Thursday, July 16, 2026

SojoMail - Pete Hegseth’s high testosterone holy war

By Betsy Shirley
Editor in Chief, Sojourners

Yesterday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced his “Department of War” would begin testing troops for low testosterone. In a video posted on X, Hegseth quoted dubious science to claim this would ensure troops had the “biological foundation required to sustain the fight” and remain on the “leading edge of lethality.”

This weird move isn’t even the most alarming news out of the Pentagon lately. In our latest issue, religion scholar Carmen Celestini traces how Hegseth’s “Christian Crusade mentality” has turbocharged long-present Christian nationalist influence in the military. The result? Troops who report they’ve been told the Iran war is “part of God’s divine plan” or that Trump is anointed by God to cause Armageddon. And if you’re thinking this “holy war” language feels exaggerated, consider that Hegseth has not one, but two tattoos evoking the 11th-century Crusades.

Speaking of political figures with bad tattoos: Graham Platner has dropped out of the Maine senate race following credible allegations of sexual assault—and forgiving him isn’t our business, argues Tyler Huckabee. Elsewhere this week, we’re thinking about why some Christians use the word “empire,” the theological implications of Trump’s “might makes right” approach to foreign policy, and how two Christian rappers approach their music (and the wild messages they get in their DMs) with grace and humor.

How Christian Nationalists Took Control of the U.S. Military (by Carmen Celestini)

The conflation of God, war, and country did not begin with Pete Hegseth.

Read the full article

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Empire Is More Than a Political System. It’s a Spiritual Reality (by Yanan Melo)

When Christians talk about “empire,” we are not just describing a structure of domination but contrasting the politics of empire with the true meaning of the kingdom of God.

Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed Are Having the Most Fun in Christian Hip-Hop (by Mitchell Atencio)

After releasing a second collaborative album, the rap duo known as “Magic & Bird” talk comedy, interior design, and misogyny in CHH.

Forgiving Graham Platner Isn’t Our Business (by Tyler Huckabee)

Platner’s downfall is a case study in what forgiveness isn’t.

Trump’s Foreign Policy Is a Rejection of Jesus' Teaching (by Adam Russell Taylor)

A "might makes right" approach contradicts what Jesus taught.

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