Baptizing the Battlefield: Pete Hegseth's Holy War at the Pentagon

When the podium becomes a pulpit. At a Pentagon press briefing this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth closed his remarks with a reading from the Book of Psalms and ended with "Amen." Press briefings don't usually end that way. RNS reporter Jack Jenkins joins Amanda Henderson to trace how we got here — from monthly worship services in the Pentagon auditorium to biblical scripture overlaid on weapons systems to a Secretary of War who told his troops the nation needed to be "on bended knee, recognizing the providence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." When the podium becomes a pulpit, what happens to everything else? That question hasn't gotten easier. 00:00 — Introduction: When the Podium Becomes a Pulpit 01:27 — The Original Episode: Setting the Scene 02:41 — The Generals' Meeting and the Warrior Ethos 05:14 — Christianity in the Military: Civil Religion vs. Hegseth's Faith 06:57 — "SecWar's Worship Service": The Pentagon Prayer Series 07:59 — Bible Verses Over Fighter Jets: The Social Media Campaign 10:15 — Recruitment, Viral Content, and Capital-B Believers 12:50 — The Theological Question: Faith as Military Doctrine 15:17 — Pushback — and Why It's Hard to Find 17:14 — Closing: The Baptism of the Military Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices