The Rot of Corruption
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees… to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people.” —Isaiah 10:1–2
Corruption is more than a headline. It is more than a deal struck behind closed doors, or a paper trail carefully hidden. It is a rot in the foundation, a quiet, slow unraveling of trust, justice, and communal care. When leaders use power not for the common good but for personal gain, society doesn’t just suffer—it begins to fracture.
Last week, we learned that a $2 billion foreign-backed deal is set to benefit the Trump family directly—through their cryptocurrency venture—while he holds the most powerful office in the land.1 The same man who once campaigned on “draining the swamp” is now standing knee-deep in the murky waters of self-enrichment, greed, and imperial ambition.
Senator Elizabeth Warren put it this way: “A shady fund backed by a foreign government just announced it will make a $2 billion deal using Donald Trump’s stablecoins. Meanwhile, the Senate is gearing up to pass the “GENIUS” Act - stablecoin legislation that will make it easier for the President and his family to line their own pockets. This is corruption and no senator should support it.”2
This isn’t just unethical. It is theological.
In scripture, empires rise and fall based on their treatment of the vulnerable and their relationship to power. Pharaoh hoarded wealth while the Hebrew people toiled. Herod built palaces while infants died. Empire always masks corruption with grandeur—convincing the people that exploitation is noble, that deals with kings and emirs are signs of strength.
But the prophets knew better. Isaiah saw through the pageantry. Amos called out the rigged scales. Jesus overturned the tables in the temple—not because they were messy, but because they betrayed the sacred by blending exploitation with worship.
Corruption isn’t just bad politics. It is spiritual violence. It teaches us that lying is rewarded, that greed is strength, and that justice can be bought and sold. Over time, we begin to believe it. We lower our expectations. We stop being shocked.
Faith calls us to remember: what is hidden will be revealed. What is done in darkness will be brought into the light.
Theologian Walter Brueggemann teaches us, “The prophetic task of the church is to tell the truth in a society that lives in illusion, grieve in a society that practices denial, and express hope in a society that lives in despair.” I might expand that to say the prophetic act of any person of conscience…
So we name this corruption—not as cynics, but as believers in a deeper moral order. We name it as people who still believe that power is a sacred trust, that public service is not a profit center, and that justice is not for sale.
We remember the words of theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez, who taught that the Church must make an option for the poor, for they are the bearers of a truth that the world would silence. We make that option too. And we speak.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where have you seen corruption erode trust in your own community or in your nation?
What does integrity mean to you, and how can it be practiced in daily life?
What role can you play in calling out corruption while nurturing spaces of justice and transparency?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for Integrity in the Midst of Empire
God of truth and mercy,
You see what is done behind closed doors.
You hear the cries of the exploited,
And you call your people to justice.
When corruption feels too big,
Too baked-in, too impossible to resist,
Remind us that you never bless dishonest power.
Help us not turn away.
Help us not normalize the erosion of conscience.
Give us the courage of the prophets
And the humility of the poor
To stand where truth still lives.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Walking the Way of Integrity
This week, take a moment to examine the spaces of influence in your own life—at work, in your faith community, in your neighborhood. Where is power being used well? Where might it be misused?
Then take a walk—literally. With each step, name aloud one value you hold sacred: honesty, fairness, humility, generosity. Let your body carry those truths.
When you return, write a short note (even if you don’t send it) to someone who’s modeled integrity in your life. Give thanks. Then ask yourself: Where can I be such a person for others?
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
May 19-22, 2025 - Preaching and Worship FREE Online Summit: From war to genocide to a global climate crisis to a nation that perpetuates racism, misogyny, transphobia, and more from the highest office in the land, how do we prepare a sermon, a liturgy, a song, a prayer? Learn from some of our best preachers. REGISTER HERE.
NEW!!! On June 4, 2025, from 7-8pm ET, join Brian McLaren, Matthew Fox, and me for an exploration of “Life After Doom” inspired by Brian’s latest book. In an age of climate crisis, political unraveling, and societal collapse, many are asking: What now? What’s worth doing when the systems around us are failing? How do we find meaning beyond hope as we’ve known it? Join us and we will explore together. Register here.
June 4, 2025, 12pm ET - Jeff Chu has written a new book on a topic close to my heart: Soil! The title is “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand.” I am so pleased to be interviewing him. Together, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate “good soil” in our lives, our communities, and our spiritual practices. I hope you will register. Your registration includes a copy of his new book.
July 20-25, 2025 - The Art of Wilding: A 5-Day Expedition in Wyoming for Women Leaders. Click here to learn more.
August 11, 2025, 2pm ET - Dr. Andrew Root and I will be hosting a 6 part series on Spirituality in the Secular Age based on his research. The dates are August 11, 18, September 8, 15, and October 6, 13. Mark your calendars! More on this soon.
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!
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.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/us/politics/trump-cryptocurrency-usd1-dubai-conference-announcement.html
https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/warren-statement-on-trump-stablecoin-corruption
See also Heather Cox Richardson’s newsletter from May 5, 2025 - “And then there is the massive corruption of the Trump family’s involvement in cryptocurrency. As Lawson points out, the Trumps control World Liberty Financial, which has its own cryptocurrency, $WLFI. Foreign nationals who are barred from donations to American political campaigns have invested in that coin. One of them is China-born billionaire Justin Sun, who was under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission when Trump took office, bought $75 million in the coins, and then successfully lobbied for a pause in the SEC case to negotiate a settlement.”