Christians Denounce Trump's Anti-Christian Bias Task Force

When faith is twisted for power, we must speak

Rev. Jennifer Butler

I recently added my name to a public statement denouncing the Trump administration’s so-called “Anti-Christian Bias Task Force.”

Religious freedom is critical and protected in our Constitution, but that is not what this is about. This Task Force has nothing to do with protecting Christians. It is about power, concentrating it in the hands of those who twist Christianity to justify authoritarianism.

There is no widespread persecution of Christians in the United States. What we are witnessing is a dangerous campaign to hijack Christianity to bless cruelty, punish dissent, and elevate a narrow, Christian nationalist vision of faith over the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If truly concerned about Christianity, the first thing this administration would do is apologize to Christian and other religious agencies it has damaged. This administration has:

• Attacked Christian institutions like Lutheran Family Services, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, simply for serving the vulnerable.

• Unleashed ICE agents into sacred spaces, violating churches and terrorizing immigrant communities.

• Slammed the door on persecuted Christians seeking refuge from abroad, while claiming to protect Christianity at home.

• Defunded humanitarian Christian organizations like Caritas, World Vision, and other global aid ministries whose work reflects the very heart of the gospel: caring for the poor, healing the sick, and feeding the hungry.

This is not religious freedom—it is desecration of our faith and our democracy.

What’s worse, the rhetoric of “anti-Christian bias” is now being used to advance autocracy, rejecting pluralism, under a pious disguise. This Task Force risks becoming a taxpayer-funded tool of Christian nationalism, weaponized to suppress dissenting faith voices and persecute those who don’t conform. It seeks to redefine Christianity, marginalizing those who uphold the actual teachings of welcoming strangers and doing justice, while elevating loyalists who deify the president.

It is almost as though they seek victim status to justify their aggressive behavior toward those they disagree with.

As a follower of Jesus, I must reject this. And I’m not alone.

Dozens of Christian leaders from diverse denominations and communities have signed onto the petition affirming that:

“Authoritarian theocracy does not serve the interests of Christians.”

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There is some heartening news.

Public Religion Research Associates found that a majority of Americans (78%) oppose “the establishment of a federal task force that focuses exclusively on discrimination against Christians rather than discrimination against all religions.” This opposition includes 66% of Republicans.

Surprisingly, even a majority of both Christian nationalism Adherents (51%) and Sympathizers (69%) also oppose it.

Perhaps this is a point on which we can dialogue with friends and relatives seduced by some aspects of Christian nationalism. We want to be sure that such ideas do not gain traction over time. Disinformation can take root where we remain silent.

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Jesus didn’t align with empires. He challenged them. He called his disciples to a different path—one rooted in compassion, humility, and the flourishing of all people.

We must reclaim that path now.

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📜 Read the full petition
📚 Explore my book Who Stole My Bible? Reclaiming Scripture as a Handbook for Resisting Tyranny.