It's Tuesday, April 15, 2025. I'm Albert Moller, and this is the briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.

Presidents tend to put out major statements timed, for example, for major holidays.

And so recurringly, when you have on the Christian

calendar events such as Christmas and Easter, you can count on the fact that most administrations

will put out some kind of statement, usually pretty innocuous, just recognizing the fact that

there are many Christians who are going to be observing those holidays. Now, at the same time,

they present all kinds of opportunities for trouble. And that's exactly what came last year when

President Joe Biden released a statement, and then Easter came. And on that Sunday, he also

declared it to be a day of solidarity with the transgender visibility day that led to a lot of

quite deserved controversy. In his first term in office, President Trump tended to put out the kind of

normal statement. What was released this week by the White House catches my attention. It's simply

entitled Presidential Message on Holy Week 2025. And it begins in the natural way you would

have an administration used political language. Quote, this holy week, Melania and I join in prayer

with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

the living son of God, who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of

heaven for all of humanity." End quote. Now, when it comes to some of this language, let me to say

that as a theologian, I do not believe that the atoning work of Christ unlock the gates of heaven

for all of humanity, rather for the redeem. But at the same time, I want to acknowledge that the theological language found in

this statement really does set it apart from, so far as I know, any previous presidential statement

released by any White House or administration. This is stunningly different language. Now, who wrote

this language? Probably some White House staffer. It was vetted, of course, by White House

authorities. But it eventually carries the weight and the name of the President of the United

...