Jesus’ lambs silent as Trump attacks democracy and the marginalized

Jesus’ lambs silent as Trump attacks democracy and the marginalized

Commentary by Patrick McCormick | FāVS News

The Trump administration has attacked a wide range of government watchdogs and pillars of civil society. Seen as obstacles to the White House’s planned assaults on democracy and the rule of law, numerous inspector generals, judge advocate generals, Department of Justice prosecutors, as well as the courts, the legal profession, the press, medicine, science, the universities, the unions and even several corporations with the impunity to resist attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have become Trump targets. 

But strangely absent from this firing line is the bulk of American Christianity. Aside from an early rebuff of the Vatican’s questioning of the decapitation of USAID and some criticism of Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde for speaking up to Trump at his inauguration, U.S. Christians are not seen as a threat to the White House’s war on the poor, the marginalized or the constitution. Why?

Is it because so many U.S. Christians are untroubled by either Trump’s cruel and criminal attacks on immigrants of every stripe or the prospect of arresting, deporting and imprisoning millions of neighbors who pick our fruits and vegetables, build our homes and care for our elderly? Or, even more unsettling, because so many adhere to the heresy of white Christian nationalism?

Or is it because large segments of American Christianity have either become diehard “pro-life” voters who give the administration a pass on all other injustices, or have — like their churches — been unwilling to discard patriarchy and so find themselves supporting the administration’s assault on the rights of women and LGBTQ+ persons in its attempt to “Make America (for) Guys Again?”

Could it also be that after two millennia of authoritarian church structures, Christian pastors and parishioners have an appetite for autocracy? Perhaps life in hierarchical churches has not prepared us for democracy, or taught us to negotiate difference, and conflicts with our opponents without condemning or excommunicating them? Or perhaps the demand for blind obedience to religious authority made many Christians ready to follow messianic strong men? 

Whatever the reasons, this silent complicity with Trump’s assault on democracy, justice and the marginalized is opposed by both Scriptures and Christian theology and social teachings. 

From Moses through the prophets the Hebrew scriptures blast away at the injustice and oppression of tyrannical pharaohs, kings and emperors, both foreign and domestic. And in the Gospels Jesus, who wages his own campaign against the evils of the “kingdoms of the world,” constantly refuses attempts by Satan, his own disciples and his Roman executioners to place a messianic crown on his head. The God of the Scriptures stands against tyranny and with the poor, oppressed and marginalized, calling for the liberation of the original DEI categories of widows, orphans and aliens. 

In the modern era the social gospel movement, Christian social teachings and various liberation theologies, including that of the Black churches sponsoring the civil rights movement, have all taken up the prophetic call for just, peaceful and democratic societies that reject tyranny, oppression and discrimination. And even now a host of Christian pastors, theologians and parishioners have joined the protests against the injustices of the present administration. 

But still, Trump has not targeted the bulk of U.S. Christianity because he sees an ally there, not an opponent. Given Trump’s tendency to prefer tyrants and autocrats as companions, we should be troubled by this. 

In 1934 Karl Barth and other German Protestants issued the Barmen Declaration, chastising the German Church for allowing itself to be captured by Hitler’s Nazis. And in 1946 the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller confessed that he (and others like him) had remained silent when the Nazis came for the communists, socialists, trade unionists and Jews because he was not one of these. 

When the current administration has targeted immigrants, women, LGBTQ+ persons and communities, as well as the courts, the press, universities, the legal profession, unions, medicine and science, American Christians should wonder and worry that no one thinks we are an obstacle to the assaults on the poor and marginalized or to democracy and the rule of law. 

Jesus announced in his first sermon (Luke 4) that he had come to preach the good news to the poor and set captives free. And throughout his public ministry he decried the injustices of the kingdoms of the world and was arrested, imprisoned and executed because he spoke truth to power. As Rep. John Lewis would have said, this was someone who made “good trouble.” Jesus’ church should do the same.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.