For God so loved the world: A Christian witness against harm | Opinion

Editor’s note: This op-ed has been updated to add seven additional signers.

As faith leaders representing a spectrum of Christian traditions, we write with an urgent call to Christians to speak out for the way of Jesus and against devastation being done to our neighbors and planet. As faith leaders, we bear witness daily to the teaching of Jesus Christ — a message grounded in love and compassion which provides wisdom for humans seeking to live in respectful relationship with God’s creation and one another.

Faith leaders have too often been complicit or silent in times of crisis. We are negligent if we remain so now. We do not speak for all Christians, nor do we represent everyone in our faith communities. We preach, lead and act in diverse ways, yet we have found a collective voice and are compelled now to speak in opposition to the harmful policies and actions we are witnessing in our nation, including by the president of the United States, the administration, elected officials, judges and the public, including people identifying as Christian.

Jesus’ way of love leads us to see worth, dignity and opportunity in all. Jesus repaired divisions, welcomed outsiders, and retained traditions that guide how we live together. Jesus gathered people to address injustices and harm, explicitly lifting up the poor and vulnerable, prioritizing compassion and empathy. Our nation’s leaders historically have not often prioritized those on the margins. Since Inauguration Day of this year, we have witnessed a dizzying number of harmful policies, practices and rhetoric. Although deceptively clothed in Christian language and symbolism, these actions invert Jesus’ teachings and ministry.

We commit to a message of hope in response to the following specific actions of this current administration. These actions are daily assaults against God’s beloved creation, including human decency, and especially including persons on the margins and most vulnerable. God’s way of freedom, justice, and love is a path forward for all people. Instead of division, we can work together to help workers, families, and communities thrive. In a Creation of abundance, we can work together to encourage growth and flourishing for people and the planet.

“For God so loved the whole world” describes God’s dream for humanity, in contrast to the scapegoating, fear and intimidation that characterize this administration. Therefore, we denounce the following:

• People being taken, imprisoned, and deported without due process
• The criminalization of workers and children without reason
• Immigration raids that bring daily fear to families and communities
• Political violence of all kinds, perpetrated by whomever

“God created the world and called it good” describes God’s dream for creation. Therefore, we denounce the following:

• Ecological irresponsibility that imperils God’s Earth and all who inhabit it
• The use of retaliation and name-calling to suppress the freedom of expression among individuals and institutions in this country
• The inherent racism in efforts to ban books, end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and distort the truthful teaching of our nation’s history
• The bullying and discriminatory practices aimed at LGBTQ individuals, especially children

“For the least of these” is Jesus’ vision of a world where people are free to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and respect the humanity of those imprisoned (Matthew 25:31-46). Therefore, we denounce the following and more:

• Cutting Medicaid and health insurance, essential to the wellbeing of millions of people
• Closing our nation’s borders to people seeking haven from genuine harm
• Sweeping travel and visa bans that categorize people as potential threats
• The efforts to unconstitutionally withhold citizenship from children born in this country
• Gutting of USAID and other international humanitarian assistance, which has already resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children worldwide and causing economic disaster to domestic farming
• The withholding of billions of dollars of federal funds to educational institutions which are essential for vital research

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” affirms that truth leads to freedom. (John 8:32). Therefore, we denounce the following:

• Attempts to teach against scientific facts
• Attempts to edit and sanitize the full telling of our nation’s history
• Attempts to silence the free exercise of speech in search of the truth
• Efforts to vilify journalists and reporters by calling them “the enemy of the people”
• Causing schisms amongst the citizens though false narratives and pseudo-facts. These schisms, grounded in falsehoods and propagated by certain political and religious leaders, only serve to cause more ignorance and division.

We call ourselves to account and invite others into practices of bold mercy, justice and compassion. With our words and actions, we will work for the common good of Earth and its inhabitants. We call on our nation’s leaders and community members of all faith traditions and life experiences to receive the wisdom of God’s sacred teaching.

We turn toward one another seeking goodness, not greatness.

Signed,

Rev. Jim Grunow, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. John Hergert, ELCA Lutheran

Bob Parrish, Mennonite Church USA

Bishop Meggan Manlove, ELCA Lutheran

David Haven, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. Gary Jewell, Mennonite Church USA

Debbie Mallis, United Methodist Church

Rev. Josh Lee, United Church of Christ

Rev. R. Tim Carnahan, ELCA Lutheran

Deacon Ruth Anderson, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. Christiana Thompson, United Methodist Church

Edwin Keener, United Church of Christ and Presbyterian Church, USA

Gabrielle Applequist, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. Alex Schmidt, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. Dr. Duane A. Anders, United Methodist Church

Rev. Barbara Condon, ELCA Lutheran

Vivian Parrish, Mennonite Church USA

Becky R. Newberry, ELCA Lutheran

Vance Wegner, Episcopal Church

Russ Buschert, Mennonite Church USA

Janet Buschert, Mennonite Church USA

Rev. Dennis Hickman, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. James Gearhart, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. Gretchen Bingea, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. Ariana Arends, ELCA Lutheran

Julie Allyn, Mennonite Church USA

Rev. David Ernat, ELCA Lutheran

Rev. Weldon Nicely, Mennonite Church USA

Denise Caruzzi, Mennonite Church USA

Linn Hower, ELCA Lutheran

Liz Ridgway, ELCA Lutheran

This story was originally published November 9, 2025 at 4:00 AM.