Navigating Faith and Politics in a Red Town

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Being a progressive minister/author in an overwhelmingly evangelical/GOP community can be dicey. Before my retirement, I served as the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church. I also wrote (and continue to write) religious columns for the local newspaper and frequent letters to the editor. 

On the one hand, I try to give voice to a progressive Christian worldview. People in my deep-red community need to know that alternatives exist to religious-right fundamentalism and far-right politics. On the other hand, if I push too far, I alienate many of the people I want to engage.

This tension, which I always feel, has been exacerbated during Trump’s early weeks in office. Like many others, I feel shell-shocked by Trump’s daily assaults on the federal government. However, responding with full-throated condemnation is counterproductive in my majority-MAGA town. But keeping silent feels like complicity in this unprecedented and relentless attack on American democracy.

Last week, I wrote a letter to the editor of my local newspaper, sharing my concerns about the current political environment. I tried to avoid (for now) topics which would immediately turn conservative readers off. Instead, I attempted to focus on issues that a good number of my fellow citizens would likely care about. It’s not a perfect solution. But it felt like an appropriate first step in a long-term communication effort. The letter, written before Friday's disastrous meeting between Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, follows.

Expressing Our Concerns

Like many other Americans (Democrats, Republicans, and Independents), I have concerns about recent developments occurring in our country. Several examples follow.

Foreign aid (which makes up less than 1 percent of the U.S. budget) is being cut to the poorest of the poor, including millions of hungry children. Ukraine is being accused of starting the war with Russia when the exact opposite is true. And crucial U.S. support for Ukraine is under threat. All of this plays into the hands of Vladimir Putin, a brutal murderous dictator who wants to destroy Western democracy. 

Promises made to American farmers are being broken, putting many of them in serious financial jeopardy. Tariff threats are putting America at risk of even higher inflation. Grants for life-saving medical research are being cut off. Relationships with our closest allies are being severely ruptured. And huge numbers of crucial nonpartisan civil servants are being indiscriminately fired, often in violation of federal law. 

Hundreds of violent criminals have been pardoned, including people who viciously attacked police officers. Plans are being drawn up that make massive cuts to programs that benefit the poorest people in America—while the richest people are likely to receive a $4.5 trillion tax break. Major efforts are being taken to dramatically increase executive power, severely threatening long-held constitutional checks and balances between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. And the list goes on.

I’m not suggesting that Americans condemn their party or their president. But in a democracy, it’s both acceptable and healthy to challenge specific policies that concern us, even if they originate from our political team. We can be a loyal supporter of our party and president yet still disagree with them from time to time. 

So if you are troubled by any of these recent developments, please contact your elected representatives and share your concerns. If large numbers of their constituents speak up, politicians will pay attention, and policies can be adjusted. For example, if enough people demand that we continue to support Ukraine against the brutal attacks of Russia, the administration would likely change course before it’s too late.

These are volatile days in America. We need good people, including the good people of our community, to support our elected leaders when they get it right and to respectfully challenge them when they don’t. And it needs to happen now. 

The Rev. Martin Thielen is a retired United Methodist clergyman who writes a blog, Doubter's Parish. This essay is republished with the Doubter's Parish newsletter.