There is an emboldened rise of white Christian nationalism in this country that is supercharging support for the MAGA movement and our nation’s dangerous slide towards autocracy. Many Christian nationalists are animated by the idea that this country was founded by and for white Christian men and should prioritize their comfort and power. This thinking harms us all, but has tricked many into believing it serves them and centers their protection. What we need in this moment is the witness of faith leaders who can stay committed to the principles outlined in Proverbs 31:9 - to speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
This administration has clearly named its targets. In return, we must build a solidarity-based hedge of protection around those who are most vulnerable. Jesus called them, “the least of these,” in Matthew 25. The great theologian Howard Thurman called them, “the disinherited.” News outlets call them “marginalized.” Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde recently described them as, “the people who are scared now.” As people of faith, we must prioritize the more than two thousand verses in our scriptures that call us to care for and protect the most vulnerable in our midst. This is a faith imperative.
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