When politics meets preaching: A controversial prayer festival took place in Washington.

On May 17, thousands of people flocked to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the all-day "One Nation Under God" prayer event. Organizers called it a "re-dedication of the country as one nation under God," writes The Guardian.

At the foot of the Washington Monument, religious music played from a stage, and arched stained-glass windows beneath massive columns depicted the Founding Fathers next to a white cross.

"America has turned away from God, but God has not turned away from America," said Pastor Samuel Rodriguez.

The White House-sponsored event drew widespread criticism, with many believing it blurred the lines between church and state. Influential Republican politicians appeared on stage alongside predominantly evangelical preachers.

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Only one religious figure speaking at the event was not Christian—Orthodox Rabbi Meir Soloveitchik. The rest of the attendees were longtime evangelical supporters of Donald Trump, including Paula White-Cain of the White House Office of Faith Affairs and evangelist Franklin Graham, associated with Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian humanitarian organization.

"We are deeply concerned that what we are seeing is the promotion of a narrow, ideological version of Christianity in this country that runs counter to the fundamental principle of religious liberty," said the Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, a Baptist pastor and head of the progressive Christian organization Sojourners.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott drew applause when he took the microphone and shouted, "Do you believe in Jesus?"

The organizers showed a video of Donald Trump reading a passage from the Old Testament. The recording was made a month ago for another event, America Reads the Bible.

Trump read from Chronicles, Chapter 7, a passage often cited by proponents of the idea that the United States was originally founded as a Christian country.

“Then My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways: then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land,” says one of the verses.

In a video message, Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth recalled the legend of George Washington "praying without ceasing" in Pennsylvania when his troops were suffering from hunger.

"Let us pray as he did. Let us pray without ceasing. Let us pray for our country on bended knee," Hegseth said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson addressed the controversy surrounding American history in his remarks.

"In recent years, we've seen dangerous ideologies sow discord and confusion among people," he said. "We're seeing attacks on our history, on our heroes, on the moral and spiritual foundation of this great country. Young people are being told that America's history is one of oppression, hypocrisy, and failure, and that it should be viewed only through the prism of our sins."

"Father, we reject this," Johnson added. "We renounce it in Your name."

According to The Washington Post, organizers expected about 15 participants.

Progressive organizations held alternative protests. Among them were the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which advocates for a strict separation of church and state, and the Christian organization Faithful America. They placed a large inflatable "golden calf" resembling Trump near the National Mall, referencing the biblical image of idolatry.

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On the evening of May 14, the Interfaith Alliance coalition projected protest slogans onto the facade of the National Gallery of Art: "Democracy, not theocracy" and "Separation of church and state is good for both sides."

According to the Pew Research Center, more than a quarter of Americans identify as atheists or agnostics.

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