A Taylor church will be featured Sunday, Feb. 22, in a CNN broadcast segment titled “The Rise of Christian Nationalism.”
A crew from the global news-media company visited Taylor in December to interview the Rev. Jeff Ripple and members of Christ Fellowship Church, 1517 McLain St., as part of a continuing series on the religious movement.
Sociologists and historians have defined Christian Nationalism as an ideology that advocates aligning public policy and national identity with traditional Judeo-Christian values.
When the crew asked if he was a Christian Nationalist, Ripple said, "I don't use the term 'Christian Nationalist.' I don't call myself a Christian Nationalist."
The program airs at 7 p.m.
According to church officials, CNN reached out asking if any young families would be willing to speak with chief investigative correspondent Pamela Brown.
“I didn’t engage with CNN until the day before they interviewed me. I saw a piece they did with another church and I felt like it was fair,” Ripple said.
Brown and the film crew stayed in Taylor for three or four days and attended the church’s Christmas banquet, the pastor added.
The crew also went with the congregation to Murphy Park. Church members pray there every second Sunday of the month.
Bordwell can be reached at [email protected] and Treadway at [email protected]
