Former Southern Baptist Convention antagonist Jordan “J.D.” Hall reemerged on the popular Tucker Carlson podcast recently to criticize dispensationalist theology and what he says is corruption within American evangelical theology for its support of Israel.
Hall, founder of Pulpit & Pen, now known as Protestia, was found guilty of felony embezzlement and ordered to repay his former church $15,000 in September 2024. He was fired as pastor of Fellowship Baptist in Sidney, Montana, and “disqualified from pastoral ministry” after being arrested for driving under the influence and carrying a concealed weapon while intoxicated.
The Christian Post reported earlier this month that after Hall repaid the church, charges were dropped and court records concerning the matter sealed.
‘Corrupting Lie’ of Christian Zionism
In an hour‑long conversation, Hall dismantled what he calls the “corrupting lie” of Christian Zionism—the belief that Christians must support the modern state of Israel to receive God’s blessing. He argued the teaching misreads Genesis 12:3 and ignores the Apostle Paul’s clarification in Galatians 3 that the true “seed” of Abraham is Christ, not ethnic Israel. “Bless Christ, and God will bless you,” Hall summarized, contending that the promise belongs to believers, not to a nation‑state.
Hall traced the roots of Christian Zionism to John Nelson Darby’s 19th‑century dispensationalism, which divides history into eras and treats the church as a temporary “parenthesis” in God’s plan for Israel. Before Darby, Hall said, Christians understood the church to be central to God’s redemptive work.
The interview quickly drew attention online, surpassing two million views within days. Religion Dispatches described it as Carlson’s latest foray into far‑right religious commentary, noting that Hall has become a prominent voice among Reformed Christian nationalists.
Critics accused Carlson of amplifying antisemitic rhetoric, while supporters praised Hall for exposing what they see as theological error within mainstream evangelicalism.
Dispensationalism’s Political Reach
Hall’s critique extended beyond theology to geopolitics. He argued that Darby’s ideas were popularized through the 1909 Scofield Reference Bible, whose annotated notes spread dispensationalism among pastors without formal training. Hall points out that it is Oxford University Press that published the Scofield Bible, which also issued the Balfour Declaration, which endorsed a Jewish homeland.
According to Hall, this fusion of theology and politics produced a generation of Christians who equate biblical faithfulness with unconditional support for Israel. He cited examples such as Israeli restrictions on Christian evangelism and the exclusion of Jewish believers in Jesus from the “right of return” as proof that Israel is not a natural ally of Christianity.
Hall's New Christian Right’ Alignment
The Roys Report reported that Hall has joined numerous “far-right pastors,” which include Joel Webbon and Calvin Robinson, who are calling themselves the “New Christian Right.”
Sarah Einselen of The Roys Report wrote, “Webbon is a Texas pastor known for racist and antisemitic views, as well as his opinion that women should not vote. Robinson was defrocked last year over a Nazi-like salute he displayed while speaking at a conference. That trio and others run NXR Studios, where they publish podcasts and other media.”
NXR Studios recently interviewed white supremacist Nick Fuentes on its podcast. Earlier this year, Carlson was criticized roundly for featuring Fuentes on his podcast, and subsequently dubbed “Antisemite of the Year” by the group Stop Antisemitism.
Stuckey Calls Out Hall and Carlson
In a recent episode of the Relatable podcast, conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey asks, “Why is Tucker’s show whitewashing Islam?” arguing against Hall’s claim during his interview with Carlson that the Ottoman Empire didn’t tax Christians, rebuilt Christian holy sites, and was generally kind toward Jesus-following subjects.
Stuckey said the “no taxes” assertion is misleading: even if churches were not taxed as institutions, Christians were subject to special taxes imposed on non-Muslims, which she presents as evidence of second-class status. She describes additional restrictions she says applied to non-Muslims, including limits on church life, evangelism, legal rights, dress, and the bearing of arms.
To challenge the “kindness” narrative, Stuckey points to episodes of mass violence and coercion associated with Ottoman expansion and rule. She highlights the 1453 fall of Constantinople, describing looting, enslavement, and abuse in and around Hagia Sophia following the conquest, and she cites reported large-scale enslavement, including a “child levy” system that took Christian boys, forcibly converted them, and used them for state purposes.
Additionally, Stuckey said the Armenian genocide also undercuts any sweeping portrayal of Ottoman benevolence toward Christians.
Hall: Being a Pastor ‘Awful’
Hall said in a 2023 interview with Protestia on YouTube that “being a pastor is an awful existence.” The video has since been removed.
“I don’t miss it. And for the life of me, I can’t figure out why guys who seem like they just can’t get out and go do something else, why they would persist,” said Hall. “Being a pastor, I’ve said this for a long time, it’s an awful existence. It just is.”
Hall is a graduate of Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Ark., a Southern Baptist institution which is now known as Williams Baptist University.
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