Holy Rage
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“Rage, when turned toward injustice, becomes a sacred flame.” —adapted from the teachings of Kali Ma
I read the news last night and felt what is becoming a common feeling: rage.
The US Air Force announced yesterday that transgender service members who have served with honor and integrity are not only being discharged—they are now being denied their retirement benefits.1 People who put their lives on the line for this country are being cast aside, not for any failure of duty, but simply because of who they are.
This is not smart policy. This is abject cruelty. It is not a byproduct of misunderstanding or red tape. It is an intentional infliction of harm, a signal of power misused. A symptom of something deeper.
I’ve been in conversation recently with my friend and colleague, Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox, about the nature of evil.2 I confessed that my theology of evil to this point has been underdeveloped—perhaps because for a long time, I believed it was more important to focus on what was good, what was possible, what could be healed. But every day, this administration forces us to confront the reality that evil is indeed real, does terrible harm, and does not disappear when we ignore it. It evolves when we don’t name it.
Theologians and mystics have long warned us: when a society abandons care for the common good, when it begins to isolate and punish those who are most vulnerable, when it seeks power over rather than liberation with—something dangerous takes root. It grows quietly at first. In whispers about “those people.” In language about “liberty.” In policy memos and press briefings. Then one day it shows its full face, unapologetic and emboldened.
It looks like this: trans people stripped of dignity and benefits. Brown and black-skinned people detained without cause. Women excluded from leadership positions and denied bodily autonomy. A planet pushed past the point of return.
There is no middle ground here. This is not an invitation to balance. It is a summons to choose.
We cannot afford to tell ourselves that rage has no place in spiritual life. The Hindu goddess Kali, fierce and untamed, knew that sometimes rage is what breaks the spell of domination. Sometimes rage is what protects the vulnerable. Sometimes rage is what clears the field for something new to grow.
I believe that kind of rage—the rage born of deep love—is sacred.
This rage does not call us to destroy for destruction’s sake. It calls us to defend what is holy. It asks us to stand between those who wield power and those they seek to erase. It demands that we open our eyes, raise our voices, and refuse to be numbed.
There is a cruelty loose in the land. It must be named. Resisted. Dismantled.
We do this not with more cruelty, but with courage. With sacred rage. With radical love that refuses to abandon anyone.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where do you feel the stirrings of holy anger? What might that anger be trying to teach or awaken in you?
How can you channel your rage not into destruction, but into defense—of truth, dignity, and those under threat?
What does it mean to love this world fiercely enough to fight for its liberation?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for the Fierce and the Faithful
Holy One, There are days when our hearts burn with sorrow, and days when they burn with fury. Let neither consume us. Let both refine us. May we learn to trust the fire that rises within— not as hatred, but as holy clarity. As the love that refuses to stay silent. As the courage that will not turn away. Bless those who are targeted and discarded. Make us their shield and their song. Bless those who fight for justice without rest. May they never feel alone. And when the world demands our quiet complicity, may we instead choose sacred disruption. For the sake of the trans soldier, the detained mother, the scorched forest, the unborn child— let our love be fierce. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Channel the Fire
Today, notice where the fire is rising in you. Is it sorrow? Is it rage? Is it fear?
Don’t push it away. Welcome it as a teacher.
Then, choose one action to channel that fire into something real:
Write a letter to a trans service member or advocate.
Call your elected officials.
Donate to an organization protecting LGBTQ+ rights.
Have the hard conversation.
Pray like it matters. March like it matters. Live like it matters.
Rage can destroy, but when guided by love, it can also protect. It can clear the way for a world we have not yet seen.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
September 4, 4:30pm ET - I will be collaborating with the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology to host a conversation with Thomas Jay Oord on Open and Relational theology. It’s a FREE event. Register here.
October 15-18, 2025 - Converging 2025: Sing Truth Conference (all musicians invited!) at Northwest Christian Church in Columbus, OH. Register here!
October 23, 30, November 6, 13, 2025, 7pm ET - In Search of a New Story: Reimagining What Comes Next, A 4-Part Online Series with Matthew Fox, Cameron Trimble, and Special Guests. We are living through the unraveling of many old stories—about who we are, why we’re here, and how we are meant to live together on this Earth. As these inherited narratives collapse under the weight of climate crisis, social fragmentation, and spiritual disconnection, the question becomes clear: What story will guide us now? REGISTRATION OPENING SOON!
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.
https://apnews.com/article/air-force-transgender-no-early-retirement-e6a4da806f2cc2bdc05f49438cbd26fd
If you don’t subscribe to Matthew’s daily meditations, you should. Here is one example on his take on evil: https://dailymeditationswithmatthewfox.org/2025/07/23/bad-trees-bearing-evil-fruit-a-litany-of-mortal-sins-of-maga/
https://open.substack.com/pub/davidofallon/p/the-choice?
Yes—holy rage—the choice is a culture of life or of death. It is that clear. I’m 81 now— and walk in disbelief, in grief, and in rage—I’ll walk head up into this storm as long as able. Posting one from my North of 80 Substack. Free to subscribe—to share—to walk togther—join me.
Holy One,
There are days when our hearts burn with sorrow,
and days when they burn with fury.
Let neither consume us. Let both refine us…
Thank you, Cameron.