When Power Becomes an Idol
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
"The prophets of old knew that societies begin to unravel when the powerful exploit the weak, when justice is twisted to serve the privileged, and when leaders mistake their own desires for divine will." —Walter Brueggemann
Last Friday, Vice President J.D. Vance stood before world leaders and launched what The Guardian called “a brutal ideological assault”1 on the values the United States once shared with Europe—values of democracy, human dignity, and shared responsibility. I might call it “Nazisplaining.” Imagine it: Vance went to Germany and explained to Germans that they should deregulate free speech (read: hate speech), which was weaponized to conduct a genocide. Wow.
Vance and other MAGA Christian nationalists are not just promoting a political agenda; they are pushing a worldview that distorts faith itself. Their ideology rejects the principles of secular democracy, replacing them with authoritarianism wrapped in religious language. They claim that equal rights—especially for women, racial and religious minorities, and LGBTQ+ people—threaten national strength. They seek to re-establish rigid hierarchies where power is concentrated in the hands of a few, namely white Christian men.
But let’s be clear: this is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not the kin-dom of God. This is empire-building, plain and simple. This is the age-old sin of believing one group is divinely destined to rule over others, the same sin that fueled slavery, segregation, and every form of oppression throughout history. It is the sin of Pharaoh. The sin of Rome. The sin of every tyrant who has ever claimed their own supremacy as the will of God.
Theologian Richard Rohr teaches that we are now seeing the over-defended ego playing out at the cultural level: “The ego is that part of the self that wants to be significant, central, and important by itself, apart from anybody else. It wants to be both separate and superior. It is defended and self-protective by its very nature. It must eliminate the negative to succeed at this. The ego is what Jesus called an “actor,” usually translated from the Greek as ‘hypocrite’ (see Matthew 23). If our ‘actor’ is merely defended, the shadow will be denied and repressed; but if our ‘actor’ is overly defended, the shadow is actually hated and projected elsewhere.”2 What we are witnessing is the shadow side of the US national ego, best illustrated in the personhood of the US President. It’s the idolatry of power, the deep fear of losing control, and the unwillingness to embrace the radical inclusion at the heart of God’s intention for the world.
Jesus spent his ministry dismantling the very structures that privileged some at the expense of others. He sat with outcasts, honored women as equals, and challenged the religious and political elite who used God’s name to justify oppression. His message was not about restoring an imagined past but about calling people into a transformed future—one where love, justice, and mercy are the guiding principles.
We see this distortion of faith not just in speeches like Vance’s but in proposed laws like the SAVE Act,3 which will suppress voting rights for women and minority groups. This is not strength; it is fear masquerading as power. History teaches us that these tactics do not lead to flourishing; they lead to decline.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks once wrote, “The test of faith is whether it makes us more open, more inclusive, more compassionate. If it makes us fearful, narrow, or cruel, we should question what we believe.”4
The question before us is this: will we fall for the lie that some people are more worthy than others? Or will we stand in the tradition of prophets, peacemakers, and justice-seekers who have always known that love is the real measure of power? The time to decide is now.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
How do we discern when political leaders are using faith as a weapon rather than a call to love and justice?
What are ways we can actively resist policies that harm women, immigrants, and marginalized communities?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for Courageous Faith
Holy One,
You are the God who lifts the lowly and brings down the mighty,
The God who calls us to love, not to dominate,
The God who leads us toward justice, not control.
When we are tempted by fear, ground us in love.
When we are weary of the fight, strengthen our hands.
When we feel powerless, remind us that our voice, our actions, our prayers matter.
May we be faithful to Your call,
Courageous in truth,
And relentless in hope.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Paying Attention to the Margins
Today, take time to notice who isn’t being heard. Whether in the news, in your workplace, in your community, or even around your own table—who is being left out of the conversation? Whose experiences are being dismissed? Instead of debating, instead of explaining, just listen. Read their stories. Ask how you can be an ally.
Faith isn’t about memorizing the right beliefs. It’s about choosing, again and again, to listen with compassion and show up for love and justice. When we pay attention, we begin to see what’s really at stake. And when we see clearly, we cannot look away.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
TODAY! February 18, 2025, 12pm ET, Being a pastor is no easy task, especially in a year like this one. Join my colleague Rev. Jim Keat and other faith leaders as we talk about not only what we are holding, but how we are holding it. Register here.
February 27, 2025, 12-1:30pm - Margaret Wheatley and I are offering a 4 or 8-session course called “Are We Made for These Times?” If you know Meg’s work, it’s going to be extraordinary. If you want the deep dive, the 8-session course is for you. You can read about the shorter 4-session course here. Scholarships are available. I sooooo hope you can be a part of this!
March 4, 2025, 7-8:30pm - Dr. Matthew Fox and I are scheming a series that we are calling “From Darkness to Dawn: Spiritual Courage and Political Action in the Age of MAGA.” Modern mystic, Mirabai Starr, will be our guest on March 4! Andrew Harvey on March 11! The amazing Bishop Yvette Flunder on March 18! The registration page should be up tomorrow…stay tuned.
April 1, 2025 - Rabbi Benjamin Ross and I are collaborating on a new leadership program called “All Together Now: A Collaborative Cohort for Jewish Congregational Leadership Teams.” You can read about the program here.
July 20-25, 2025 - The Art of Wilding: A 5-Day Expedition in Wyoming for Women Leaders. Click here to learn more. Only one spot left!
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.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/14/jd-vance-stuns-munich-conference-with-blistering-attack-on-europes-leaders?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-overly-defended-ego-2023-06-19/
Also, you can read the SAVE Act in its entirety here.
https://rabbisacks.org/quotes/the-test-of-faith/
Love it. You are a breathe of fresh air!!!