"Unveiling the Controversial Beliefs of House Speaker Mike Johnson"
Mike Johnson, the newly elected House speaker, has ties to the far-right New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and flies the "Appeal to Heaven" flag outside his office. The flag, historically a Revolutionary War banner, has come to symbolize a die-hard vision of a hegemonically Christian America. Johnson holds stringent positions on abortion, homosexuality, creationism, and the separation of church and state. He was also integral to Donald Trump's effort to overturn the 2020 election. The NAR, a network of Christian leaders, embraces a theological paradigm called the "Seven Mountain Mandate," which aims to have Christian influence dominate all sectors of society. Dutch Sheets, a key NAR figure, popularized the Appeal to Heaven flag and was instrumental in mobilizing Christians for the Jan. 6 insurrection. Johnson's close ties to Sheets and his support for the flag highlight his alignment with Christian extremism and the normalization of the riot.