Christian Worshippers Flood Texas Capitol to Pray for Lawmakers, Intensifying Church-State Controversy
This week, the separation between church and state became a focal point of debate in Texas, as Christian worshippers convened at the state capitol to pray for spiritual protection over lawmakers. The event featured fervent displays of faith, including participants laying hands on walls and engaging in worship.
Robert Downen, a political and extremism reporter for The Texas Tribune, captured the moment on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“At the Texas Capitol, Christian worshippers are blessing the walls of a hearing room to protect lawmakers from spiritual forces and the ‘Jezebel’ spirit. ‘Pray for the fear of the Lord to come into this place,’ says MercyCulture pastor Landon Schott.”
Accompanied by music, Schott led prayers referencing biblical figures and themes of courage and faith. He proclaimed, “We pray that we would not bow to fear! We pray like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, be willing to be thrown into a fiery furnace… We say like Queen Esther, ‘If I perish, I perish.’ We say like a Daniel, ‘I will sleep in a den of lions.'”
This gathering unfolded amid growing rhetoric from Texas GOP leaders challenging the concept of church-state separation. Downen linked to a Texas Tribune article highlighting statements by the Texas GOP chair, who asserted that such separation “doesn’t exist.” Republican lawmakers echoed these sentiments, vowing to return legislative power to “the Holy Spirit.”
The Tribune’s article described the Texas GOP’s increasing alignment with fundamentalist ideologies, which advocate for public life to be centered around conservative Christian principles. These ideologies often reject the notion of church-state separation and argue that America’s founding was divinely ordained.
This development follows years of strong evangelical support for Republican leaders, particularly former President Donald Trump. Despite controversies surrounding his presidency, Trump has maintained significant backing from white evangelicals, with many prioritizing political goals over personal misgivings.
Reference News :- ‘Den of lions’: Evangelists take over the Texas State Capitol to cast out ‘Jezebel’ spirit
