Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth kicked off the Pentagon's workday Wednesday with something that might be unique in the history of that building: a Christian prayer and worship session in the Pentagon's auditorium that was open to all hands. The event, billed as the “Secretary of Defense Christian Prayer & Worship Service,” was led by Pastor Brooks Potteiger of Hegseth's personal church, Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship in Ridgetop, Tennessee. The service was 30 minutes long, and it was standing room only. For those unable to attend, it was broadcast on the Pentagon's internal cable channel. Hegseth said he intended to make the event a monthly happening.

Hegseth gave the opening remarks.

“This is precisely where I need to be, and I think exactly where we need to be as a nation, at this moment,” Mr. Hegseth, standing at a lectern bearing the seal of the Defense Department, said in his opening remarks: “in prayer, on bended knee recognizing the providence of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.” He added, “Knowing that there’s an author in heaven overseeing all of this, who’s underwritten all of it, for us, on the cross, gives me the strength to proceed.”

Then he gave the opening prayer, which the New York Times printed in full so its readers could experience the horror of it all.

“King Jesus, we come humbly before you, seeking your face, seeking your grace, in humble obedience to your law and to your word,” Mr. Hegseth prayed after asking attendees to bow their heads. “We come as sinners saved only by that grace, seeking your providence in our lives and in our nation. Lord God, we ask for the wisdom to see what is right and in each and every day, in each and every circumstance, the courage to do what is right in obedience to your will. It is in the name of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, that we pray. And all God’s people say amen.”

The story notes, "The assembled worshipers, including at least one general, repeated 'Amen.'"

In his response to the New York Times article, Hegseth noted that religion and America are inseparable. And religion and the American military are equally linked. From George Washington kneeling in prayer, in the snow, at Valley Forge to George Patton's famous official prayer for good weather to kill more Nazis and his directive to the entirety of the Third Army to "Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather for Battle…Pray for victory. Pray for our Army, and Pray for Peace,” religion has been part of the American military experience.

It’s called: “In God We Trust.”

Since our founding, America’s leaders — and warriors — have sought God’s providence and protection. We seek to glorify Him as we serve our country.

At the Pentagon, we will humbly continue this sacred tradition — each and every month. pic.twitter.com/i5ZVxl4fqg

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) May 21, 2025

He added:

When the @nytimes is forced to print an entire prayer… https://t.co/qyxoNkjHob pic.twitter.com/KsNMk8LCxa

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) May 21, 2025

Naturally, panties were tightly wadded in some corners over the open acknowledgement of the Almighty and begging his blessing in the affairs of government. Enter the "Freedom From Religion Foundation."

“This is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and its proscription of religion in government,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Assuming the pastor’s boast is true, these prayer meetings would not only exclude and marginalize the significant number of nonreligious and non-Christian service members, they will send the impermissible message that Christianity is the Pentagon’s preferred faith.”

FFRF’s letter to Hegseth outlines major constitutional concerns, citing Supreme Court precedent that bars government-sponsored prayer and protects the right of all citizens — including military personnel — to be free from government coercion to participate in religion.

“By holding an official Christian prayer meeting, the department ‘sends a message to nonadherents that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community, and an accompanying message to adherents that they are insiders, favored members of the political community,’” writes FFRF Legal Counsel Chris Line. “In a tightly knit and hierarchical institution like the military, such exclusion can have serious effects on morale, cohesion and trust.”

Their complaint is nuts. No one is forced to attend, and there was no roll call to establish who was present. It is hard to see how a worship service disadvantages anyone, especially when one considers the mandatory DEI struggle sessions required under the previous regime. But it did open two lines of attack.

First, will Reformed Christianity be the only voice heard in these monthly events?

When asked about the service, Pentagon spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson said that "many different faiths have regular services in the Pentagon Chapel or elsewhere in the Pentagon" and that Hegseth's office "envisions that these prayer and worship services will be a monthly occurrence."

It is not clear whether any of those services that Wilson referred to were advertised via email, broadcast internally, or hosted by the top Pentagon official.

Wilson also stopped short of saying that those forthcoming services would feature other religions, and she noted that any participating civilian clergy are responsible for their own travel expenses.

The second attack point is that Pastor Potteiger adheres to so-called Christian Nationalism. I've never been able to figure out what is so horrible about Christianity serving as the cultural model for America because I tend toward the precepts of Altar-Throne-Solidarity-Subsidiarity-Occidentalism myself. But Potteiger's social views have attached to Hegseth and will be a point of contention.

Mr. Potteiger’s church, the Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship in Goodlettsville, Tenn., is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches — the governing documents of which say that church leadership roles are reserved for men, that homosexuality is “unbiblical” and that women should not participate in combat. Mr. Hegseth said in a podcast appearance before his nomination to lead the Pentagon that women have no place in military combat units, but appeared to soften that stance during his confirmation hearing in January.

As the event is labeled the “Secretary of Defense Christian Prayer & Worship Service,” I hope Hegseth sticks to his guns and doesn't descend into the meaningless ecumenical (and, as a Catholic, I'd say heretical) hogwash that implies all religions are pretty much the same. As Pentagon spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson said, other religions are free to worship as they please. Personally, Reformed theology isn't my cup of tea, but if you are triggered by colleagues spending 30 minutes in worship once a month, you might be a psychopath who shouldn't be around weapons and explosives.

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