Vice President J.D. Vance is drawing attention for a theological argument that blends politics, culture, and religion, contending that many modern progressive movements have adopted the forms of Christian belief while abandoning its spiritual foundation.
During an interview with Daily Wire host Michael Knowles, portions of which were shared Tuesday on X, Vance reflected on what he sees as the enduring human impulse toward worship. His argument was not that secularism has eliminated religious instincts, but that it has redirected them toward political and cultural causes.
“One of the really interesting things about the secular, hyper-progressive, hyper-liberal age that we live in,” Vance said, “is you realize how many of the rituals and institutions and practices of Catholicism show up in the modern world completely divorced from the God part and the grace part of it.”
“That sign is like such a disgusting butchering of the Nicene Creed.”@VP tells @michaeljknowles how secular rituals are often rooted in Christian traditions, including the infamous “In this house, we believe” signs libs like to put in their yards. pic.twitter.com/8urUhWDnc0
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) June 30, 2026
That observation formed the foundation of his broader point. According to Vance, many public expressions of progressive values resemble religious professions of faith, even though they are detached from traditional Christian doctrine.
As an example, he pointed to the “In This House We Believe” yard signs that became common in many neighborhoods during the past several years. The signs typically list a series of affirmations, including phrases such as “Love is Love,” “Science is Real,” and “No Human Is Illegal.”
Vance argued that the format of those signs mirrors one of Christianity’s oldest and most important statements of belief.
“That sign,” he said, “is like, such a disgusting butchering of the Nicene Creed.”
He went on to explain why he believes the comparison fits.
“People still have this desire to profess, to do it very publicly, and even to do it in this kind of cadence that you see in the Nicene Creed,” Vance said. “And of course they do it in this very politically motivated way.”
The Nicene Creed dates to A.D. 325, when Christian leaders gathered at the First Council of Nicaea to establish a unified statement of core Christian doctrine. The creed begins with the declaration, “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,” before affirming belief in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and other foundational elements of Christian theology.
Vance’s argument is that modern political affirmations often imitate that structure, replacing theological declarations with ideological ones. Whether one agrees with his conclusion or not, the comparison reflects a broader conversation about the role religion continues to play in shaping public life—even among those who do not identify as religious.
The vice president has spoken frequently about his own Christian faith since converting to Catholicism, and religious themes have become increasingly prominent in his public remarks. His recent appearances have coincided with the release of his book, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, in which he discusses his spiritual journey and the influence of Christianity on his worldview.
Vance has also remained a visible figure within the Trump administration, representing the White House on a range of domestic and foreign policy issues while continuing to engage in broader cultural debates.
