Chicago Faith Leaders Condemn Use of Religious Rhetoric to Justify War

Cardinal Cupich and other religious figures push back on Trump administration's escalating rhetoric against Iran

Apr. 9, 2026 at 11:20pm

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A dimly lit, cinematic painting of an empty government building or political office, with warm sunlight streaming through the windows and deep shadows cast across the room, conveying a sense of solemnity and contemplation around the use of religious language to justify war.As religious rhetoric escalates global tensions, Chicago faith leaders call for diplomacy and dialogue to achieve lasting peace.Chicago Today

As global tensions rise amid the conflict in Iran, some Chicago-area faith leaders are raising urgent concerns about the use of religious language to justify war and nationalism. Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, echoed Pope Leo XIV's criticism of President Trump's belligerent social media posts, saying 'peace can't be imposed by force. It never works.' Other local religious leaders, including Pastor Jon Herr and Rev. Quincy Worthington, also condemned the Trump administration's attempts to co-opt religious rhetoric to support military action.

Why it matters

The issue is not just political, but deeply theological, as faith leaders worry about the dangerous implications of blending religious identity with political power. They argue that using God to 'baptize national ambitions' undermines the core teachings of Christianity, Islam, and other faiths that call for peace, justice, and care for the vulnerable.

The details

Cardinal Cupich said the Catholic Church's stance against the war shouldn't be seen as a sign of being anti-American, but rather an expression of the First Amendment right to free speech. 'America has always been a country in which different views are expressed. That is the First Amendment that we have that protects that free speech and we're better off when we listen to the voices of each other,' he said. Rev. Worthington went further, describing the rhetoric as 'idolatry dressed up in conviction' that is 'antithetical to just about every single Christian ethic.' Imam Hassan Aly of the Humanitarian Faith Initiative agreed, saying 'reducing it to be a battle between the religions only deepens division and makes peace harder to achieve.'

  • On Thursday, Cardinal Blase Cupich spoke out against the use of religious rhetoric to justify war.
  • On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended President Trump's remarks as a 'very strong threat' that delivered results.
  • On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised the last-minute ceasefire, citing 'divine providence.'

The players

Cardinal Blase Cupich

Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, who echoed Pope Leo XIV's criticism of President Trump's belligerent social media posts.

Jon Herr

Pastor of Christ Covenant Church of Chicago, who said he was 'very disappointed' by President Trump's 'ill-timed and unhelpful' Easter message.

Quincy Worthington

Pastor of Highland Park Presbyterian Church, who described the rhetoric as 'idolatry dressed up in conviction' that is 'antithetical to just about every single Christian ethic.'

Hassan Aly

Imam and Director of the Humanitarian Faith Initiative at MedGlobal in Chicago, who said 'reducing it to be a battle between the religions only deepens division and makes peace harder to achieve.'

Theresa Gross-Diaz

Historian and co-director of the Medieval Studies program at Loyola University Chicago, who warned that the 'apocalyptic rhetoric' from the Trump administration is 'really terrifying' because it suggests 'a global conflagration would ultimately be a good thing.'

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What they’re saying

“Peace can't be imposed by force. It never works.”

— Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago

“It's not the first time that political leaders have tried to compromise scripture and the Word of God for their own purposes, and I think most people see through that.”

— Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago

“The President's message, especially with its mention of Allah, was very ill-timed and unhelpful.”

— Jon Herr, Pastor of Christ Covenant Church of Chicago

“I find it absolutely shocking and abhorrent that they would try to co-opt and use the language of faith to support this war. The talking of wiping out an entire civilization is antithetical to just about every single Christian ethic I've read, and antithetical to the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ.”

— Quincy Worthington, Pastor of Highland Park Presbyterian Church

“At its core, faith in general means to guide us towards justice, mercy and peace, not to justify violence. As people of faith, we believe God is not a tool in the hands of politicians.”

— Hassan Aly, Director of the Humanitarian Faith Initiative at MedGlobal in Chicago

What’s next

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The takeaway

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