At Pentagon Christmas Service, Franklin Graham Praises ‘God of War’
Speaking at a “Christmas Worship Service” at the Pentagon on Wednesday (Dec. 17), evangelist Franklin Graham celebrated that God is not just a God of love but also of hate and war.
“We know that God loves. But did you know that God also hates? Do you know that God also is a God of war? Many people don’t want to think about that, or forget that,” he declared as he stood on stage near two Christmas trees with a nativity scene and a Hanukkah Menorah in front of them.
Graham briefly recounted a story in Exodus 17, where Joshua led the ancient Israelites in battle against the Amalekites as Moses stood on a mountain holding up his arms. Graham said that not only did they win the battle, but God remembered how the Amalekites had attacked the Israelites. So Graham then turned to 1 Samuel 15, where the prophet Samuel told King Saul to kill all the Amalekites.
“God didn’t forget. He told Moses to write that down. Now, 400 years or so later, God remembers,” Graham said. “Samuel said, ‘Now, go and attack Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have. … Don’t spare them, but kill them, both man and woman, infant, nursing child, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey.’ So Samuel gave the instructions for the mission. Now, people will say, ‘But, Franklin, that is so hard; that’s not the God I believe in.’ Well, you had better believe in him.”
Graham then pointed out how Saul left the king of the Amalekites alive, along with some cattle and sheep. Samuel therefore rebuked Saul and declared God would take the kingdom away from Saul. The 1 Samuel passage has historically been used to justify genocide, including by European settlers against Native Americans, some Hutu preachers in Rwanda to justify the genocide of Tutsi people there in 1994, and more recently by Israelis to defend the bombing of Gaza.
“All of us are sinners, just like the Amalekites. And God is going to destroy sinners,” Graham said. “But this is what Christmas is all about. God sent his Son. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him. It’s by faith, by believing.”
“God ordered Saul to destroy the Amalekites. … But he didn’t do that. He disobeyed,” Graham added. “God withdrew his hand from Saul. Remember, this was a 400-year-old debt, and God waited 400 years to collect, to destroy the Amalekites for what they did. Four hundred years he waited. God remembers. And I think of the sins of our country, and I pray that God will forgive the sins of our country. That when you think of all the things that we do and the mistakes that we make, pray that God will heal our land and that America, once again, will turn to the God of our fathers and serve him.”
Graham closed by briefly quoting from Matthew 1 about the promise of Jesus’s birth before again noting that Jesus died on the cross to save people from God’s punishment.
“Jesus took our shame and he died in our place and he rose again. And this is why we celebrate Christmas. It’s not a — Jesus Christ isn’t a babe in a manger, he’s living, he’s alive, he’s in heaven, and he’s coming back,” Graham said. “A merry Christmas to each and every one, to you and your families. And he’s coming back. Make sure you’re ready.”
Pattern of Pentagon Worship Services
In May, Hegseth held his first Christian prayer service in the Pentagon, during which he pledged to make it a monthly event. While the service garnered significant media coverage, the events have been virtually ignored since. Earlier this month, an investigation by A Public Witness documented the preachers at the other services and detailed comments during the November service.
After Graham praised Hegseth for holding the first prayer service in May, Hegseth responded by inviting Graham to preach at one. At a Pentagon Christmas tree lighting two weeks ago, Hegseth announced Graham would be the preacher for the December service.
Graham fits the pattern of Hegseth inviting rightwing preachers with records of pushing conservative political positions or even Republican candidates. The seven preachers include Graham and one of his sons, three Southern Baptist ministers, a pastor in the denomination created by controversial pastor Doug Wilson, and a former NFL player accused of insider trading. Two have been former pastors of Hegseth, and another one leads a D.C. church Hegseth attended some this year. The son of another plays basketball with one of Hegseth’s sons on a homeschool team, and the former football player also has past ties to Hegseth (even sitting behind Hegseth during the Senate confirmation hearing earlier this year).
U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer attended one of the services since she happened to be touring the Pentagon that day. That inspired her to launch her own monthly prayer service earlier this year, and A Public Witness was the only publication to view the service and report on it. Chavez-DeRemer also attended the Pentagon’s Christmas service today, as did Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
While the previous monthly worship times at the Pentagon were billed each month as a “prayer service” hosted by Hegseth, today’s gathering was advertised internally as a “Christmas worship service” hosted by Hegseth “and his wife, Jennifer.”
During the service, Jennifer served as the host, announcing that her husband was running late since he had joined President Donald Trump to pay their respects to two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter who were killed last week in Syria. Jennifer, who referred to the monthly gatherings as “our prayer services,” also praised Chavez-DeRemer for starting a prayer service at Labor and Rollins for leading a Bible study every other week for Cabinet members.
Pete Hegseth spoke at the end of the service, saying he just barely made it. He read a few Bible verses about the birth of Jesus and urged prayer for soldiers, Trump’s Cabinet, congressional members, and “magistrates” across the country.
“We rejoice today in this place at this time, 2,000 years [later], grateful for this incredible Republic, for a savior,” Hegseth said. “You each day are asked to do impossible things, work impossible hours at impossible odds, which mere men and women could not do. And that’s why we bend the knee, because we know where our strength comes from and we need that wisdom and that guidance, that providential guide in our own lives as we try to act on behalf of our nation.”
Pre-service music played on the livestream included “We Three Kings,” “Let it Snow,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “O Christmas Tree,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Deck the Halls,” and “The First Noel.”
Christian musicians Matthew West and Anne Wilson performed during the service, making it the first of the monthly events with invited musicians instead of just congregational singing led by the preacher or a chaplain. Earlier this month, West sang at the CBS News town hall conversation between Bari Weiss and Erika Kirk, and he served as a co-host for the White House Christmas tree lighting. And he left the Pentagon service early to perform in a Christmas special at the Trump-controlled Kennedy Center. Wilson last year released a song in response to the assassination attempt on Trump to encourage Christians to “stand your ground, say, ‘I won’t back down.’”
During the Pentagon’s service, West led the crowd in singing “Joy to the World,” “O Come Let Us Adore Him,” and his own song “Don’t Stop Praying.” Introducing the latter one, he said, “We will not stop praying for you and for our great country, the United States of America.” Wilson sang “O Holy Night” and three of her own songs, “I Still Believe in Christmas,” “Just Because It’s Christmas,” and “My Jesus.”
As has occurred during the previous monthly services, those present said the Lord’s Prayer together, this time led by Graham near the close of his sermon. He also expressed his thanks for being there, which marked a shift from the past.
Courting Controversy at the Pentagon
This isn’t the first time Graham’s been invited to speak at the Pentagon. Two previous occasions — one of which was canceled — each sparked controversy because of his comments about Islam.
In 2003, Graham spoke during a Good Friday prayer service at the Pentagon at the invitation of the chaplain’s office. The invite sparked complaints from Muslim staffers at the Department of Defense because of Graham’s comments about Islam as “a very evil and wicked religion” bent on “world domination.” Graham didn’t address the controversy in his remarks that occurred about one month after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Before speaking about the death and resurrection of Jesus, Graham offered a brief patriotic message as the nation started a new war: “We look back at the events of the last few weeks, and we come today to thank God for this nation, the freedom that he has given us, and the principles on which this nation was built.” The Iraq war destabilized the area and led to the near decimation of Iraq’s historic Christian population.
In 2010, Graham was invited to speak at the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer service in May, which again sparked complaints because of his remarks about Islam. After Muslim service members and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation objected, Graham’s invitation was rescinded. An Army spokesperson at the time said Graham’s comments on Islam were “not appropriate” for “an all-inclusive military” where “we honor all faiths.” The spokesperson also noted Graham hadn’t been invited by the military but by the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a rightwing Christian group that was working with the Pentagon chaplain’s office for the event. Shirley Dobson, then chair of the task force, criticized the move and pulled out of holding a prayer service at the Pentagon.
Graham complained that being dropped from the program meant his “religious rights are being denied here because of what I believe.” Yet, Graham still managed to pray that day. He showed up on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon to pray and again tell reporters he was being persecuted and complained about Islam. His unofficial prayer event occurred without any interference.
Fifteen years later, Graham returned to the Pentagon, but not for an unofficial event or one put on by the chaplain’s office. This time, it was the Secretary of War who platformed him and encouraged other Pentagon leaders and employees to attend. While Hegseth may have missed the sermon, as he faces growing bipartisan criticism for allegedly illegal strikes on boats, Graham offered the Secretary of War a Christmas gift by proclaiming a God of war.
As a public witness,
Brian Kaylor
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[b] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5)
I guess Hegseth isn't the only one who missed a sermon...