“The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.” — Matthew 20:25–26
Throughout history, certain leaders have claimed that their power was not only political, but sacred. Pharaohs did it. Medieval kings did it. So did emperors and popes. By invoking divine favor, they sought to silence dissent and make their rule unquestionable. The logic is simple: if God wants me here, who are you to argue?
President Trump is continuing in that long tradition. Through speeches, media surrogates, and a stream of AI-generated propaganda, he is increasingly presenting himself as a man chosen by God to rule. It’s not a new claim, but it’s gaining momentum, particularly among white evangelical leaders who see his authority as part of some divine plan.
It’s worth pausing to examine this, not with rage or ridicule, but with care. These claims carry real weight in our civic and spiritual life.
The idea of divine rule has always been used to concentrate power and to sanctify violence. When a leader believes they speak for God, or convinces others that they do, there are few limits to what can be justified. In the past, this theology supported colonization, slavery, crusades, and the subjugation of women and minorities. Today, it underwrites illegally bombing boats near Venezuela, mass deportations, environmental destruction, attacks on the free press, and the erosion of civil rights.
But this kind of divine endorsement is a distortion of nearly every religious tradition. Most of our sacred texts tell a very different story: God sides with the oppressed, not the powerful. God humbles kings. God lifts up the lowly. Jesus, for example, rejected political dominance outright. He told his disciples that greatness in God’s kingdom would not look like coercive power, but like servanthood, humility, and sacrificial love.
That’s why it’s important to challenge this kind of theology when we see it—not because we hate the person making the claim, but because we love what is true, what is just, and what makes us free.
As people of faith and conscience, we don’t need to respond with more bombast. We don’t need to trade insults or try to out-shout anyone. But we do need to speak. W need to say, plainly and kindly, that no leader rules by divine right, not in this country, not in our names, and not on behalf of our deepest values.
Our democracy is not perfect. But part of its sacred potential lies in the belief that no one is above the law and that all people are created equal. These aren’t just political ideas; they are profoundly theological ones too.
In moments like this, when those principles are threatened, it’s our job to protect them—not with fear, but with faith.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
When have you seen religion used to support political power? How did it affect your understanding of faith and justice?
How can you differentiate between spiritual authority that liberates and political authority that dominates?
What is your role—as a citizen, as a person of conscience, or as a spiritual being—when claims of divine rule are used to justify harm?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for No Crown But Conscience
Holy Mystery, Eternal Source of Life and Love, You are not confined to palaces or pulpits, nor bound to crowns, flags, or forged decrees. You whisper through the cries of the silenced, and rise with those who kneel in grief and courage. We grieve how Your name has been misused— to justify cruelty, to defend greed, to prop up empires. We refuse to mistake domination for divinity, or charisma for righteousness. Make us people who see clearly and act wisely. Give us the courage to speak when power distorts truth, and the humility to lead with care, not conquest. Help us remember that no human leader is above reproach, and that Your justice always flows from the margins in. In every generation, raise up those who love mercy more than control, and who walk not in the name of empire, but in the way of peace. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Reclaiming Sacred Authority
Today, take five minutes to reflect on the kind of authority you recognize as sacred.
Find a quiet space and bring to mind someone who has used their influence with humility, compassion, and courage, not to dominate, but to serve. Picture them clearly. Recall what made their leadership trustworthy.
Now, turn inward. Where in your life are you being asked to lead, not by controlling, but by embodying integrity and justice? How might you live out the truth that all people are beloved, and none are divinely entitled to harm?
Close by placing your hand over your heart (feel your breath) and repeating:
“Power is not proof of holiness. I trust what liberates, heals, and serves life.”
Let this become your centering refrain whenever false claims of divine rule arise.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
October 23, 30, November 13, 20 2025, 7pm ET - In Search of a New Story: Reimagining What Comes Next, A 4-Part Online Series with Dr. Matthew Fox, Cameron Trimble, Ilia Delio, Diana Butler Bass, Caroline Myss and Luther Smith. 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 NOW OPEN!
October 30 - December 4, 2025 - Online Course “Partnering with Life: Our Missing Ally” with Margaret Wheatley. Meg is launching a new course (and I will be tagging along). Partnering with life means much more than getting into nature to soothe our troubled selves. Life is waiting for us to join her as we struggle to maintain sanity through this dark and destructive time. Learn more and register here.
July 19-24, 2026 - Join me and amazing co-facilitator, Victoria, on retreat in the back-country of beautiful Wyoming. The Art of Wilding is a 5-Day Expedition for Women Leaders. We will spend the week reconnecting to nature, exploring our inner landscapes for change, and engage the wisdom of spiritual teachings. Click here to learn more.
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.
thanks for this post - as someone who's spent many years in academia, I can also attest that there are secular versions of these aspirations to infallibility. Would also like to get people's thoughts on this take on the Good Samaritan parable that I uploaded last evening (with the caveat that I'm a social theorist and not a theologian like Rev Trimble) https://philipkretsedemas.substack.com/p/a-radical-empiricist-reading-of-the
Cameron, as always, I'm returned to the deepest center of my heart when I engage with your meditations and prayers. Thank you for the great service you render for all of us.