It's Friday, July 18th. I'm Tara Jean Stevens, and here are this week's headlines from the heaven-bent universe.

Evangelical fans turn on Chip and Joanna Gaines. Barn doors, clawfoot tubs.

If you love the farmhouse chic aesthetic, you probably know who Chip and Joanna Gaines are.

Since 2013, this married couple has built a powerful Christian faith-friendly brand that's included Fixer Upper on HGTV and Magnolia,

a lifestyle-focused media network and Lifestyle Specialty Channel. But this week,

countless evangelical fans have turned on them for including a same-sex couple on their new reality program.

Back to the Frontier is about a group of families who attempt to live like 1880s homesteaders,

and amongst the three families, a married gay couple from Texas and their 10-year-old twin

sons.

Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, called the show very disappointing because it promotes sin. The American Family Association called it disappointing as

well, and that it expressed unbiblical views on sexuality, marriage, and family. But as the backlash fair, Chip and Joanna

Gaines have never said anything explicitly about being against gay marriage, but they have

willingly been poster people for traditional American Christian values for more than two decades. And they attend

and are notable figures at Antioch Community Church in Waco, Texas. It's a mega-church that's well

known for its opposition to gay marriage, which was legalized in Texas in 2015. It's unclear today how many

supporters they've lost, or how this will impact their media empire in the future, but this

strong initial reaction is reflective of the high percentage of American evangelicals who are

against same-sex marriage.

According to a 2025 study by Pew Research Center, it's 62%.

On Sunday, Chip Gaines responded to the escalating criticisms on his social media.

He said, quote, talk, ask questions, listen, maybe even learn. Too much to ask of

modern American Christian culture. Judge first. Understand late slash never. Next headline.

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