Incremental Authoritarianism & Christian Complicity

Echoes of 1934–35 Germany; how “polite, legal” steps normalize cruelty and silence.

History rarely turns on one dramatic moment. More often, it shifts through a series of smaller ones—unnoticed or excused at the time. One law here. One policy there. A speech that seems unsettling, but perhaps not dangerous. And in these small steps, the world is reshaped.

Authoritarianism almost never begins with jackboots and prison camps. It begins with incremental changes that feel polite, legal, and even reasonable and necessary. It comes wrapped in appeals to order, morality, and national pride. It asks for silence, not violence—at least at first. And that silence becomes complicity.

Christians throughout history have faced the temptation to bless these “respectable” compromises, baptizing power structures in God’s name, convincing themselves that accommodation is prudence, and telling their conscience to wait for a “better time” to resist. Often Christians follow a doctrine of non-involvement because its just "politics." But as the prophets remind us, there is no better time to stand for truth than now.

The pressing question remains: when cruelty is legalized, what will the people of God do?

Key Scripture Context

Isaiah thundered against the rulers of Judah who wrapped oppression in legal respectability. These were not chaotic outlaws; they were officials passing decrees, writing statutes, and cloaking exploitation in the appearance of order. By hiding injustice behind the mask of legality, they lulled society into compliance.

God’s response was not neutral. Through Isaiah, He declared judgment—not just on the individuals who devised such laws, but on the entire system that sustained them. Scripture does not separate “lawful” from “righteous.” Instead, it insists that justice is measured by God’s character, not man’s statutes.

What We’re Facing

When Silence Looks Harmless

It is tempting to believe that as long as cruelty is gradual, we can ignore it. That as long as the suffering is hidden behind bureaucratic words, our conscience can stay asleep. But the prophets strip away that illusion.

Today we see this in multiple forms:

• Immigration policies that separate families at the border.

• Voting laws that surgically disenfranchise minority communities.

• Economic systems that protect wealth while leaving millions in poverty.

• Policing structures that criminalize poverty but overlook corporate fraud.

Each of these comes with a legal stamp. Each is defended as orderly, moral, even necessary. And yet, to those who suffer under them, the harm is real and devastating.

Christians are tempted to say: “It is the law; therefore, it must be acceptable.” But Isaiah exposes that lie: unjust laws are not neutral—they are instruments of violence against the vulnerable.

The danger of silence is not simply that injustice continues. The greater danger is that silence transforms us. What once felt shocking becomes normal. What once stirred outrage becomes “just the way things are.” Hearts harden, consciences dull, and complicity becomes second nature.

Then and Now—Drawing Parallels

The German Example

In 1934–35 Germany, authoritarianism unfolded with chilling subtlety. After Hitler became Chancellor, the Reichstag passed laws that, on the surface, looked like technical adjustments. Professional associations required loyalty oaths. Teachers swore allegiance. Courts reinterpreted old laws to fit new ideology.

The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 were not mass killings. They were “legal definitions” of who counted as a citizen and who did not. They prohibited intermarriage. They stripped Jewish people of public roles. Many Christians did not object. After all, the laws were “polite”—written in legal terms, justified with appeals to tradition, even cloaked in religious language about purity.

What followed is well known. Step by step, the normalization of exclusion became persecution, and persecution became atrocity.

Today’s Echoes

We do not live in 1930s Germany. But the pattern is disturbingly familiar.

• Laws passed in the name of “election integrity” quietly target the poor and minorities.

• Refugees are labeled as threats to “our way of life” rather than neighbors to be loved.

• Surveillance is expanded in the name of safety, eroding privacy and freedom.

• Political leaders frame opponents not as rivals to debate, but as enemies to destroy.

And once again, many Christians provide cover, blessing these moves as patriotic, moral, or even biblical.

Theological Truth in Plain Language

Scripture teaches us that God’s justice transcends legality. As Isaiah declared, law itself can become an instrument of sin. Paul echoed this truth in Romans 13, not to grant governments a blank check, but to remind believers that rulers are accountable to God’s standard of good, not their own interests.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who watched German Christians bless Hitler’s rise, wrote: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” His words pierce through every excuse we might make for inaction.

The gospel is not compatible with authoritarianism, no matter how respectable it looks. Jesus did not cozy up to the powers of His age; He exposed them. His kingdom does not advance by coercion but by sacrificial love. When Christians trade that love for comfort or power, they cease to follow Christ and begin to follow Caesar.

Why Complicity is So Tempting

Fear of Loss

Many believers stay silent out of fear—fear of losing status, friendships, or safety. In Germany, pastors feared losing their pulpits. Today, Christians may fear losing political influence or cultural privilege.

The Lure of Respectability

Authoritarian steps are often cloaked in “respectability.” They appeal to law, order, morality, or tradition. To resist them feels disruptive. To accept them feels safe, even noble.

The Hope It Will Pass

Perhaps most tempting is the belief that “this too shall pass.” That the injustice is temporary. That things will correct themselves. But history shows otherwise: what begins as a small step calcifies into a permanent structure—unless it is resisted.

Practical Moves of Faith

Name the Step You See

Authoritarian creep thrives in vagueness. Break its power by naming the steps clearly. Ask: What law, policy, or practice troubles my conscience? Write it down. Speak it aloud. Naming injustice is the first step in resisting it.

Return to the Prophets

Read Isaiah 10 slowly. Hear the urgency: “Woe to those who issue unfair laws.” Let that word confront you. Ask: Where are unfair laws crushing the poor today? Who benefits from these systems?

Refuse to Numb Your Conscience

When cruelty repeats, it dulls our senses. Resist that numbness. Each story of suffering is a person God loves. Pray for tenderness of heart. Let compassion fuel endurance.

Stand with the Vulnerable

Take tangible action. Support ministries serving immigrants. Donate to legal aid for the poor. Show up at city council meetings. Speak to neighbors. Refuse to let the vulnerable suffer in silence.

Anchor in Prayer

Pray daily: “Lord, show me where silence tempts me, and give me courage to act.” Prayer is not a retreat from responsibility—it is the furnace where courage is forged.

More Light for the Journey

• Micah 6:8 (NLT): “O people, the Lord has told you what is good… do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
  → A direct challenge to laws that deny mercy.

• James 2:1 (NLT): “How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?”
  → Complicity in discrimination is incompatible with faith.

• Romans 12:2 (NLT): “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you…”
  → Resisting normalization is part of transformation.

• Ephesians 5:11 (NLT): “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.”
  → Silence is complicity; exposure is obedience.

• Proverbs 31:8-9 (NLT): “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves… ensure justice for those being crushed.”
  → Advocacy is a biblical mandate, not a political option.

Let’s Walk This Out Together

Incremental authoritarianism counts on the passivity of good people. It thrives on small steps unnoticed and on polite silence. But Scripture calls us to something greater: vigilance, compassion, courage.

God does not ask us to fix the world alone. He asks us to be faithful—to speak when silence is safer, to act when inaction feels easier, and to love when fear tempts us to retreat.

Call to Action

Share your reflections in the comments, or on social media using #StandWithTheVulnerable. History’s echoes are sounding again. Let’s choose not to repeat its mistakes.

Journaling Prompt – “Recognizing the Steps”

• Where do you see laws or cultural practices that seem respectable but cause hidden harm? Write them down and pray for clarity.

• How have you been tempted to excuse or ignore small injustices? What might repentance look like here?

• What step of faith can you take this week to stand with the vulnerable in your community?