A panel discussion at the University of St. Thomas School of Law addressed the challenges and appropriate Christian responses to government abuses and civil injustice. The event, held on March 5, 2026, was sponsored by the Murphy Institute, a collaboration between the Center for Catholic Studies and the law school. Moderator Robert Kennedy emphasized that a fundamental Christian expectation in responding to injustice is manifesting genuine charity, defined as a true willingness to love others. The panel included legal and academic experts, such as Rachel Moran and Thomas Berg, to discuss the topic.
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A panel discussion titled “Protests and a Christian Response to Government Abuses” occurred on March 5, 2026, at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis.1
Sponsored by the Murphy Institute, it involved collaboration between the Center for Catholic Studies, law school, and Opus College of Business.1
Moderator Robert Kennedy, a Catholic studies professor, set the stage by emphasizing charity as central to Christian responses.1
Kennedy referenced Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, highlighting a strong but not absolute duty to obey lawful authority.1
Jesus' submission to unjust condemnation exemplifies enduring injustice peacefully as an act of charity.1
Peace fosters harmony, and protests risk sacrificing it for short-term goals.1
Christians should approach protests with "clean hands, open minds, and loving hearts," prioritizing the common good.1
Key virtues include obedience (without ignoring injustice), forbearance in criticism, and patience for clearer perspective.1
Protesters must weigh unintended consequences, like blocking emergency access.1
Rachel Moran, a clinical education director and defense lawyer, views protesting as biblically supported against power abuses, aiding marginalized groups like immigrants and minorities.1
She notes Jesus' call to minister to the marginalized and sees protests as sparking critical thinking.1
Thomas Berg critiqued a January 18, 2026, protest at Cities Church in St. Paul that disrupted worship, questioning its legality on private property and effectiveness compared to civil rights "kneel-ins."1
Francis Shen stressed discernment per Catechism 2242, where civil directives conflicting with moral order justify protest, but consistency in morals is essential.1
John Inazu linked assembly rights to religious freedom, citing Christian-led movements like women's suffrage, temperance, labor unions, and civil rights.1
He emphasized long-range theological witness over mere disruption.1
Protests vary in motivation, yet participation remains valid despite differing signs or views.1
Controlling crowd behavior is difficult, but non-violence, as in civil rights efforts, is key to winning hearts.1
Solidarity with the marginalized can drive change, but actions must align with conscience and avoid harm.1
The discussion referenced anti-ICE protests, including a January 30, 2026, "ICE Out" event in Minneapolis following fatal shootings, and charges under the FACE Act at Cities Church involving figures like Don Lemon.1
These examples highlight tensions between activism and religious freedoms.1
Examine Catholic doctrine on protest: charity versus civil disobedience
Catholic doctrine affirms a fundamental duty of citizens to legitimate civil authority while prioritizing obedience to God over human laws that contradict the moral order, divine law, or Gospel teachings. Civil disobedience or protest is permissible—and sometimes obligatory—when civil directives violate fundamental rights or conscience, but it must be exercised prudently, non-violently, and in light of charity, which perfects justice and guides discernment to avoid greater harms like scandal or social disorder. This balance reflects the Church's social teaching, where charity animates justice without supplanting the pursuit of the common good through lawful means.
Catholics are called to contribute to society's good "in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom," fulfilling roles in the political community out of gratitude and charity. This includes submission to legitimate authorities and cooperation in building up society. The Catechism emphasizes that love and service of one's country belong to the order of charity, requiring active participation rather than withdrawal.
However, this duty has limits. Oaths or compliance can be refused if demanded by "illegitimate civil authorities" or for purposes contrary to human dignity or ecclesial communion. The citizen's conscience obliges cooperation only insofar as it aligns with moral demands.
The Church teaches unequivocally: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). Citizens are "obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel." This distinction—rendering to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's (Mt 22:21)—justifies refusing obedience to unjust demands.
Protest or disobedience is not rebellion but a defense of higher law. Pope Pius XI noted that while the Church condemns "unjust insurrection or violence against constituted powers," citizens may licitly defend themselves and the nation against authorities that "arise against justice and truth even to destroying the very foundations of authority." Such actions must use "licit and appropriate means."
Drawing on St. Thomas Aquinas, Catholic conscience permits disobedience only after proving a law's injustice: it must fail as "an ordinance of reason directed to the common good, made by him who has competent authority, and promulgated." Not every unjust law demands immediate refusal; compliance may be tolerated if disobedience causes greater harm, such as scandal (leading others to evil or disregard for just laws) or disturbance (confusion, disorder, or anarchy).
Aquinas invokes the Sermon on the Mount: "If anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well" (Mt 5:40), urging charity's perfection of justice even amid minor injustices. Disobedience is reserved for laws mandating violation of divine law, prioritizing truth over relativistic moralities.
Charity is not opposed to justice or protest but elevates them. It "perfects...the law of justice" by befriending others "not with the word alone...but in deed and in truth," mindful of Christ's new commandment (Jn 13:34-35). Pope Benedict XVI taught that charity "enables justice to become more inventive," inspiring efforts for authentic justice while correcting it with merciful love. Charity and truth are inseparable (caritas in veritate), shaping social action without relativizing moral responsibility.
In protest, this means renouncing violence: those safeguarding rights through "means of defense available to the weakest" witness evangelical charity, provided they respect others' rights. Charity demands zeal for souls' eternal good alongside temporal aid, adapting to exigencies without neglecting justice.
The Church prioritizes peaceful witness over violence, as in global solidarity and reconciliation efforts. Pastoral letters from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops illustrate charity in action: accompanying Indigenous peoples in justice pursuits through dialogue, funding, and solidarity, without endorsing disruption. These emphasize walking together in truth, healing, and hope, modeling protest as relational charity rather than confrontation.
Scholarly reflections affirm charity's public impact, countering views confining it to private spheres. Justice alone is insufficient; charity purifies and humanizes it.
In summary, Catholic doctrine on protest integrates civil disobedience as a conscientious response to grave injustice, bounded by charity's call to prudence, non-violence, and the common good. Obey God first, but discern wisely to foster truth and unity rather than division.