“They Should be Ashamed of Themselves”
Some Christians Push Back on Food, Healthcare Cuts Passed in God’s Name
“The Good Samaritan,” Luigi Sciallero. 1854, via Wikimedia Commons
This piece originally appeared on Fran Quigley’s blog Housing Is A Human Right on July 25, 2025.
To celebrate the passage of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” legislation that is going to cause sick people to lose healthcare and poor families to go hungry, House Speaker Mike Johnson tweeted “Soli Deo Gloria”—Glory to God Alone.
Many Christians beg to differ.
Consider the no-holds-barred statement of the Presbyterian Church USA’s Office of Public Witness in reaction to the new law:
As followers of Jesus Christ and advocates for economic justice, we cannot remain silent. Scripture calls us to a higher moral standard. From the cries of the prophets to the teachings of Jesus, we are commanded to feed the hungry, defend the poor, and proclaim justice for the oppressed. . .
We grieve for those whose lives will be irreparably harmed by this vote. We lament the deliberate choices that prioritize wealth over compassion, and power over justice . . .
The early church modeled a radical vision of equity and mutual care — "there was not a needy person among them … the proceeds were distributed to each as any had need" (Acts 4:34–35). We are called to live in that same spirit of generosity and solidarity today.
The National Baptist Convention, representing millions of members of historically Black churches, condemned the legislation as a “fundamental betrayal of the values of economic justice and care for the vulnerable that are central to our Christian faith”
The Catholic advocacy organization NETWORK said, “This is a moral failure for the lawmakers who passed it and a betrayal of the trust of their constituents who elected them to look after their interests. They should be ashamed of themselves.”
The Christian advocacy organization Bread for the World’s president and CEO was similarly blunt. “We need to be clear eyed and honest – this bill’s passage will significantly increase hunger in the United States,” said the Rev. Eugene Cho. ““God calls on us to care for our neighbors in need. This bill fails that test.”
Even U.S. Catholic Bishops denounced “unconscionable cuts to healthcare and food assistance” in the bill, which they say “takes from the poor to give to the wealthy.”
Criticism of the legislation came from other religious corners as well. Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said “As a Reform Movement committed to lifting up the most vulnerable — the orphan, the widow, and the stranger — this budget reconciliation bill is an immoral erosion of our socioeconomic fabric that will leave tens of thousands to needlessly suffer each year . . . The Book of Proverbs reminds us to “speak up, judge righteously, and champion the poor and the needy (31:9).”
The Muslim Civic Coalition said, “This bill threatens immigrant families, healthcare, food security, and economic fairness, while handing massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. It would supercharge mass detention, slash Medicaid and SNAP, and punish asylum seekers and children.”
But Donald Trump was elected President in 2024 in significant part due to winning a strong majority of Christian voters. Christianity is far and away the largest religious affiliation in the U.S., with over 60% of Americans identifying as Christian. Powerful lawmakers like Speaker Johnson claim they are acting in the name of the Christian God, with Trump saying his presidency is a “righteous crusade.”
So U.S. Christians’ response to this historic legislation is particularly important. We will see in next year’s mid-term elections whether this President Trump—Speaker Johnson vision of Christianity fits with their values or not.
