evangelicals roepen op tot verzet tegen trump op aswoensdag
Washington D.C., woensdag, 18 februari 2026.
duizenden evangelischen christenen in de vs roepen op tot verzet tegen president donald trump. zij doen dat juist op aswoensdag, een heilige dag in de vastenperiode. de oproep komt van progressieve evangelicals die vinden dat het christendom wordt verdroefd door politiek engagement. zij zeggen dat je niet én jesus én trump kunt volgen. de beweging vergelijkt zichzelf met historische weerstandsacties uit 1934 tegen hitler. hun doel is simpel: gelovigen wakker schudden. ze hopen dat een kleine verschuiving in het evangelicale electoraat grote gevolgen heeft. de oproep is gericht aan mensen die god en democratie serieus nemen.
religious call to action on ash wednesday
Thousands of progressive evangelicals in the United States issued a public appeal on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026, urging fellow Christians to resist President Donald Trump’s policies [1]. The declaration, titled ‘A Call to Christians in a Crisis of Faith and Democracy’, was released deliberately on Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent—a traditional period of reflection and penance in Christian practice [3]. Organizers believe that even modest success could disrupt the political alignment between white evangelicals and Trump [1]. The initiative draws direct inspiration from the 1934 Barmen Declaration, which opposed Nazi influence in German churches [1].
leadership and theological framing
The call was spearheaded by Shane Claiborne, a prominent evangelical activist known for his anti-war and social justice advocacy [1]. Claiborne insists that allegiance to Jesus is incompatible with support for Trump, stating plainly: ‘You cannot follow both Trump and Jesus’ [1]. He described the document as ‘prophetic’, echoing Old Testament prophets who challenged rulers deemed morally corrupt [1]. Claiborne co-founded Red Letter Christians, a movement emphasizing the teachings of Jesus, particularly on care for the marginalized [1]. His activism includes civil disobedience actions resulting in four arrests, including protests at Lockheed Martin facilities linked to arms exports [1].
targeting the evangelical base
The organizers specifically aim to reach white evangelical Protestants, a group where support for Trump remains strong despite growing criticism [1]. According to background data, over 80% of white evangelicals voted for Trump in November 2024, and seven out of ten continue to back him [1]. This demographic constitutes roughly 25% of Republican voters and totals around 78 million Americans [1]. Historian James Kennedy notes that due to the U.S. electoral system, even small shifts in voter behavior among this bloc could prove decisive in future elections [1]. The appeal warns against what it calls the heresy of ‘white Christian nationalism’, accusing it of distorting faith for political power [1].
inspiration from historical resistance
The structure and tone of the appeal mirror the 1934 Barmen Theses, a confession drafted by Protestant theologians to oppose the Nazification of German churches under Hitler [1]. Claiborne explicitly invoked this parallel, arguing that religion must never serve to deify politicians [1]. Another key figure behind the initiative is Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners and director of Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice, a hub for progressive Christian thought [1]. The movement rejects partisan labels, framing its mission not as left versus right but as moral clarity versus complicity—echoing abolitionist Frederick Douglass’s distinction between oppressive and liberating forms of Christianity [1].
grassroots momentum and cautious optimism
While no concrete actions beyond the initial declaration were announced, activists report increasing involvement of clergy and lay believers in civic dissent [1]. Dominee Carl Ruby from Springfield, Ohio, observes that some former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have resigned on moral grounds, whom he refers to as ‘Ice-breakers’ [1]. Zach Szmara of Immigrant Connection confirms a shift, noting that empathy, once bipartisan, has now become politicized—yet remains central to Christian ethics [1]. Marie Griffith, professor of religious studies at Washington University, suggests Americans increasingly inhabit divergent ‘moral and theological worlds’ [1]. Activists remain impatient but hopeful about change [1].