When I first saw this phrase in the news I couldn\u2019t help but use it as a title for comments about the role of churches in the present crisis where the federal government is engaging in wholesale abuse of its citizens. \u201cDios Habla Hoy,\u201d God Speaks Today, should be on the lips and minds of all churchgoers and believers who believe that Christians should practice what they preach in the marketplace of real life. Churches must rise to the occasion and call out the immoral and illegal actions of our government.<\/p>\n
Iglesia Dios Habla Hoy is a Pentecostal church in south Minneapolis that primarily serves the Latino community. Most recently it has stepped up to provide support for the immigrant community by delivering groceries to families too afraid to go out during the ICE occupation. So far they have delivered groceries to about 24,000 families with help from the local community, including the Chief of Police Brian O\u2019Hara and Mayor Jacob Frey.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, not enough church leaders step out from their pulpits to challenge our government when it arrogantly violates and flaunts the tenets of Christianity and the teachings of Jesus. Church criticism does not have to be partisan, take sides between Democrats and Republicans, or even name individual politicians or government officials; they can simply call attention to societal issues that contradict long-held virtues of churchgoers and more secular citizens as well.<\/p>\n
As inspirational as the actions of Iglesia Habla Hoy are, the larger mainline churches really need to take the lead in resisting the racial and ethnic abuse of immigrants and American citizens caught in the dragnet by ICE. Not until mainline Christians and others stand up and say \u201cno more\u201d will the maiming and killing of Americans by Americans stop.<\/p>\n
So far, the lead has been taken by the Catholic Church. The Catholic clergy* has been given the green light by Pope Leo XIV to speak out against what\u2019s happening in Minnesota while criticizing Washington\u2019s indifference to the suffering of people in the Ukraine, Venezuela and elsewhere. A chorus of Catholic leaders have spoken out, including the three highest ranking American cardinals. Timothy P. Broglio, head of thCatholic archdiocese for U.S. military, recently said that it is \u201cmorally acceptable for U.S. troops to disobey orders that violate their conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, Episcopal Bishop Rob Hirschfeld** of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire in Concord made headlines by deploring the \u201ccruelty, injustice and the horror\u201d unleashed in Minnesota. Especially startling was his telling clergy to prepare their wills for what might be \u201ca new era of martyrdom.\u201d Hirschfeld spoke out at length with many fellow Episcopalians lending their support as well as those who disagreed with his analysis.<\/p>\n
These examples are certainly significant and timely, but they need to be augmented by action from mainline Protestant clergy, Baptists, Congregationalists, Methodists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians. As I wrote in an earlier column (Making God Count and \u201cWhat Would Jesus Do,\u201d November 2025) concerted action under a religious banner must be dominated by these denominations as our predominant faith is Protestant.<\/p>\n
Drive around on Sunday and you will see lots of churches with their parking lots full. A simple sermon questioning government policy and the behavior of ICE would send a message to Washington that we have lost our way. Enough is enough. And clerical activism, for instance attending protest gatherings, would help assure parishioners and others that protest is righteous.<\/p>\n
Dios Habla Hoy<\/p>\n
* \u201cTop Catholic Clergy Denounce U.S Foreign Policy,\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, 19 January 2026 When I first saw this phrase in the news I couldn\u2019t help but use it as a title for comments about the role of churches in the present crisis where the federal government is engaging in wholesale abuse of its citizens. \u201cDios Habla Hoy,\u201d God Speaks Today, should be on the lips and minds of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-by-robert-fischer"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n** \u201cHeard on Weekend Edition,\u201d NPR,<\/em> 18 January 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"