Courage in the Face of Authoritarianism: Historical Roots and Modern Responses

Presbyterian Advocacy Hour

Wednesday, February 25, 11 a.m. CST, Zoom

From the Presbyterian Church (USA)

What we are witnessing in the United States right now is chilling: the normalization of cruelty, the targeting of vulnerable communities, and the steady weakening of democratic safeguards that are meant to protect people from state abuse. As immigrant communities face ICE raids and dissent is increasingly treated as a threat, many Presbyterians are feeling grief, fear, and urgency, and asking what faithful courage looks like now.

Join us for a Presbyterian Advocacy Hour offering historical perspective, theological grounding, and practical next steps for faithful public witness. Together, we will explore how tactics of control and repression have long been used within the United States and abroad, and how they continue to shape life here through militarized policing, expanded surveillance, and efforts to silence dissent. We will also reflect on what disciplined nonviolence and protest can look like in this moment, rooted in community, solidarity, and moral clarity.

We will hear policy and historical analysis tracing how U.S. “national security” frameworks have expanded over time, shaping domestic policing, civil liberties, and the treatment of protest and dissent, and helping us understand the systems behind what many communities are experiencing right now.

We will also be anchored by theological reflection, revisiting the Barmen Declaration, a confession of faith written in resistance to authoritarian rule. We will explore how this historic witness can strengthen the church’s moral clarity today, and help Presbyterians discern what courageous discipleship requires in a time of rising repression.

Finally, we will learn from Presbyterian activists and organizers engaged in local public witness, who will share what faith-rooted organizing looks like on the ground, how communities build resilience under pressure, and what practical action can look like when the national picture feels overwhelming.

To learn more about the Presbyterian Advocacy Hour and to register for upcoming classes, go to PC(USA)’s website page. These sessions are offered on Zoom at 11 a.m. CDT.