After weeks of turmoil, House Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson on Wednesday as the new speaker of the House, an act the Louisiana Congressman suggested was ordained by God.
“I believe that Scripture, the Bible, is very clear: that God is the one who raises up those in authority,” Johnson said in his first speech after being elected speaker in a 220-209 vote. “He raised up each of you. All of us.”
Johnson, an evangelical Christian, peppered his remarks with religious references. He recounted the history of how the motto “In God We Trust” was placed in the House chamber — a rebuke of communism, which many associated with atheism — and highlighted the Declaration of Independence’s use of “Creator.” He also noted the presence of Moses on the wall of the House chamber.
“Through adversity, it makes you stronger,” he said, referencing the three-week period in October that it took Republicans to elect a new speaker to replace the ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
In a later speech on the Capitol steps, Johnson framed his leadership goals by citing Romans 5:3-4.
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“I was reminded of the Scripture that says ‘Suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope,’” he said. “What we need in this country is more hope.”
Johnson has been tied to multiple Baptist churches over the years and currently attends Cypress Baptist Church in Benton, Louisiana, according to the Louisiana Baptist Message. He is also a former lawyer and communications staffer with the Alliance Defense Fund, which later became known as Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal firm.
According to CNN, Johnson penned a number of editorials while working at ADF, including one in which he decried homosexuality as a “dangerous lifestyle” that could lead to the collapse of “the entire democratic system.”
Johnson has continued to voice support for conservative Christian viewpoints while in office, even hosting a podcast with his wife, Kelly, a licensed pastoral counselor, aimed at providing an “analysis of hot topics and current events from a Christian perspective.”
Among other things, Speaker Johnson has repeatedly rejected many broadly held interpretations of the separation of church and state.
“The founders wanted to protect the church from an encroaching state, not the other way around,” he said during a September 2022 episode of the podcast.
He went on to argue that “a free society and a healthy republic depend upon religious and moral virtue,” arguing that society would crumble without it.
His views echo the writings of David Barton, a controversial Texas activist who has spent years railing against the separation of church and state. On Wednesday, Substack writer Warren Throckmorton pointed out that Johnson lauded Barton during a 2021 talk to a group of state legislators organized by WallBuilders, an organization founded by Barton.
“I was introduced to David and his ministry a quarter century ago, and it has had such a profound influence on me and my work and my life and everything I do,” Johnson said at the time.
Johnson’s victory was celebrated by Brent Leatherwood, head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Johnson served on the commission’s board from 2004 to 2012.
“Mike Johnson, a name familiar to many Southern Baptists, has been tapped to lead the chamber, and I want to offer my personal congratulations to him,” Leatherwood dijo en un comunicado. He later noted that his first Capitol Hill meeting as head of ERLC was with Johnson and lauded him as someone who “carries an abiding devotion to our convention of churches, subscribes to the principles that are dear to so many Southern Baptists and has deep pride in our nation.”
Johnson’s views are likely to clash with that of many of his colleagues on the other side of the aisle. His election comes the same day as a House Subcommittee on National Security, the Border and Foreign Affairs hearing, which included a discussion of Christian nationalism between Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida, who said he was raised Southern Baptist, and Amanda Tyler, who heads the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.
During their exchange, Frost recalled recent remarks by Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who declared that “the church is supposed to direct the government, the government is not supposed to direct the church.”
“(The Bible) warns us against people who would preach of a Christ that differs from the true Christ we learn about in the Bible,” Frost dijo. “That’s exactly what Christian nationalism is doing.”
Johnson also has ties to former President Donald Trump, having supported the effort to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election — a movement based on erroneous claims that ultimately culminated with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump celebrated Johnson’s nomination on Truth Social earlier on Wednesday.
Johnson ascends to the speakership after three weeks of chaos in the House spurred by the ouster of McCarthy from top leadership. The resulting jockeying for power proved to be a surprisingly religious affair: When Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio vied for the chair, he was introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik, who cited the biblical Book of Esther to insist Jordan was to be lifted up for the position “for such a time as this.”
When Jordan later failed to win the speakership multiple times, Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, who is Catholic, reportedly left a heated Republican caucus meeting saying he was so upset he needed to “go up to the chapel and pray the rosary.” When Jordan decided to pursue the speakership yet again he did so after referencing in a news conference a verse from the New Testament book of 1 Timothy, saying he needed to “Fight the good fight of the faith.” (Jordan failed that vote, too.)
Jack Jenkins es un periodista galardonado y reportero nacional de Religion News Service.
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32 Respuestas
“I believe that Scripture, the Bible, is very clear: that God is the one who raises up those in authority,”
If he believes that applies that to President Biden, then sure…
he’s known to be an election denier and thus by definition an insurrectionist, so….no
Karl,
So you only believe if that f applies to Biden. Subjectively noted.
Jack Jenkins. Uses colorful adjectives to show his personal view. Yes, Mike Johnson is correct. “I believe that Scripture, the Bible, is very clear: that God is the one who raises up those in authority,” Isaiah 40 makes that crystal clear. I’m not sure many in this platform actually believe that truth.
Thanks for bringing facts to the conversation.
James:
I guess God raised up Joe Biden. Thanks for pointing that out.
I never stated he didn’t. I still believe Biden is corrupt and I believe there were serious issues with the election. That does not mean I deny the results. However, there was a ton of suppression and I believe if we had an honest media the results may have been different according to polls and data. But at the end of the day God is sovereign and He has everything ordained.
Sorry James, but President Biden won a free and fair election, and this evangelical was happy to vote for him. And I will again next year unless the Republicans can nominate an actual adult, something they have not done since 2012. And, yes, I do think that God permitted Trump to become president and I think it was judgment on a country that has lost touch with reality.
Wouldn’t this put ALL election results under question? It’s funny to me how people elected during the same election think THEY were duly elected, but not Biden.
I’d actually have respect if any of them questioned their own election…or if the same election deniers obsessed with how Biden won expanded their suspicion to all 2020 results.
James, based on your beliefs, IF there was corruptions, and suppression, and media dishonestly, that means GOD did those things- God CAUSED corruption, suppression, and dishonesty to get his man Joe Biden into office- for God’s purposes.
Isn’t it much more likely that Romans was written to a specific audience with specific intent?
Jen, based on many text. Yes!!! Tese posts expose most Who comment do not know their Bible It is “i feel” blah blah. God ordains everything. Someone read Isaiah 45:7 and then tell me where I am wrong. It is not for a weak mind, but deep things of God.
Trump/Biden are not followers of Christ. Trump/Biden are narcissistic. The gospel calls for self denial. Trump has policies that reduce murdering babies and economic stewardship. Documents show Biden is corrupt, believes in killing babies and used his government positions to gain wealth. In a previous article on Roys Report, I linked his racist statements, bank records, lies, accusation of sexual assault and corruption I would post them again. People who have disdain for facts against their “candidate”only response is “what about so as so.” People watch/repeat what confirms their preconceived notions. It is an example of a debased mind (Rom 1). News people have a (nepotism to the power of 10)) narrative. Research these politicians/reporters are related/interconnected. I agree with Trump on this. “FAKE NEWS”. I’m not going to change anyone’s mind, but only expose their duplicity and unwillingness to discuss facts.
It’s not really clear what you think you’re establishing with your last sentence. It reveals a very limited understanding of the doctrine of scripture. Of course Romans was written to a specific audience with a specific intent. That’s true of all the biblical writings. But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t the living word of God that still speaks and holds authority today.
It’s interesting that the former Speaker McCarthy was easily dispatched because a few house members did not like some of McCarthy’s views.
Sound fairly capricious to me….. and I would hate to blame God for being involved in what amounts to a total Clown Show in the House of Representatives……
Also so many states are heavily gerrymandered , again I would not blame God on who is being sent to Washington…
Read a Bible. It’s not blaming but it is His sovereign appointment. If you need the addresses in the Bible. I can provide a biblical gps to help you as your comments are obviously lost in subjective speculation.
I’m sick and tired of leaders (political and religious) who claim their position and role was ordained by God. Often that means they don’t want anyone challenging their authority. That right there is a sign of cult-like behavior and often leads to them abusing their authority.
George… Then you are sick of the Bible. You have created a false dilemma. Premise 1: Leaders claim they are ordained by God. (Which btw is biblically supported)
Premise 2. They do not want their authority challenged.
Conclusion: Cult like behavior and abuse of authority. Unfortunate (to many who comment here are based on their EQ vs IQ) that formula is it not absolute. There are many solid Men that lead the church faithfully for their entire life. Few in Government. But David a man after God’s heart. Committed awful sins. So did Saul/Paul. How would you classify those men?
Sovereignly God ordained our leaders. Even if they are corrupt like Obama, narcissistic like Trump or
If you merge both sinful patterns you have Biden. I believe what the Bible teaches. I am positioned in heaven and my citizenship is as well. My King views all three of these men as less than dust on a scale. Most just make partisan policies. Not biblical assertions.
At what point, though, does the concept of “ordained by God” become a tautology? Does that truth help us to ask the right questions about the choices we have before us? Knowing that Jefferson Davis was ordained by God would not be helpful in assessing the rightness of his cause. Yet most white southerners believed God was on his side. Ordained by God doesn’t mean endorsed by God. But usually that’s what’s implied by those who use it.
Then Biden being president was also ordained by God.
Romans 9:14-18 / God used both Moses and Pharaoh for HIS glory…one for deliverance and one for destruction and NOT for the glory of the leader or the people who worship the “creature” more than the “creator”. THAT is the problem with “politics” and its idolatrous pundits who claim their “idol” is better than the other “idol”
I trust Mike Johnson understands what he referred to in Romans 5; character produces hope. In adding, “What we need in this country is more hope,” I hope he, along with the whole House of Representatives, will develop the ability to produce more character.
What’s interesting to me is how much is coming out about Mike Johnson’s “character”, now that he’s in the spotlight. It’s only the beginning that he’s unwilling to deal with George Santos’ corruption- there is news coming out from his area that I won’t share until it’s confirmed, but it’s quite damning to his positions if true.
Santimony, sectarianism and a heavy dose of narcissism on full display in the new Speaker–at the outset. An ultra-MAGA evangelical, Johnson does not seem ready or able to work on behalf of all Americans under our secular constitution. His resume and work record flies in the face of the law and respect for our elections. Christian nationalists continually tout their imagined mandate and seem to have no interest in respecting the rights of all–regardless of belief. I do not see this going well for protection of the basic human rights of most Americans.
agree – folks in Johnson’s camp won’t be happy until there is a ‘soft’ theocracy in the US
His election as Speaker was ordained by Trump-not God.
Trump is their false god
In the light of yet another mass killing spree, “prolife” Mr. Johnson quickly dismissed any congressional action on assault weapons!
So that must also mean that God has raised up President Biden, AOC and a host of others.
If one truly wants to know whether any political person has been anointed by God for their position, spend lots of time with God. Through Scripture you will get to know His heart and His ways.
He may even choose to reveal His secrets to you. Certainly your spiritual discernment will increase.
Sometimes God does raise up people for His purposes. Other times, He allows wicked people to rule. A Biblical world view does not claim that every politician is chosen by God. (Proverbs 29:2, Psalm 33:12)
RUN as fast as you can away from ANY politician who claims God ordained them to carry out a mission “from God”. since the 300’s and constitine to the popes to slavery, to hitler and the holocaust to all the wars in the middle east today ALL of these leaders claimed they were on a “mission of God”. hell is filled with professing “christian” politicians and leaders who did every evil act in the name of God. EVERY president of the past 100 years has claimed to be a christian, so I guess by that logic God ordained and approved of biden, trump, obama, bill clinton, both bushes, reagan, jimmy carter, nixon, ford, kenedy, etc, etc. . NO, NONE of these men did Gods will on most issues. God ordains government? YES, God does NOT ordain evil deeds of ANY leader.
“My feeling as a Christian points me to my Lord and savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded by a few followers, recognized these Jews, for what they were and summoned men to fight against them, and who, God’s truth! Was greatest not as a sufferer, but as a fighter. In boundless love as a Christian, and as a man, I read through the passage, which tells us how the Lord at last rose in his might and seized the scourge to drive out of the temple, the brood of vipers and adders. How terrific was his fight for the world against the Jewish poison… As a Christian, I have a duty to my own people.”
Hitler said this in a speech on April 12, 1922 (Norman H. Baynes, ed. The speeches of Adolf Hitler, April 1922- August 1939. Vol. 1 of 2, pp. 19-20. Oxford University Press, 1942).
The republican party is completely compromised and is following a very sinister, corrupt and dangerous path. Christian nationalism is extremism.
Teach me or repeat me. – history