Clergy Told: Write Wills to Block Federal Agents

An Episcopal bishop just told his clergy to write their wills and prepare to physically block federal agents with their bodies, invoking Christian martyrs who died defending the vulnerable.

Story Highlights

New Hampshire’s Episcopal bishop called for clergy to prepare for “a new era of martyrdom” while resisting immigration enforcement
Bishop Hirschfeld’s unscripted remarks at a vigil went viral after he invoked historical martyrs like Oscar Romero and Jonathan Daniels
The Episcopal Church’s presiding bishop offered institutional support through prayers of resistance
Similar statements emerged from other Episcopal bishops serving immigrant communities

From Vigil to Viral Call for Resistance

The Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld stepped to a microphone on January 9th at a rain-soaked vigil in Concord, New Hampshire, without prepared remarks. What emerged was a passionate sermon that would capture national attention within days. Speaking to honor Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Hirschfeld delivered an unexpected call to action that framed immigration enforcement resistance within Christian theology.

Hirschfeld urged clergy in his diocese to “get their affairs in order” and ensure their wills are written, as they may need to “stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable” with their bodies. The bishop’s unscripted remarks transformed what began as a memorial service into a theological framework for civil disobedience against federal immigration enforcement.

Historical Precedent Meets Modern Resistance

Hirschfeld grounded his call in Christian martyrdom history, invoking Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated at the altar in El Salvador in 1980 after confronting death squads. He also referenced Jonathan Daniels, a white Episcopal seminarian from New Hampshire who died in 1965 shielding a Black girl from a racist sheriff’s deputy’s shotgun in Alabama.

The bishop argued the church had “lost that voice” of Jesus’s commitment to the poor and outcast when it became “linked to the empire by Constantine.” His remarks positioned contemporary immigration enforcement as a moral crisis requiring the same sacrificial response that defined Christian martyrs throughout history. This theological framework distinguished his statement from purely political resistance movements.

Institutional Support and Geographic Spread

The Episcopal Church’s leadership quickly demonstrated institutional alignment with Hirschfeld’s message. Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, the church’s presiding bishop, offered a prayer emphasizing resistance during an online vigil. The Episcopal Diocese of Maine shared Hirschfeld’s remarks on Facebook, calling it a “powerful message” and suggesting the sentiment was spreading beyond New Hampshire’s borders.

Rt. Rev. Craig Loya, Episcopal Bishop of Minnesota, echoed Hirschfeld’s sentiments, describing recent days as “incredibly painful” for churches serving large immigrant populations. This pattern suggests Hirschfeld’s call represents broader Episcopal positioning rather than an isolated statement from one diocese. The institutional support transforms individual clerical resistance into organized religious opposition to federal enforcement actions.