Activists and Advocates in an Age of Authoritarianism

Through the years, religious institutions and their leaders have evidenced varying levels of engagement and support for governments. The prophetic narratives which are a part of the Christian scriptures tells the stories of prophets called by God to respond to the failures of their communities to meet the needs of the people. These were strong advocates for change, whose words and actions were presented to kings, empires and contemporary leaders on behalf of the poor, the hungry, the needy and the disenfranchised – often identified as the widows and orphans.

The prophets were not shy, even though the challenges they brought to political leaders were not always welcome. They did not shrink and hide although many were a part of the political sphere, with responsibilities for communal life. And, there are those who brought their messages of truth at risk of personal and reputational harm, incarcerated, beaten, ostracized and demoralized for the sake of telling the truth: normalized suffering is unacceptable, society is responsible for taking care of the poor and those less fortunate, taking care of one’s neighbors is an expectation of faith in action.

Then, as now, all did not agree. All did not see or live the commandments of scripture in the same way. After all, religious leaders were also invested in reaping the financial benefits of communal life. Financial gain, power and privilege have motivated people’s behavior for millennia, causing conflict in the quest for social and political transformation. Religions have been co-opted along the way, the values held by religious traditions have faded, and yet, there has been the courageous witness of some, holding their faith as a beacon and their commitment to a God of love, as tools in the quest to overcome the injustices that prevail over time.

War is escalating among us. There are currently 88 armed conflicts globally. The list includes Venezuela as a site of armed conflict between the United States and Venezuela. Other places like Palestine, Syria, Türkiye, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Egypt have been conflict prone for many years with Palestine and Sudan experiencing genocide with no signs that the mass killings in those countries will stop soon. Death tolls continue to rise as conflicts escalate. The voices of the prophets are needed now – more than ever – voices calling for transformation and change, at a time with authoritarianism on the rise globally.

The call to care is unconditional. Violations of human rights should garner our attention as people of faith and goodwill. Activists are a part of the prophetic witness as are advocates, people who choose to take a stand for change in our midst. Empire is fighting back, trying to hold its place. The fight for power and control is being legislated, to acquire power over people’s lives and their decisions. The people’s desire for justice and truth is being met with acts of tyranny evidenced in oppression in the streets, a demise in democracy, and the quest to quell the voices and the will of the people.

Advocacy and activism are two forms of resistance to injustice and are ways in which the prophetic witness is lived out in our contemporary context. Speaking truth to power is not a cliche. It originated as a nonviolent response to the challenges of the 1940s and 1950s. The desire for change is a commitment to love in action.

The prophets are marching in the streets. They are writing letters to congress and visiting offices. Prophets are in pulpits teaching and raising awareness. Prophets are speaking to the injustice of war and calling for compassion, love and mercy. Prophets are writings and singing songs of resistance. They are the voices leading and accompanying today’s social movements. The prophets are leading today, they are not waiting for tomorrow. They are answering the call to be doers of the words and not only hearers (James 1:22).

Being a prophet is not the call for all. To those thusly called, the list of places of unrest grows as do human rights violations, hunger, poverty and disease. The need to influence our society to bring about change pushesd beyond the comfort of acceptance and the quest for power. The church is called to be prophetic in every generation instead of being perpetrators of injustice and colluding with oppression and empire.

Advocacy and activism must fight the power that seeks to overwhelm and work for justice and righteousness. 

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