When Empire Tries to Silence Us
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord. —Jeremiah 1:8
Last week, a North Dakota jury ordered Greenpeace to pay over $660 million to Energy Transfer—the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. Their “crime”? Supporting peaceful water protectors at Standing Rock. Let that sink in. A movement grounded in prayer, land protection, and Indigenous rights is now being penalized as though it were organized crime.
Sushma Raman, interim executive director of Greenpeace USA, and Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, write:1
The legal tactic being used against the Greenpeace movement is a classic example of what’s known as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (Slapp). Slapps are frequently used by wealthy people and corporations – in this case, the oil and gas industry – to silence constitutionally protected free speech…
If corporations can weaponize the court system to attack protesters and advocates for their speech, then any political speech or cause could become a target. And in an environment where the Trump administration is regularly leading dangerous attacks against our basic rights and liberties, including against the press and activists, this threat is all the more serious.
If those who speak for justice can be bankrupted for bearing witness, then it’s not just Greenpeace on trial. It’s free speech. It’s the sacred calling to protect life and land. It’s the hope that our systems of law can still hold space for moral courage.
This is how Empire works. It doesn’t always come in with swords or armies. Sometimes, Empire comes in through courts and contracts. Through bureaucracy. Through threats meant to wear us down, sap our hope, and convince us that fighting back just isn’t worth it.
Theologian Dorothee Sölle once wrote: “Every theological statement must be a political statement as well.”2 If that’s true—and I believe it is—then we must say plainly that the attempt to silence environmental defenders is not just a legal issue. It’s a theological one. This isn’t just about a pipeline. It’s about power—who has it, who is crushed under it, and how it gets wielded to maintain control.
Empire always fears love that is willing to resist. Because that kind of love—courageous, committed, organized—is dangerous to systems built on domination. It can’t be bought, and it doesn’t flinch. It lives in the prophets who said “no more,” in the water protectors who sing on the front lines, and in the communities of faith who refuse to stand down.
So what now?
We remember that this kind of backlash is not new. Jesus was arrested and killed for confronting Empire. So were the prophets. So were those who sheltered the vulnerable, challenged unjust rulers, or lifted the lowly. When intimidation comes, we are in good company.
Our job is not to win every battle. Our job is to keep showing up with integrity. To speak even when our voices shake. To keep saying, again and again, “Another world is possible—and worth fighting for.”
We can say that in mass on April 5. There are hundreds of protests being organized around the US. I hope you are registered!
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
How do you respond when you see powerful systems trying to silence those who speak for justice?
What gives you courage when the cost of speaking out feels high?
Where in your own life are you being called to take a stand, even in small and quiet ways?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for Steady Courage
God of the humble and the bold,
You have walked among us as one who challenged injustice,
not with might, but with mercy.
When the weight of power threatens to crush the good,
breathe into us a courage that is steady—not brash, not reckless—
but rooted in love.
Help us stand beside those who are silenced,
to hold space for truth,
and to keep faith that what is done in love will never be wasted.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Small Acts of Courage
When institutions fail or intimidate, small acts of courage matter more than ever. Choose one action that helps resist the silencing of truth. It might be writing a letter to a leader, attending a local organizing meeting, or simply having a difficult but honest conversation with someone about what’s happening.
But also—care for your body. Afterward, take a moment to rest. To breathe deeply. Place a hand over your heart and remind yourself: you are part of a long tradition of truth-tellers. You are not alone.
Let this be your liturgy: Truth and tenderness. Resistance and rest.
Again and again, we rise.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
May 19-22, 2025 - Preaching and Worship FREE Online Summit: From war to genocide to a global climate crisis to a nation that perpetuates racism, misogyny, transphobia, and more from the highest office in the land, how do we prepare a sermon, a liturgy, a song, a prayer? Learn from some of our best preachers. REGISTER HERE.
June 4, 2025, 12pm ET - Jeff Chu has written a new book on a topic close to my heart: Soil! The title is “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand.” I am so pleased to be interviewing him. Together, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate “good soil” in our lives, our communities, and our spiritual practices. I hope you will register. Your registration includes a copy of his new book.
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/commentisfree/2025/mar/25/the-north-dakota-ruling-against-greenpeace-is-a-threat-to-free-speech
https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9780800630799/Against-the-Wind
Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Cameron! You rock. I so appreciate your emails. You are doing so much good.