MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Yesterday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions tried a new tack in defending the zero-tolerance crackdown that is resulting in separating immigrant children from their parents at the border. Sessions quoted the Bible.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
JEFF SESSIONS: I would cite you to the apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes.
KELLY: Romans 13 is a well-known passage from the New Testament. Sessions' invocation of that passage is sparking criticism from many religious groups, including evangelical Christians, many of whom have otherwise been friendly to the president and his policies. NPR's Sarah McCammon has been following all of this, and she is with us now. Hey there, Sarah.
SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: Hi, Mary Louise.
KELLY: So why is Sessions using the Bible to defend this immigration policy?
Yesterday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions tried a new tack in defending the zero-tolerance crackdown that is resulting in separating immigrant children from their parents at the border. Sessions quoted the Bible.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
JEFF SESSIONS: I would cite you to the apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes.
KELLY: Romans 13 is a well-known passage from the New Testament. Sessions' invocation of that passage is sparking criticism from many religious groups, including evangelical Christians, many of whom have otherwise been friendly to the president and his policies. NPR's Sarah McCammon has been following all of this, and she is with us now. Hey there, Sarah.
SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: Hi, Mary Louise.
KELLY: So why is Sessions using the Bible to defend this immigration policy?
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