When Empires Strike, Faith Must Speak
A new toolkit for faith leaders standing up for democracy.
As Christians enter Holy Week and Jews begin the celebration of Passover, we are immersed in two sacred stories of resistance to empire. Passover remembers the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian tyranny — a reminder that God hears the cries of the oppressed and acts for justice. Holy Week recalls the crucifixion of Jesus, whose ethic of radical love and solidarity with the marginalized posed a direct threat to imperial power. In both traditions, we are reminded that when people of faith challenge systems of domination, those in power strike back — and still, the faithful rise.
It’s a familiar story.
Throughout history, authoritarian regimes have relied on religion to consolidate power — but they have always feared the prophets who refuse to be co-opted.
In America today, that dynamic is once again playing out before our eyes.
But so is something else.
Across the globe and across generations, faith communities have resisted empire. They’ve organized. They’ve protected the vulnerable. They’ve reclaimed the sacred from the hands of tyrants.
The Faithful Resistance Toolkit Series by our friends at Protect Democracy and The Horizons Project outlines how faith leaders and communities can take action in the face of cruelty, repression, and democratic backsliding.
When Faith Fights Back
The Faithful Fight Toolkit highlights the history and present-day reality of spiritual resistance. Some of the most inspiring examples come from diverse corners of the world:
U.S. Civil Rights Movement (1950s–60s): Churches trained organizers, launched nonviolent resistance, and challenged injustice in the name of a liberating God.
Zambia (2001): Catholic, Protestant, and Pentecostal leaders united to stop an unconstitutional power grab.
Hungary (2019): Evangelical leaders issued a modern Barmen Declaration, denouncing authoritarian overreach.
Nicaragua (2018–present): Bishops sheltered protestors and called for peace in the face of repression.
United States (2017–2021): From opposing the Muslim Ban to resisting ICE raids, faith leaders stood in solidarity with the marginalized.
When President Trump tear-gassed peaceful protestors to stage a photo-op with a Bible, faith leaders stood up — and the world saw who really honored the sacred.
The Authoritarian Threat Today
We are witnessing a new chapter in the long saga of faith and authoritarianism:
ICE raids in houses of worship.
Refugee programs defunded or frozen.
Smear campaigns targeting Catholic and Lutheran charities.
Legislation aimed at cracking down on faith-based nonprofits.
These are not isolated attacks. They are coordinated attempts to divide, delegitimize, and control religious communities that do not bow to power. Read more about these examples in the Faithful Fight Toolkit produced by our partners.
Authoritarians don’t just fear protests or elections — they fear hopeful, organized, morally grounded people of faith.
The Moral Mandate
Now is the time to reclaim religion from those who would weaponize it.
Our faith teaches us that love of neighbor is the highest law. That true power serves. That empire can kill the body, but not the spirit of a liberated people.
Let us follow in the footsteps of those who stood up before us — not with fear, but with fierce love.
Faith that aligns with empire is not faith at all. Genuine faith resists systems of domination and exclusion.
Explore the Faithful Fight Toolkit and share it with your community. The work of resistance is holy work — and it belongs to all of us.
About the Author:
Rev. Jennifer Butler is a faith-rooted organizer and author who founded Faith in Democracy, a global network of faith-based defenders of democracy. She served as the founding CEO of Faith in Public Life and national faith engagement director for the Harris for President campaign. She has spent decades challenging Christian nationalism and organizing moral resistance to authoritarianism.