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BumRushDaShow

(167,992 posts)
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 07:57 AM Yesterday

Christian leaders denounce Trump actions, warn of 'crisis of faith'

Source: USA Today

Feb. 23, 2026, 9:52 p.m. ET


Hundreds of Christian leaders and scholars nationwide are denouncing President Donald Trump’s administration and urging more active resistance among the faithful to “the injustices and anti-democratic danger sweeping across the nation.”

“We are facing a cruel and oppressive government,” their collective statement begins. “In moments like this, silence is not neutrality — it is an active choice to permit harm.”

Titled “A Call to Christians in a Crisis of Faith and Democracy,” the letter says the nation is facing a profound moral, spiritual, and democratic emergency. Its release coincides with the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of repentance, self-reflection and resistance to temptation.

“We thought it was important to tie into a season where many Christians go deeper into their faith,” said Adam Russell Taylor, president of Sojourners, a Christian social justice organization. “Part of what we’re critiquing is the way in which many White evangelical Christians succumb to an unconditional support of the administration, despite the fact that its actions are completely antithetical to the teachings of Jesus.”

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/23/christian-leaders-denounce-trump-crisis-faith-democracy/88787800007/



Link to LETTER - A Call to Christians in a Crisis of Faith and Democracy
36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Christian leaders denounce Trump actions, warn of 'crisis of faith' (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Yesterday OP
What has Trump given up for Lent? bucolic_frolic Yesterday #1
Kinda late............... Lovie777 Yesterday #2
These are the Social Justice Xtians. maxsolomon Yesterday #29
Come on, my denomination and leadership have been on the front lines of this obamanut2012 Yesterday #30
Oh for goodness sakes! In NYC there's... electric_blue68 Yesterday #34
Finally...these people begin to wake up. travelingthrulife Yesterday #3
I doubt that these are MAGA pseudo-Christians William Seger Yesterday #4
I grew up Catholic, in and out for many years. hoosierspud Yesterday #8
I know there are scads of "good christians" slightlv 22 hrs ago #35
If you voted for Trump at any time Miguelito Loveless Yesterday #5
Cannot access the letter AverageOldGuy Yesterday #6
That was the link provided in the USA Today Article BumRushDaShow Yesterday #12
I'm posting the web archive version. Hope it's the letter you're referring to. ancianita Yesterday #17
Any single Trump vote is a crisis of morality... EarthFirst Yesterday #7
Where were these so called Christian leaders Old Crank Yesterday #9
Well, that's a pretzel twist of logic Farmer-Rick Yesterday #10
Not if you actually read the letter. It says just the opposite of your own "logic." ancianita Yesterday #18
Yeah, they write that Farmer-Rick Yesterday #19
So what. You didn't even believe what they put in writing; so how can I believe that "the Southern Baptists I know" ancianita Yesterday #22
You got that right, Farmer-Rick. A LOT of churches recoil at anything pushed by social justice Christians. SunSeeker Yesterday #24
The letter you cite states it is to "advance God's reign." SunSeeker Yesterday #23
God, if you believe He exists, created all things visible and invisible. Thus the sciences, of human ancianita Yesterday #27
Sojourners was founded by Rev. Jim Wallis The Blue Flower Yesterday #11
Have they studied what Christians have done in the real world throughout history? Ol Janx Spirit Yesterday #13
Nothing about what you see is pretty because you want to condemn how Christianity is by its worst instead of ancianita Yesterday #21
Organized ****** created this monster by turning their backs or condoning him. usonian Yesterday #14
These are progressive churches OnionPatch Yesterday #15
Exactly. Sojourners, is a Christian social justice organization. They do not represent most US Christians. SunSeeker Yesterday #25
Since they mentioned Lent, methinks the signers are more Wednesdays Yesterday #16
Awh, they WOKE up... a little late and a dollar short... Justice matters. Yesterday #20
Sojourners, who put out this letter, were already "woke." SunSeeker Yesterday #26
Do they believe in the "King David" fairy tale? n/t Justice matters. Yesterday #28
Dunno. Ask them. nt SunSeeker Yesterday #33
Obviously not right-wing Christians Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Yesterday #31
I'm guessing these aren't the Evangelical-Pentacostal-Charismatic-Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, etc, etc, etc, type of Aristus Yesterday #32
Oh my! Delmette2.0 18 hrs ago #36

obamanut2012

(29,301 posts)
30. Come on, my denomination and leadership have been on the front lines of this
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 02:17 PM
Yesterday

For decades, and especially now and during Trump's first term. My immediate Cathedral Dean and Bishop took in migrants DeSantis sent from Florida to Sacramento as a joke. They, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe, Bishop Mariann Budde, our more "local" bishops and priests, many laypeople, are kicking ass.

All of our upper leadership, and many local leadership, have also released statements.

They are walking the walk.

electric_blue68

(26,634 posts)
34. Oh for goodness sakes! In NYC there's...
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 04:38 PM
Yesterday

Cathedral of St John the Divine- the lead Episcopalian Church. Intensely liberal.
I believe Judson's Memorial church.
Riverside Church - Baptist.
Stephen Wise Temple.
All liberal w activism!

I've attended events at St John's, and Riverside.

William Seger

(12,349 posts)
4. I doubt that these are MAGA pseudo-Christians
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 09:30 AM
Yesterday

There has always been resistance to #rump among Catholics, Methodists, Episcopalians, and Church of Christ, for example. I don't know the statistics, but I'd guess most MAGA pseudo-Christians are Southern Baptist and Pentecostal, and I don't believe anyone prominent among them has broken with #rump. God only knows how they rationalize it.

hoosierspud

(231 posts)
8. I grew up Catholic, in and out for many years.
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 10:46 AM
Yesterday

Left for good during the sexual abuse scandal. It never fails to amaze me the pretzels Catholics can twist themselves into in order to rationalize that horror.

slightlv

(7,635 posts)
35. I know there are scads of "good christians"
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 07:02 PM
22 hrs ago

which is why I call one Christian and the other Christianist. They did the same thing to those who believe in Islam. I see no difference in what they did and the terms I use today. One is the mainstream, trying to do what they have been taught is right, and the other is extremism to the violent extremes.

But, considering that "Crisis of Faith"... I left even the mainstream churches decades ago. I've seen nothing to turn me from my current faith back to them. I worry what they'll do to us who don't follow their christianist church's edicts.

Miguelito Loveless

(5,629 posts)
5. If you voted for Trump at any time
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 09:58 AM
Yesterday

(or failed to vote against Trump) I don't see that you can claim to be a "disciple of Christ".

AverageOldGuy

(3,646 posts)
6. Cannot access the letter
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 10:30 AM
Yesterday

When I click on the link to the letter, my system warns me that the link is to a fraudulent website.

This website has been blocked. https://acalltochristians.org/ could be a fake e-store.


I would really like to read the letter and pass it on to my pastor.

BumRushDaShow

(167,992 posts)
12. That was the link provided in the USA Today Article
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 11:14 AM
Yesterday

Sometimes browsers (and their filters/extensions) will have false positive flags. I have a pile of blockers along with antivirus software and am not getting any flags on that link.

If there is an option to "proceed anyway", you could try that.

EarthFirst

(4,041 posts)
7. Any single Trump vote is a crisis of morality...
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 10:39 AM
Yesterday

…and nullifies the ability to claim crisis of any self-professed faith in Christianity.

Many cast three…

Old Crank

(6,825 posts)
9. Where were these so called Christian leaders
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 11:00 AM
Yesterday

At the end of his last term? He hasn't changed his spots. He has always been like this and they full throated supported his election.

Farmer-Rick

(12,581 posts)
10. Well, that's a pretzel twist of logic
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 11:06 AM
Yesterday

They are advocating for democracy when there is no such animal in how their gods and Christ deals with us.

Believing in a god means you think there is a dictator that controls all our lives. How much more totalitarian can you get?

If there's some thinking agent controlling all of us, I want a vote in his decisions.

ancianita

(43,184 posts)
18. Not if you actually read the letter. It says just the opposite of your own "logic."
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 12:35 PM
Yesterday
https://archive.ph/KfghM

"... we believe the Holy Spirit is moving us to stand, speak, and act with greater courage to serve the most vulnerable and advance God's reign of justice and peace.

Therefore, we commit to:

•Protect and Stand With Vulnerable People: We will defend immigrants, refugees, people of color, and all who are in harm's way; resist cruel, unjust, and illegal policies and violent enforcement, and surround those under attack with pastoral care, solidarity, and prophetic public witness.

•Love Our Neighbors: In obedience to Jesus, we will love our neighbors without exception, especially those who are different from us, and reject the politics of fear, exclusion, and dehumanization. We will reject the language of “others” and “us and them,” and remember that Christ came "so that [we] may all be one" (John 17:21).

•Speak Truth to Power: We will confront lies and hatred towards immigrants, people of color, Jews, Muslims, and other religious minorities and political opponents; oppose the rollback of civil rights and racial justice protections; name racism as a sin from which we must repent and turn from; and resist the erasure of history and truth. Silence in this moment is complicity.

•Seek Peace: We commit to persistently building peace and pursuing justice, including by acting nonviolently to protect those threatened by violence and advocating for a foreign policy that favors diplomacy, respects national sovereignty, and supports democracy, human rights, humanitarian aid, and peacebuilding.

•Do Justice: Guided by the prophets [who the Holy Spirit spoke through], we will challenge unjust laws, defend poor and marginalized people, and persist in the work of uprooting racism and white Christian nationalism. We will commit to act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with God (Isa. 10:1; Micah 6:8).

•Strengthen Democracy: Honoring the image of God–imago dei–in every person (Gen. 1:26) in a democracy means each person's vote is their voice. We will, therefore, defend the right to vote, resist voter suppression and intimidation, encourage greater participation in our democratic process, and equip clergy and lay leaders to support free and fair elections. We will defend constitutional rights and freedoms, including speech and assembly, due process, the rule of law, and religious liberty, and will uphold democratic norms and practices.

•Practice Hope: In a time of fear, intimidation, and despair, we will choose hope, which is more than optimism. It is trusting and believing that God is still at work. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”(Heb. 11:1).

Be careful what you say about Jesus Christians without reference to the Word of God.

Farmer-Rick

(12,581 posts)
19. Yeah, they write that
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:00 PM
Yesterday

But the Southern Baptists I know don't believe that. They believe that God controls us all. And he wants us to obey him and follow rather poorly worded bible statements about men, women, sex, abortion, sin and control.

Also there are televangelist that preach Musk's, Trump's and other filthy-rich people's wealth is god given, a sign of spiritual grace. That material success is evidence of divine favor. And that poverty and illness are "curses" resulting from a lack of faith or spiritual disobedience. That's a very controlling god.

So, yeah that letter sounds good but I bet a lot of churches are not going to embrace it.

ancianita

(43,184 posts)
22. So what. You didn't even believe what they put in writing; so how can I believe that "the Southern Baptists I know"
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:14 PM
Yesterday

or even you, know what the majority of Christians believe. This is a false equivalence. Something the RW commonly does with Democrats, I might add.

So, yeah that letter sounds good but I bet a lot of churches are not going to embrace it.

A lot of churches aren't churches. All humans are sinners. One doesn't get to judge religions by their sinners.
Christians don't get to judge at all.

Material success is evidence of divine favor
is a diabolical lie.
Check out Jesus's Sermon on the Mount.
It can be found here, where Jesus is described the most accurately as I've ever read outside the Bible itself.

SunSeeker

(58,095 posts)
24. You got that right, Farmer-Rick. A LOT of churches recoil at anything pushed by social justice Christians.
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:34 PM
Yesterday

They consider them communists. This letter was put out by Sojourners, a Christian social justice organization.

American evangelicals follow Mammon more than they follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

SunSeeker

(58,095 posts)
23. The letter you cite states it is to "advance God's reign."
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:25 PM
Yesterday

Granted, according to these Social Justice Christians, it is a benevolent reign, but it is a dictatorial reign nonetheless. God is still telling us what to do.

ancianita

(43,184 posts)
27. God, if you believe He exists, created all things visible and invisible. Thus the sciences, of human
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:47 PM
Yesterday

origin, study what He made -- from subatomic particles to cosmic forces.

There are laws governing the universes we only know some of. Why would a Creator of all things not love his creation. Love is God's other name.

When humans were created in the image and likeness of God, God gave them the free will to love him or not to.
When his Son was sent to do God's will -- though Jesus never once prayed with his disciples but instead constantly prayed alone -- he taught one single prayer to his disciples, called The Our Father (aka, The Lord's Prayer). He told them, "In your prayer do not rattle on like the pagans. They think they will win a hearing by the sheer multiplication of words. Do not imitate them.... This is how you are to pray:



Doing the will of the Creator is not a dictatorship. It is an act of free will to adhere to the Will of God. Here's one Baptist who believed in God's Will being done.





The Blue Flower

(6,438 posts)
11. Sojourners was founded by Rev. Jim Wallis
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 11:08 AM
Yesterday

A thousand-percent progressive who preached the real values of compassion and caring for decades.

Ol Janx Spirit

(902 posts)
13. Have they studied what Christians have done in the real world throughout history?
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 11:15 AM
Yesterday

Despite the teachings of Jesus, it isn't pretty.

At its core, Christianity has been just another political movement wrapping itself in the text of a peaceful prophet.

And that political movement has been cruel more often than not in its quest to maintain power.

The evidence for this is voluminous, but the death of William Tyndale is a great way to highlight it:

William Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake near Brussels on October 6, 1536, for heresy after translating the Bible into English. As a key Reformation figure, he defied authorities by producing the first English vernacular Bible directly from Greek and Hebrew. His last words were "Lord, open the King of England's eyes".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tyndale

Many American churches use the translation of Tyndale in their services.

And there were dozens of wars of religion in Europe between roughly 1524 and 1648.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_wars_of_religion

These were a large influence on the creation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution enshrining religious liberty in an effort to curb its influence in politics.

But historically, "a cruel and oppressive government" has often been the result of Christianity, not the thing it seeks to resist.

"I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition!" -- Monty Python "Spanish Inquisition" sketch.

ancianita

(43,184 posts)
21. Nothing about what you see is pretty because you want to condemn how Christianity is by its worst instead of
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:04 PM
Yesterday

by its best. By that slip of illogic you can judge any race or nation by its worst. That's not how America sees race or gender or religion.

Spiritual humans use religion to become better humans. Fundamentalists use religion to pretend they're better than other humans.

Human hate has been around a lot longer than religion. At times we might fall prey to hate, but religion didn't cause hate -- hate wedged its voice into religion. Even the devil can quote Scripture.

The Right has turned a movement based on compassion and love into a mean, self-worshiping tax-free clique. The intolerance of right-wing christianity and christian nationalism is what's driving young people away from religion. It's not because youth are controlled by Satan -- but fundamentalists might be.

Fundamentalists got a 1st Amendment right to twist Bible Scripture to their liking in support of their hate.
Jesus Christians have a 1st Amendment right to call them out on that and take the Bible back from these hate-driven hypocrites.

Remember: if your church isn't telling you to love your enemies, but keeps telling you who your enemies are,
you're not really in a church -- and you're certainly not in Jesus's two thousand year old church.

As for this:

historically, "a cruel and oppressive government" has often been the result of Christianity, not the thing it seeks to resist.
, prove it with examples. Right now, 10 to 17 nations are frequently identified by organizations like the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPCs) due to severe religious freedom violations and oppressive, often authoritarian, governance. Common examples include Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, China, Eritrea, Burma, Sudan, and Turkmenistan.
None of those countries are Christian countries.

Whereas... Christians are the majority population in approximately 120 countries and territories as of 2020.
Democratic status:
A significant portion of these Christian-majority nations are classified as democratic, including many in Europe, the Americas, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Official Christian States: Several nations with democratic governments also maintain official state religions, often Christianity. These include Armenia, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Samoa, and Zambia.



Get a few things straight about Christianity. Read something.

usonian

(24,438 posts)
14. Organized ****** created this monster by turning their backs or condoning him.
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 11:53 AM
Yesterday

We all pay for it.

They FAFFED, and we are all FOED.

I ask not just for accountability, but a lifetime dedication to undo the hideous and inhumane hypocrisy and outright blasphemy.


And to honor those murdered and to humbly serve whose lives were destroyed by the Trump-Epstein-Maxwell-Miller ring of greed, sex, blackmail, money-laundering, hate, death and destruction.

Murder, they incited.

Only a handful stood up to the nazi takeover.

Most didn't.



The crisis was over 10 years ago.

OnionPatch

(6,324 posts)
15. These are progressive churches
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 12:08 PM
Yesterday

Every time I see a headline like this I have a spark of hope that mainstream Christians are finally getting a clue. But these are progressive groups. I admire and respect them. I only wish the rest of the so-called Christians were like this. Sadly, they're still out there spewing hate and divisivness and veering ever further from the real message of Christ.

SunSeeker

(58,095 posts)
25. Exactly. Sojourners, is a Christian social justice organization. They do not represent most US Christians.
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:41 PM
Yesterday

Most US evangelicals are very conservative. Sending out a letter telling them they have strayed from what God wants is not going to move them. At all.

But I appreciate the effort.

Wednesdays

(22,209 posts)
16. Since they mentioned Lent, methinks the signers are more
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 12:17 PM
Yesterday

...of the Roman Catholic type (and Catholic-oriented protestants, such as Lutherans, Episcopalians, etc.).

Many protestant evangelicals aren't into Lent too much. It's those people that need to change, and most of them are too much into the kool-aid.

Justice matters.

(9,628 posts)
20. Awh, they WOKE up... a little late and a dollar short...
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:01 PM
Yesterday

I bet all of them voted for that $atanic regime.

SunSeeker

(58,095 posts)
26. Sojourners, who put out this letter, were already "woke."
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 01:43 PM
Yesterday

I am sure most, if not all, of them did not vote for Trump. Sojourners is a Christian social justice organization.

Aristus

(71,958 posts)
32. I'm guessing these aren't the Evangelical-Pentacostal-Charismatic-Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, etc, etc, etc, type of
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 03:10 PM
Yesterday

Christians.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Christian leaders denounc...