Hello my friends,

I hope you had a safe and peaceful week, all things considered.

I know from the many who wrote me that so many felt deeply grieved, angered, and scared over the passing of HR-1, otherwise known as the “Big Beautiful Bill.” I felt similarly and still do. I am heartbroken and fearful for all those who will be so harmed by this measure. It made for such a somber and lament filled 4th of July.

In light of this, I wanted to share some distinctions of how we might define our current moment, offer gospel hope, and provide some practical ways of resisting the harm we will unfortunately see increase in the days to come.

Recommended Resources

​-Heather Cox Richardson video, July 3rd, 2025 I have come to admire Heather Cox's work for years now and found her recent video very informative and insightful. I will touch on some similar points she made here below, but I encourage you to watch this long, but insightful politics talk she gave.

​-Bishop Barber responds to Congress passing a deadly budget bill. Rev. Bishop Barber also gave an insightful and motivating statement after the bill passed that I think you would find helpful as well.

​-The Power of Cultivating Humility with Rev. Ben Cremer I wanted to share the full episode of my conversation with my friends over at the Three Percent podcast. I benefited so much form our conversation and I hope you will find it encouraging as well.

New 30 Day Devotional: I recently released a 30 Day Devotional out of a desire to give people a daily companion to support them in processing all that is happening in our world today through the lens of Jesus as well as providing some practical steps to take each day as they work to turn the tide. You can find out more about it below.

$20.00 Following Jesus In A World Obsessed With Empires: 30 Days of reclaiming the hope, compassion, and justice of Jesus. Today, our world can often feel overwhelmed by darkness, division, and despair. I created this 30-day devotional to... Read more Get it now!

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Clarifying Our Moment.

I have heard many terms categorizing this moment in the United States as I am sure you have as well. Two words I continually hear is “authoritarianism” and “Fascism.” So I wanted to share some distinctions and historical context that have really helped me clarify these categories in my own thinking and in conversations with others. While this is far from anything I want to write about, I do think we will only know how to respond to the moment we are in if we clearly understand what we are facing.

So, to begin, I want to clarify and compare two categories: Competitive authoritarianism and fascism.

Competitive Authoritarianism

Definition:

A hybrid regime that appears democratic (because it has elections and some civil institutions), but in reality, undermines democratic norms to concentrate and maintain power.

Key Features:

• Elections exist, but efforts are used to try to make them unfair or manipulated (media control, voter suppression, disqualification of opponents).

• Opposition parties exist, but there are efforts to have them harassed or marginalized.

• Civil liberties like press freedom and protest rights are eroded, but not entirely abolished.

• The ruling party uses democratic institutions as a façade while steadily entrenching power.

Examples:

• Modern-day Hungary under Viktor Orbán

• Russia in the early 2000s under Putin
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Scholars: The term was coined and developed by political scientists Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way.

Fascism

Definition:

A far-right, ultranationalist, and authoritarian ideology that seeks to unify the nation through dictatorial power, suppression of dissent, racism, religious supremacy, and often militarism.

Key Features:

• Totalitarian control of society, economy, and culture (not just politics).

• No real elections, or purely symbolic ones.

• Strongman leader glorified as the embodiment of the state or nation.

• Heavy use of propaganda, violence, and state terror.

• Militarism, nationalism, and often racist or xenophobic ideologies (e.g., scapegoating immigrants, minorities).

• Dismantling of all checks and balances: courts, press, unions, etc.

Historical Examples:

• Nazi Germany under Hitler

• Fascist Italy under Mussolini

• Francoist Spain

Modern Parallels: True fascism is rare today in full form, but some far-right movements borrow from fascist ideas, especially in their use of violence, authoritarianism, and scapegoating.

Why It Matters

• Competitive authoritarianism is dangerous because it erodes democracy slowly, often without most people realizing it until it’s too late.

• Fascism, on the other hand, is a much more openly extreme and violent project, often justified in the name of saving or purifying the nation.

In short: Competitive authoritarianism wears the clothes of democracy while hollowing it out. Fascism burns the whole system down and builds a cult of power in its place.

So Where Is the U.S. Right Now?

Political scientists like Steven Levitsky (How Democracies Die) and others argue that the U.S. is showing clear signs of democratic backsliding, aligning more closely with competitive authoritarianism:

• Voter suppression laws disproportionately targeting communities of color and young people.

• Attempts to overturn election results (e.g., 2020 election denial and the Jan. 6 insurrection).

• Attacks on the judiciary, education, and public institutions.

• Media disinformation, including entire ecosystems (e.g., right-wing media) that intentionally distort reality to prop up one party.

• Cult-like loyalty to individual leaders over constitutional principles.

• State-level gerrymandering and efforts to entrench one-party rule (e.g., Wisconsin, Texas, Florida).

So, the U.S. is not officially authoritarian, but it’s increasingly authoritarian in practice, especially as seen in states where one party dominates and uses its power to entrench itself rather than compete fairly.

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While it isn’t fascism in the traditional sense, there are disturbing trends and echoes of 20th-century fascism employed today as well:

• Nationalist identity politics that define “real Americans” based on race, religion, or ideology.

• Scapegoating of immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, teachers, and public servants as threats to the nation.

• Paramilitary and vigilante groups (e.g., Proud Boys, Oath Keepers) acting as enforcers of political ideology.

• Open admiration for autocrats (e.g., Putin, Orbán).

• Rhetoric of “blood and soil,” “invasion,” “Christian nationalism,” and “enemies within”.

• Criminalization of protest, dissent, and organizing.

• Disregard of due process and the rule of law.

• Dehumanization of political opponents and calls for retribution or even violence.

This doesn’t mean we are in 1930s Germany, but some of the ideological traits are undeniably present and emboldened.

Differences Between 1930s Germany and the U.S. today

I found it helpful to understand the difference between Germany in the 1930s and the U.S. today in order to see our strengths and weaknesses in historical context.

So here is a rough list of some of the main differences:

Germany in the 1930s:

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​Population and Culture

• Population: ~66 million people in 1933 (roughly 1/5 the size of today’s U.S.).

• Cultural cohesion: Largely ethnic German, Lutheran or Catholic; nationalism and cultural uniformity were strong.

• Post-war trauma: Humiliation from WWI, Treaty of Versailles, and severe economic depression led to widespread despair.

• Media: No internet or TV; radio and newspapers were the dominant sources of information and quickly centralized under Nazi control.

• Democracy was new and fragile: The Weimar Republic (1919–1933) had limited time to root itself in public trust.

Rise of Fascism

• Nazis leveraged economic collapse and cultural fear to scapegoat Jews, communists, and others.

• Hitler was legally appointed but used emergency powers to dismantle democracy swiftly.

• Dissent was criminalized quickly: Civil society, religious institutions, and the press were brought under strict control.

• Propaganda and terror (via the Gestapo and SS) silenced resistance.

The United States Today:

Population and Culture

• Population: ~335 million—five times the size of 1930s Germany, and far more diverse racially, religiously, and ideologically.

• Cultural pluralism: While polarization exists, the U.S. still has deeply entrenched subcultures and countercultures (from progressive cities to rural traditions, Indigenous communities, Black churches, immigrant communities, etc.).

• Deep democratic tradition: Despite its flaws, the U.S. Constitution, civil society, and courts have more established roots than Weimar Germany.

• Media: The U.S. has decentralized, fragmented media—while this spreads disinformation, it also allows more freedom of expression and organizing capacity than 1930s Germany.

Current Authoritarian Trends

• Some political factions seek to centralize power, undermine elections, and use religious nationalism to justify minority rule.

• Disinformation, racial scapegoating, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and demonization of “the other” mirror fascist tactics.

• Unlike Germany in the 1930s, the U.S. still has functioning opposition, protected speech, and a powerful civil society—but those are under attack.

While authoritarian and fascist movements are gaining influence in the U.S., they are not supported by the majority of Americans. Most people, even across partisan lines, still believe in:

• Democracy

• Civil rights

• Freedom of the press and speech

• The rule of law

• Voting access

Historical Parallels in U.S. History

I also find it important to remember that we have faced versions of this before in our country. Let me give you a few examples:

1. Colonial Era under British Rule

•Taxation without representation, suppression of dissent, violent crackdowns (Boston Massacre).

•Resistance then took the form of organizing, printing press networks, and local governance.

2. Civil War Era (1860s)

•Deep ideological division over human rights (especially slavery) and the definition of nationhood.

•The Confederacy held fascistic traits: racial supremacy, theocracy, and state terror.

3. 1930s America

•The rise of fascist sympathizers in the U.S. (e.g., the German-American Bund, Father Coughlin).

•FDR faced massive resistance from wealthy elites and would-be authoritarians who saw fascism as a safeguard against socialism and civil rights.

•The New Deal was both a democratic renewal and a bulwark against authoritarianism.

Theological Reflection

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ]— John 8:32

From the burning bush to the wilderness exodus, from the Magnificat to the empty tomb, Scripture tells a story not of empire, but of God’s persistent liberation. All through the biblical narrative we see a confrontation between the powers that dominate and the God who delivers. And every generation must decide which story they will live by.

In the United States, many have imagined our nation as the “city on a hill,” but our history tells a more complicated truth: that we have been, at times, both oppressor and liberator. And in every age, there have been those rooted in conscience and often in faith who refused to let empire have the final word.

Abolitionists and formerly enslaved people called upon Exodus to resist the theology of white supremacy. The Civil Rights Movement was led by Black clergy and laypeople who understood that segregation was not just immoral, it was idolatrous. Japanese Americans resisted internment through legal appeals, dignity, and faith, reminding the nation that fear cannot justify injustice. And Christian clergy stood against fascism in the 1930s, refusing to bow to nationalism dressed in religious garb. In each case, resistance was not about partisanship, it was about protecting the Imago Dei in all people, and saying no to systems that crucify the vulnerable while washing their hands of responsibility.

We are now in another moment of moral and spiritual reckoning. We are watching the slow erosion of democratic norms, the normalization of cruelty in law and policy and the distortion of Christianity into a tool for white nationalist, patriarchal, and authoritarian ends. The temptation to withdraw, numb out, or protect only our own can be overwhelming.

But we who follow Jesus were not baptized for apathy. We were not anointed to protect empire. We were not called to build walls, but to build tables. To be peacemakers, justice-doers, truth-tellers, even when it costs us.

To resist authoritarianism today is to take up our cross, not in performative martyrdom, but in active solidarity with those being harmed and seeking justice on their behalf.

So What Can We Do?

1. Understand the Threat.

As we have just discussed, the U.S. is experiencing competitive authoritarianism, which is democratic in appearance, authoritarian in practice. This movement has fascist elements, hence the ultranationalism, scapegoating, dehumanization, and political violence. Understanding this not only helps us avoid apathy or denial, but it also gives us the language for conversations with others.

Action Steps:

•Read: How Democracies Die by Levitsky & Ziblatt

•Follow: Nonpartisan watchdogs like Brennan Center for Justice or Protect Democracy.

•Learn local history: How has your community historically resisted or participated in oppression?

2. Name It Publicly

Authoritarianism thrives in silence. People need clarity and courage from trusted voices.

Action Steps:

•Use accurate terms in conversation and social media.

Example: “This is not normal democratic behavior. It resembles competitive authoritarianism.”

•Speak, teach, and write about these threats using faith, history, and lived stories.

•Correct misinformation compassionately but firmly.

3. Protect Voting Rights and Free Elections.

Competitive authoritarianism often begins with voter suppression, gerrymandering, and discrediting elections.

Action Steps:

•Join or support voting rights organizations (e.g., VoteRiders, Fair Fight).

• Volunteer for nonpartisan election protection efforts.

• Contact state legislators and demand protections for early voting, mail-in ballots, and fair maps.

4. Organize Locally.

Real resistance doesn’t happen only online, it grows in neighborhoods, churches, unions, and mutual aid groups.

Action Steps:

•Start or join a local group that defends civil rights, environmental justice, or immigrant protection.

•Support community bail funds, food banks, and tenants’ rights organizations.

•Practice mutual aid: build networks of care outside government control.

5. Support Institutions that Strengthen Democracy.

Democracy depends on a free press, independent courts, and public education—all under attack.

Action Steps:

•Subscribe to and share trusted local and national journalism (e.g., ProPublica, NPR, your local paper).

•Defend public libraries and schools from book bans and censorship.

•Support judicial independence by opposing court-packing schemes or politicized appointments.

6. Resist Theological Co-optation.

Authoritarian and Fascist movements often co-opt religion to sanctify cruelty. As we have seen, Christianity is continually being weaponized for political control.

Action Steps:

•Preach the gospel roots of liberation, justice, and humility, not dominion or purity.

•Host forums or small groups exploring Christian responses to authoritarianism (using resources from Sojourners, Red Letter Christians, etc.).

•Publicly reject Christian nationalism and political idolatry.

7. Tell Better Stories.

Authoritarians tell fear-based, simplistic stories. We must offer humanizing, hope-filled alternatives.

Action Steps:

•Center the stories of immigrants, the unhoused, women, LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and others being scapegoated.

•Highlight the small wins: neighbors showing up, laws passed, lives changed.

•Use social media and sermons to reframe: not “us vs. them,” but “us for each other.”

8. Prepare for the Long Struggle.

Authoritarianism doesn’t end with one election and neither does resistance.

Action Steps:

• Build resilient communities, not just reactive ones.

• Care for mental health and avoid burnout: rest is resistance too.

• Teach the next generation about courage, history, and solidarity.

9. Ground Yourself Spiritually.

This is not just political, it’s moral, spiritual, and deeply human. Hope must be chosen and practiced.

Action Steps:

• Pray or meditate daily for courage, clarity, and compassion.

• Lament publicly and truthfully the harm being done.

• Gather regularly with others committed to resistance, healing, and community.

We’re standing at a precipice. We are watching the scaffolding of democracy being quietly dismantled, real harm being done to the "least among us," often while many people are distracted or misinformed.

But even our own history as a country shows us that people have resisted and reversed this trajectory. With clarity, courage, and community, we can again too.

Remember, you don’t have to do everything, but you must do something. The question isn’t only what kind of country we want to live in, but what kind of people we’re willing to become.

Let us become a people who love all our neighbors as ourselves.

I'd like to end today with a reflection I wrote for the 4th of July:

Grief Is a Form of Patriotism, Too: A Fourth of July Reflection.

Today, some of us won’t be waving flags or watching fireworks. Not because we hate our country, but because we love it too much to pretend everything is fine.

Grief is a form of patriotism, too.

Lament is an honest form of love.

When we see the powerful wield their influence to harm the poor, when policies are passed that will strip people of healthcare, housing, safety, and dignity, when cruelty is packaged as strength and injustice paraded as victory, our hearts break. And that heartbreak is holy.

We mourn because we believe this country can be better.We lament because we believe the words “liberty and justice for all” should mean something. We grieve not because we’ve given up, but because we still care.

True patriotism isn’t celebration without conscience. It’s holding our nation accountable to its highest ideals. It’s refusing to settle for freedom for the few while millions are pushed aside, unheard, and unseen. It’s praying, protesting, speaking, and serving until justice is no longer the exception, but the norm.

So if today you feel more like weeping than cheering, you are not alone. There is room at the table of hope for tears, too. Because our grief is rooted in love. Because we still believe in a freedom that includes everyone. And that is its own kind of celebration.