and providing for the needs of those who were most vulnerable in their society – widows, orphans, the imprisoned, women, those who were sick, those who were disabled, those who struggled with mental health, and those who were poor.
They recognized the liberatory nature of Jesus’s message as he talked with and listened to children and women, defended women from unjust punishment and policies, upheld the importance of chosen family, fed people simply because they were hungry, and cared for people’s physical health regardless of their work history.
The earliest Christians banded together to share their resources with one another and give to those who were in need. Moreover, Christians throughout history have transcended national allegiances based on their faith, as their faith draws them toward mutual understanding and peaceful relationship with the whole of the human family.
It is true that Christianity has been co-opted throughout the centuries by various political rulers who have used it as a tool to accomplish their purposes (imperial powers, crusaders, colonizers, slavers, and dictators). And although Christian leaders have sometimes used their religion to achieve political power and prestige, there have always been Christian communities that have resisted the co-opting of their faith for political purposes, resisted the temptation to join their faith to greed of all kinds, and resisted the joining of their faith with nationalism.
Prophetic Christian communities strive to continue Jesus’s mission to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, care for people’s bodies, set free those who are oppressed, and proclaim God’s favor.
I urge every Christian and all those interested in the long arc of history not to allow Christianity to be co-opted by a political manifesto that wants to remove our freedom to be ourselves, with all of our sexual and gender differences; that wants to restrict the freedom of women to attain reproductive health and retain their reproductive rights; that wants to allow white supremacy to continue to infect our country’s citizens and communities; that wants to eliminate policies that grant basic dignities to poor people; and that cares only for economic gain to the detriment of our planet and our people.
May we reject this manifesto. Our future depends on it and our faith demands it.
The Rev. Shelli M. Poe, Ph.D., is the senior pastor at Little River United Church of Christ in Annandale. These comments are personal and not intended to represent the views of her organization.
Thank you Rev. Poe. Your message is an important one that I hope will resonate with all voters.
Amen!
Thank you, Rev. Dr. Poe, for reminding us of those ways our Christians forebears followed Jesus and encouraging us to do the same.
Thank you Pastor Shelli for this important expose on Trump’s Project 2025 MAGA Manifesto.
Without undue cynicism, a pastor friend once said “the good old days never were.” Jim Crow. No legal protections for children, persons who are differently abled, abused wives, or the elderly. To couch their vision as Christianity is nothing but blasphemy.
Thank you from non-Christians as well!
Thank you Pastor Shelli.
So much is wrong with harking back to the “good old days.” Jim Crow. No legal protections for children, the elderly, abused wives, and the people who are differently abled. To couch their political desires in Christianity is the definition of blasphemy.
We live in a world of angles not angels. Amplified by differences, be it faith, class, family/tribe, education, culture, or too many other factors to count. Sadly, organized religion has been one of single biggest divisive factors in human history – both different faiths and many different interpretations of each faith. The fusion of world views with power is what organizes a nation & humanity. There are no utopias – including that of humanity as seeing things collectively as good or seeing other peoples as good or worthy. The closest thing to that is the United States (as evidenced by migrants who want to live here as well as those that don’t want to come here). In the United States, our Founding Fathers had many differences but also a common foundation (notably a version Christianity, a serious understanding of the Classics & the Enlightenment). Thus, the founding of this nation is on ideas and principles. We have corrected many things since the Founding Fathers, but they did set up a system that allowed for maintaining core common responsibilities and rights; while allowing changes. Some see good and others see bad in those changes, or proposed changes. Key is to respectfully engage in person (and on line), to understand others, finding common connections and causes, as well as help change your own and someone else’s heart and mind. Engaging with just like minded individuals stovepipes yourself and perspective; and will not change the world or win over others, much less build any commonality. It starts with individuals, and expands outward. Project 2025 is no different than other or similar efforts of the past by different groups of all faiths and political persuasions, possibly more organized but that is the state of technology today helping. Again, understanding others, finding common connections and causes, as well as help change your own and someone else’s heart and mind will be important and successful- especially in the long term.
How does a Christian support policies that promote something as perverse and Satanic as transgenderism or the liberal project as a whole? How do you call yourself a pastor and reject the idea that the state can use its power to push a Christian morality that includes family, and virtue? Do you prefer the current regime that promotes anti-family practices like homosexuality, and militant and man-hating feminism?
Shh! They’re going to start removing all your posts and not allowing you to respond because you don’t agree with their viewpoint. That is whoever runs this page
Believe me it’s happened before
Well, they still won’t post my comment about the IRS rules to political speech from nonprofits. But it’s there for anybody to google, but it’s probably too controversial for the communists that run this website.
Well, let’s be fair. While the people who own this website advocate for
Progressive policies, and very rarely use highly inflaming language, they are generally good at not censoring those who have differing points of view.
I appreciate their willingness to be not overly censoring.
Let go and let God, brother.
I dunno, how does a Christian support an adulterous, lying, racist, corrupt, convicted felon for President?
Because he doesn’t attack us or compel us to do things against our religion.
Got it, so instead you just ignore everything he does that goes against your religions teachings. Makes perfect sense.
Oh honey, bless your heart.
Ha, the hypocrisy from folks who bring religion into this yet vote for someone like Trump is astounding. It would be easier if you would just admit what everyone knows, it’s about power.
I don’t know. How does someone believe everything they’re told on the news about a candidate even when the charges are bogus and he’s not racist (nor any of the other blasphemous lies you said)
So he isn’t an adulterer? Paging Stormy Daniels….
He isn’t corrupt? Have you heard of Trump University?
He hasn’t lied over and over and over? Ex. stolen election
Keep that head in the sand!
I dunno, probably because we’re not cult members and we actually believe the things we see him do and hear him say.
Thank you for clear and concise analysis of project 2025. Much of that program is incorporated into agenda. We can do better. Reform and change needs to be gradual and well thought out.
Amen! Thank you!
They have and continue to block people’s responses and emails if they don’t like your post. It’s like living in a Communist regime
It’s not communist or a regime or a revolution or anything else. Rather it capitalism and property rights. The owner of Annandale Today is running a business (advertising). Running a business the owner(s) retains prerogatives such as editorial freedom and control. Same is true with other social media and websites. While it may seem like the old fashioned “public square” – it is not. I appreciate what Annandale Today does, even when censored. I would note I have always tried to be thoughtful and respectful when posting, but sometimes the editor doesn’t agree.
If you tolerate everything, then you stand for nothing.
Agreed. Personally, I don’t tolerate racism, bigotry, or imposing one’s religious views on others, so fortunately I don’t fall into that category.
Imposing one’s religious views on others is exactly what we are getting here, particularly since the editor of this site does not allow descending viewpoints
Incorrect. What you are getting here, on someone’s personally-run website with which you choose to participate, is the opinion of a someone who opposes a plan for ACTUAL imposition of so-called Christian values.
How about ascending viewpoints?
How do right wingers post ideas like this and wonder why left wingers think they are bigoted and ignorant?
Your post is so illustrative of the right wingers as victims mindset.
Freedom of speech means you can say what you want without worrying about the government punishing you. But in pretty much every other regard, no-one has to listen, repeat or respect another word or idea out of your mouth.
I can’t speak for this website or anyone other than myself, but if you want your ignorance to be respected or celebrated, you’re gonna be disappointed talking at me and people like me.
This pastor is dangerous. Prioritizing the family IS NOT wrong. As a Christian, this should be chilling for everyone!
Where specifically did the Pastor say prioritizing family is wrong? I eagerly await your non-response.
“Not Prioritizing Family” is Republican Newspeak for “believing that ethnic, racial, and gender/sexuality minorities, Muslims, Atheists, Jews, freethinkers, and others have a right to exist.”
If you believe that any of the above are Americans too and deserve equal protection and treatment under the law, the Right will label you similarly as anti-family values, and pretty soon you are one of the teachers, or librarians, or name-your-occupation-here who can’t be trusted.
Harris calls climate anxiety “the fear of the future and the unknown of whether it makes sense for you to even think about having children.”
It’s not clear to me what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting that being thoughtful about when and if to have children is somehow “anti family”?