The Return of Empire
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
"The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: ‘It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses.’" — Isaiah 3:14
History warns us that empire is a hungry thing. It is never satisfied, always looking for more—more land, more power, more wealth. The myth of empire is that it expands under the banner of civilization, security, or economic growth. But strip away the rhetoric, and empire is simply greed with a flag.
We are watching this greed consume the United States. Calls to make Canada the 51st state, take over Greenland, and steal the Panama Canal are more than just absurd bravado; they reveal a colonial mindset that sees land as something to be claimed. Renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Denali echoes the old imperial instinct to erase indigenous identity and replace it with symbols of conquest. And now, as historian Timothy Snyder warned,1 the U.S. is undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and capacity to rebuild after the war by demanding 50% of its minerals. This is not diplomacy; it is exploitation dressed up as “peace talks.” If we truly want peace in Ukraine, we should tell Russian troops to return to Russia.
This is empire-building, and it is profoundly unethical. Every major spiritual tradition calls for justice, fairness, and respect for the dignity of all people. The Jewish tradition warns against the arrogance of empire, reminding us,“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbors work for nothing and does not give them their wages,” (Jeremiah 22:13). The Christian gospel calls for humility, not domination—Jesus himself rejected the temptation of worldly power (Matthew 4:8-10). The Islamic tradition teaches that leadership is a trust, not an entitlement, with the Prophet Muhammad saying, “The best of leaders are those who love and serve their people.” Even Buddhism, rooted in the renunciation of power, teaches that true strength comes not from control but from compassion.
The resurgence of empire is not just a political issue; it is a spiritual crisis. When a nation begins to view other lands and peoples as objects to be consumed rather than partners to be honored, it loses its moral foundation. Colonialism, in all its forms, is a betrayal of the sacred.
So what do we do? We resist empire’s myths. We refuse to accept conquest as progress. We hold our leaders accountable to the values they claim to uphold. And we remember that justice is not passive; it requires action, voice, and courage. The theologian Walter Brueggemann reminds us, “Justice is to sort out what belongs to whom, and to return it to them.”2 Empire takes. Justice restores.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where do you see the mindset of empire in today’s world?
How does your faith tradition call you to respond to injustice?
What is one concrete action you can take to resist the spread of empire?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for Justice and Integrity
Holy One,
You created this world not for greed,
but for shared abundance.
You gave us each land to care for,
not to exploit, but to protect.
Open our eyes to the deceit of empire.
Give us wisdom to see through the lies,
courage to speak against oppression,
and hearts that long for justice.
Let us be people of peace,
not conquerors, but neighbors,
not thieves, but healers,
not empire-builders, but kingdom-makers.
For we belong to one another.
And the earth belongs to You.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Naming the Empire
Empire thrives when it goes unchallenged.
Take some time to notice and name where empire-thinking shows up—in politics, in media, even in your own assumptions. Pay attention to how land, people, and power are talked about.
When you see the mindset of empire at work, ask yourself: What is a faithful response? It may be speaking up in conversation, writing to a representative, learning more, or supporting those directly affected.
The first step in resisting empire is recognizing it for what it is.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
March 11, 18, 25 2025, 7-8:30pm - Dr. Matthew Fox and I are hosting a Lenten series that we are calling “From Darkness to Dawn: Spiritual Courage and Political Action in the Age of MAGA.” Our first session (recording available) was with modern mystic, Mirabai Starr. Andrew Harvey is our next guest on March 11! The amazing Bishop Yvette Flunder on March 18! Father Adam Bucko on March 25! REGISTER HERE!
April 1, 2025, 12pm ET - Rev. Damien Lake and I are collaborating on hosting a cohort for new congregation developers that will meet monthly. Ecumenical. Interfaith. Free. Join us.
April 1, 2025 - Rabbi Benjamin Ross and I are collaborating on a new leadership program called “All Together Now: A Collaborative Cohort for Jewish Congregational Leadership Teams.” You can read about the program here.
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://substack.com/home/post/p-157312149?source=queue
Walter Brueggemann, “Voices of the Night – Against Justice,” To Act Justly, Love Tenderly, Walk Humbly: an Agenda for Ministers (New York: Paulist Press, 1986), 5.
The irony is that the US became an Empire post-WWII, we had a wealthy economy and were the leader of the world, When the Geo-political leadership split, and our economy though strong, we had China as another leader and instability. When Trump says, "MAGA", I feel like its all those folks that think we can go back to pre-globalization. I see us as having a tough time losing Empire and this is a Faux attempt to regain something that is not regainable, but by saying it loud enough and long enough---we'll be it "AGAIN". A lot of foolishness, that's pushing us into a post-Empire power, faster than ever. So sad.I want NOT to be an Empire, and live in a 2nd or 3rd rate power, which doesn't have such aspirations for world dominance.