“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.”—Isaiah 10:1–2
Sixteen days into a government shutdown, and the air is thick with blame. Republican leaders, who hold the House, the Senate, the Executive Branch, and the Supreme Court, who have the power to reopen government services, rail with accusations against…everyone else. They blame the powerless while they themselves dismantle the public trust. It’s absurd on its face, and it’s dangerous in its intent.
Let’s name it plainly: this is cruelty as a governing principle. Cruelty is not neutral. It is a theological issue.
Paul Tillich once wrote that the opposite of faith is not doubt—it is despair.1 Despair that nothing can change. Despair that we are powerless. But Tillich also wrote of the “courage to be,” the audacity to affirm life, dignity, and hope even when the systems around us collapse into chaos.
We need that courage now.
Dorothee Sölle, the German liberation theologian, called on faithful people to “suffer with” the suffering, not in a masochistic sense, but in deep solidarity.2 She teaches us that to feel the pain of others is to refuse abstraction. It is to insist that God is not far off, but “in the bread lines and jail cells,” in the hearts of furloughed workers, sick children, and evicted elders.
This shutdown is not simply a lapse in policy; it is a symptom of a larger moral unmooring. People are suffering, not because we lack resources, but because we lack political and moral will. Catholic activist, Dorothy Day, taught us, love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.3 It asks something of us.
We are being asked now.
Will we become numb to this cruelty? Or will we find the courage to name it, resist it, and reimagine what kind of society is worthy of our deepest values?
True religion is not measured by piety—it is measured by justice, mercy, and how we treat the most vulnerable among us. To believe in God, in this moment, is to believe that what we do for the least among us matters infinitely.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where have I grown numb to injustice, and what would it take to feel again?
How does my faith (or deepest values) call me to respond to cruelty—not just emotionally, but practically?
Who taught me to tell the truth, even when it’s costly—and how can I live in their spirit today?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer For the Courage to See
God of the Exiled and Unpaid, Of the Overlooked and Underfed— You did not stay distant from the world’s pain, You stepped into it. So must we. When propaganda clouds our eyes—clear them. When apathy dulls our hearts—stir them. When despair knocks at our doors—remind us: We are not powerless. We are not alone. We are your hands and feet in this aching world. Give us the courage to see. And the faith to resist. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
The Discipline of Sacred Resistance
In times of coordinated cruelty, resistance becomes a spiritual practice. Dorothee Sölle once said that every theology is a political theology because every vision of God shapes how we treat people. This week, let your faith move from private belief to public witness.
Here is your practice:
Name the Harm. Take five minutes of stillness and ask: What is happening in the world right now that breaks my heart? Write down what you see. Don’t sanitize it. Let truth be your first act of faith.
Ground Yourself. Light a candle, place your hand on your heart, and remember: you belong to a greater Love. Read Isaiah 10:1–2 or a quote from a teacher who calls you to justice. Let this be your grounding text for the day.
Reach Out. Do one tangible act of resistance rooted in compassion:
Donate to a mutual aid fund for furloughed or unemployed workers.
Call or write your representative and name your concern.
Organize or join a community conversation about spiritual and civic courage.
Share Encouragement. Before the day ends, reach out to someone who may feel discouraged. Offer encouragement. Remind them, and yourself, that cruelty is not destiny. We are building something better.
Rest and Replenish. Resistance is not a sprint; it is a rhythm. Take time to rest, nourish your spirit, and reconnect with your deepest values. Justice and joy are not mutually exclusive.
Let this practice remind you: to be spiritually alive in this moment is to be morally awake.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
October 18, 2025 - No Kings 2.0 Protest - Scholars of authoritarianism teach us that we need 3.5% of the population rising up to disrupt the rise of authoritarians. The last protest had over 6 million people in the streets in the US (more around the world) which was one of the largest protest in US history. We need to double that number. So here we go again. The movement builds. See you on the streets.
October 20-24, 2025 - FREE Online 5-Day Summit on “Made for These Times: Spiritual Leadership for a World in Crisis.” Political extremism. Climate collapse. Cultural fragmentation. People of faith across the globe are asking: How do we lead with clarity, courage, and compassion in a time like this? REGISTER HERE.
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.
https://stephenbarkley.com/2019/12/23/the-courage-to-be-paul-tillich/
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/literature-and-writing/suffering-dorothee-solle
https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/love-action
Thank you, Cameron, for these profound and challenging words:
“True religion is not measured by piety—it is measured by justice, mercy, and how we treat the most vulnerable among us. To believe in God, in this moment, is to believe that what we do for the least among us matters infinitely.” Amen!
We are the wealthiest nation on the planet. May we be found faithful to The Word. Thank you for always sharing what we can do whether a small or large act, we can do something!
Bless you, Cameron.
Cruelty ruling.
Moral unmooring matters.
“We need... courage now.”