{"id":11907,"date":"2024-07-03T13:50:26","date_gmt":"2024-07-03T17:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/ecopreacher\/?p=11907"},"modified":"2024-07-05T09:27:26","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T13:27:26","slug":"how-should-clergy-respond-to-presidential-immunity-ruling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/ecopreacher\/2024\/07\/how-should-clergy-respond-to-presidential-immunity-ruling\/","title":{"rendered":"How Should Clergy Respond to Presidential Immunity Ruling?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

The equation for ministry in this election season changed on July 1 with the Supreme Court presidential immunity ruling.<\/em><\/p>\n

"Presidential

Presidential immunity. Graphic created by Leah D. Schade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We woke up on July 1, 2024, in a different country.\u00a0 On that day, the Supreme Court ruled by a 6-3 majority in the case of Trump v. United States that presidents have immunity<\/a> from criminal prosecution for official acts during their time in office.\u00a0 Further, they established that \u201cthis immunity must be absolute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Implications of the Supreme Court presidential immunity ruling<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Giving the office of the president absolute immunity for official acts means that no order under Art. II, Sec 2 can be reviewed by the courts. The president\u2019s powers include those of Commander in Chief and the ability to call state militias into federal service. This means the president could turn the military on its own citizens (as Trump wanted to do during the George Floyd protests<\/a> in 2020) without any repercussions.<\/p>\n

Paving the way for Project 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The SCOTUS immunity ruling also allows the president to fire any federal executive branch employee at will.\u00a0 This is exactly the plan of Project 2025<\/a>. This is the well-funded far-right think tank plan to end federal civil service and replace all those positions with Trump loyalists who will do his bidding. And that\u2019s just the beginning of their agenda for a post-democracy America.\u00a0 Read more from Democracy Forward here<\/a> and from the BBC here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Consolidating the power of the Executive Branch<\/strong><\/h2>\n*********
** *********The SCOTUS ruling establishes that neither Congress nor the courts can limit or even \u201cexamine\u201d POTUS powers.\u00a0 This means there is no longer congressional or judicial oversight of the presidency.\u00a0 For example, a president could sell state secrets stored in his bathroom to any hostile foreign power without any repercussions.<\/p>\n

But isn\u2019t the immunity limited?<\/strong><\/h3>\n*********
** *********The SCOTUS ruling concedes that \u201cunofficial acts\u201d are not immune.\u00a0 But this simply means that the president need only declare anything he does an \u201cofficial act,\u201d and it would be immune.\u00a0 If Trump gets into office again, he will not make the mistake of doing anything without declaring it an official act. And it will be impossible to prove that any act is \u201cunofficial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inquiry into motive is outlawed<\/strong><\/h3>\n***********
** SCOTUS also ruled that \u201ccourts may not inquire into the President\u2019s motives.\u201d Thus, an \u201cofficial act\u201d \u2013 even if done as the result of a bribe \u2013 is immune.<\/p>\n
** ***********The long and short of it is that the POTUS can do corrupt and illegal things, including inciting a coup or an insurrection, as \u201cofficial acts\u201d and have complete immunity.\u00a0 As it now stands, the President of the United States is no longer subject to criminal law.<\/p>\n

All of this means that the equation for preaching and ministry in this election season changed on July 1.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is no longer about red-blue politics or finding what I call the \u201cPurple Zone<\/a>.\u201d No, this is now about bringing together our collective power as churches and faith communities to hold the line against authoritarian rule.<\/p>\n

The Supreme Court\u2019s ruling on presidential immunity has changed the rules of the game.<\/strong><\/h3>\n***************
** ***************Clergy who have been hesitant to address politics in the past must recognize that the situation is different now. Because the Supreme Court has invested the office of the president with unlimited power, preachers and congregations must speak out. We must warn against the consequences of voting for a Republican administration that will use this power to establish a theocratic authoritarian dictatorship supported by a fascistic infrastructure that is already wielding its power.<\/p>\n

And, no, this is not being alarmist.\u00a0 This is their stated plan<\/a>.\u00a0 We must believe them.<\/p>\n

[Here is Jon Oliver\u2019s explanation of the GOP plan for Project 2025 and Trump\u2019s second term \u2013 with a dash of humor:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gYwqpx6lp_s<\/a>.]<\/p>\n

Now is not the time to be squeamish about preaching and politics.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We know that Christian nationalist clergy are preaching about politics on a regular basis.\u00a0 Some have told their congregations they will go to hell if they vote for Democrats<\/a>. Others such as Pastor Greg Locke are urging their congregations to use violence.<\/a><\/p>\n

So, clergy who preach the gospel of Jesus Christ must be bold and courageous.<\/strong><\/h3>\n*******************
** These next four months must be about inspiring and mobilizing our congregations to stand united against the fascistic takeover of our nation. We must urge those in the pews and in our communities to turn out at the polls and use any and all methods of nonviolent resistance against autocracy.<\/p>\n
** *******************It doesn\u2019t matter how you feel about Biden, or his debate performance, or his age, or anything else.\u00a0 We are voting for an administration, <\/em>not just a single person.\u00a0 We are voting for the only chance we have left to save ourselves from tyranny.<\/p>\n

The only path forward is to stand with the Democratic administration and vote for Democrats in all elections \u2014 local, state, and presidential.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We must call for expanding the Supreme Court in order to overturn this disastrous ruling on presidential immunity.\u00a0 And to roll back all the other rulings of this extremist Court that have decimated the rights and protections of this country.\u00a0 These rulings include overturning the Chevron doctrine<\/a> which removed the power of regulatory agencies to protect the health and safety of Americans.\u00a0 Not to mention stripping women of their bodily autonomy in the Dobbs decision<\/a>. And even criminalizing homelessness and sleeping in public<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As Vox <\/em>senior correspondent Ian Millhiser writes<\/a>: \u201cThese are not simply cases that are wrong or harmful to many Americans, they are cases that are fundamentally at odds with the idea that the United States is a constitutional democracy, with a government that is simultaneously bound by written legal texts and fundamentally accountable to the American people and not to an unelected oligarchy.\u201d<\/p>\n

What if Trump wins?<\/h3>\n

I encourage you to check out a website that lays out different scenarios about possible election outcomes.\u00a0 It\u2019s a choose-your-own-adventure interactive site that is well written, detailed, and an eye opener.\u00a0 This is helpful for groups deciding how prepare and move forward.\u00a0 https:\/\/whatiftrumpwins.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Next \u2013 A Biblical Response to the Ruling for Presidential Immunity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In this piece<\/a> I suggest 3 Old Testament passages that can provide a biblical response to the Supreme Court establishing presidential immunity.\u00a0 These could be used for a sermon series or teaching forum. (An article on New Testament passages is coming soon!)<\/p>\n

"Clergy<\/p>\n

In the meantime, I encourage clergy to join a group I co-founded called the Clergy Emergency League<\/a>. This is a network of more than 2,500 clergy across the U.S. supporting each other in resisting christofascism.<\/p>\n

People of faith, we must dissent, we must resist, and we must stand together against tyranny!<\/p>\n

Read also:<\/h4>\n

3 Old Testament Passages about the Tyranny of Kings<\/a><\/p>\n

Trumpism is a Starfish, not a Spider. How should churches respond?<\/a><\/p>\n

Herod and Trump \u2013 Different Times, Same Story<\/a><\/p>\n

Gaslighting in the Age of Trump: 6 Tips for Survival<\/a><\/p>\n

\n***************************
** ***************************"Leah<\/p>\n

The Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade<\/strong>\u00a0is the Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at\u00a0<\/em>Lexington Theological Seminary<\/i><\/a>\u00a0in Kentucky and ordained in the ELCA. Dr. Schade does not speak for LTS or the ELCA; her opinions are her own.\u00a0 She is the author of\u00a0<\/em>Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide<\/a>\u00a0(Rowman & Littlefield, 2019)<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>Creation-Crisis Preaching: Ecology, Theology, and the Pulpit<\/a>\u00a0(Chalice Press, 2015). She is the co-editor of\u00a0<\/em>Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis<\/a>\u00a0(Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). Her newest book is\u00a0<\/em>Introduction to Preaching: Scripture, Theology, and Sermon Preparation<\/a>, co-authored with Jerry L. Sumney and Emily Askew (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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She has pastored congregations in suburban, urban, and rural contexts. She has authored or co-edited seven books: Preaching and Social Issues: Tools and Tactics for Empowering Your Prophetic Voice (Alban Books, Rowman & Littlefield, 2024); Introduction to Preaching: Scripture, Theology, and Sermon Preparation (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023); Apocalypse When?: A Guide to Interpreting and Preaching Apocalyptic Texts (Wipf & Stock, 2020); Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide (Alban Books\/Rowman & Littlefield, 2019); Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019); For the Beauty of the Earth: A Lenten Devotional (Chalice Press, 2019); Creation-Crisis Preaching: Ecology, Theology, and the Pulpit (Chalice Press, 2015). She is also the EcoPreacher blogger for Patheos. Rev. Dr. Leah D. 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She has pastored congregations in suburban, urban, and rural contexts. She has authored or co-edited seven books: Preaching and Social Issues: Tools and Tactics for Empowering Your Prophetic Voice (Alban Books, Rowman & Littlefield, 2024); Introduction to Preaching: Scripture, Theology, and Sermon Preparation (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023); Apocalypse When?: A Guide to Interpreting and Preaching Apocalyptic Texts (Wipf & Stock, 2020); Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide (Alban Books\/Rowman & Littlefield, 2019); Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019); For the Beauty of the Earth: A Lenten Devotional (Chalice Press, 2019); Creation-Crisis Preaching: Ecology, Theology, and the Pulpit (Chalice Press, 2015). She is also the EcoPreacher blogger for Patheos. Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade, author of Preaching and Social Issues Leah has served as an anti-fracking and climate activist, community organizer, and advocate for environmental justice issues. She is currently the grant director for the $1.25 million project \u201cCompelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World\u201d at LTS in partnership with The BTS Center and Creation Justice Ministries. She also partners with ecoAmerica\u2019s Blessed Tomorrow, and the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, with whom she writes EcoPreacher 1-2-3 for busy pastors wanting to address environmental issues in their sermons. She also served as President of the Academy of Homiletics in 2024. She has been a featured speaker for the Festival of Homiletics, leads workshops and retreats, and keynotes events throughout the country. 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