Unmasking the Red-Green Alliance
A Monthly Publication of the Church Ambassador Network
Every week, you carry a weight that few outside the pastoral office truly comprehend. You counsel the broken, preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, and shepherd souls through an increasingly chaotic culture. In the quiet moments of study and prayer, I know many of you feel the rising cultural wind—a sense that the spiritual and civic foundations of our nation are being tested in ways we haven't seen in generations.
In 1 Chronicles 12:32, God commends the men of Issachar because they were leaders “who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” As pastors in the Buckeye State, God has called us to be modern Issachars. Shepherding with love and grace does not mean remaining silent when danger approaches the fold; it means having the holy courage to unmask spiritual and ideological threats before they dismantle the very freedoms that allow the Gospel to flourish freely.
Over the past month, national public discourse and policy debates have shone a glaring spotlight on a troubling political phenomenon that has been quietly coalescing for years: the "Red-Green Alliance." This unlikely coalition binds together neo-Marxist organizations—such as the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)—and political Islamists.
On the surface, Marxism (which is fundamentally atheist and secular) and political Islam (which is fundamentally theocratic) should be ideological mortal enemies. Yet, they have forged a tactical alliance. To shepherd our people well, we must understand why this alliance exists, how it directly undermines our Christian heritage, and why preserving civil liberty is essential to advancing the Gospel.
The Anatomy of an Unlikely Alliance
Why would democratic socialists partner with advocates of political Islam? Because they share a single, unifying objective: the dismantling of Western constitutional order and the Judeo-Christian worldview that undergirds it.
Marxists view Western society through the lens of power dynamics, believing the American republic is inherently oppressive, exploitative, and in need of radical revolution. Political Islamists view the West as degenerate and seek to replace constitutional law with Sharia. Though their ultimate visions for society are completely incompatible, their immediate target is identical.
Courageous public intellectuals have sounded the alarm on this dangerous synergy. Tirza Shorr, a senior researcher and program coordinator at the Jerusalem Center, described the core driving force behind this coalition:
"The Red-Green Alliance's common enemy is the West: socialists believe the West is exploitative, oppressive, inequitable, and hegemonic. Islamists believe the West [is degenerate]." —Tirza Shorr, Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs Analysis
By aligning under the banner of identity politics and anti-Western activism, neo-Marxists lend academic and cultural legitimacy to radical Islamist movements, while Islamists provide street-level fervor and voter mobilization for far-left political causes.
Undermining Our First Principles and Christian Heritage
America’s founding principles were not birthed in an ideological vacuum. The self-evident truths articulated in our founding documents—that all people are created equal and endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights—are direct fruits of a biblical worldview.
Liberty of Conscience: Scripture teaches that God is Lord of the conscience (Romans 14:4; James 4:12).
Equal Justice under Law: Rooted in the Imago Dei—that every human being bears the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
Limited Government: Recognizing that human power is inherently corrupt because of the Fall (Jeremiah 17:9) and that civil government is a delegated, limited authority under God (Romans 13:1-4).
Both communism and political Islam reject these first principles. Socialism places the State in the position of God, claiming ultimate authority over human rights, family, and economics. Political Islam rejects religious liberty, subjecting citizens to religious coercion under Sharia law.
Pastors, we cannot accommodate an ideology that seeks to tear down the foundational truths of God's Word and the civil structures that protect our neighbor's freedom.
Freedom is "Pre-Evangelistic" Soil
Why must the Church care so deeply about protecting our American way of life? Is it merely out of political nostalgia or national pride? No. We fight to preserve civil liberty because freedom is pre-evangelistic.
A free, constitutional republic does not save human souls—only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do that (Romans 1:16). However, a free society creates the open, fertile soil in which the Gospel can spread unhindered.
In a free society:
Pastors can preach the unvarnished Word of God without fear of state arrest.
Bibles can be printed, distributed, and translated.
Parents can disciple their children and raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Missionaries can be sent to the ends of the earth.
Conversely, where communism or Islamic totalitarians take power, their very first order of business is to lock the church doors, censor the Scriptures, and outlaw the preaching of Christ.
Paul urged Timothy to pray for kings and all in authority for this very reason: “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:2-4).
Civic freedom clears the path for gospel witness. Protecting our constitutional republic is an act of love for our children, our neighbors, and the unborn generations who deserve to hear the Good News without fear of persecution.
Practical Steps for the Ohio Pastor
How do we lead our congregations with both pastoral love and uncompromising courage in response to these cultural realities? Here are three practical steps:
Equip Your Flock with Worldview Clarity. Do not assume your congregation understands the ideological battles of our day. Teach regularly on God’s design for civil government, human rights, and the sanctity of conscience. Help them see how neo-Marxism and radical Islamism contradict biblical truth, equipping them to discern cultural lies with grace and truth.
Preach Truth with Pastoral Courage and Grace. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). People trapped in socialist or Islamist ideologies are not our enemies; they are image-bearers who need the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. Speak out against destructive ideologies boldly, but do so with a heart broken for lost souls, reflecting the tender heart of Christ.
Lead Your Church in Active Civic Stewardship. Remind your people that in a constitutional republic, citizenship is a stewardship given by God. Encourage your members to pray for public leaders, vote biblically, attend school board meetings, and engage the public square. Silence in the face of tyranny is a choice to surrender the pre-evangelistic soil God has entrusted to us.
Join the Movement
Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) stands shoulder-to-shoulder with you as you navigate these critical times. We invite you to connect your church with these key CCV initiatives:
Prayer at the Statehouse: Join pastors and ministry leaders from across Ohio as we gather at the Statehouse in Columbus to intercede for our government leaders, pray for our communities, and lift up the public reading of Scripture.
The Minnery Fellowship for Cultural Engagement: Participate in an ongoing peer cohort designed specifically for Ohio pastors to explore pressing cultural issues, craft biblically grounded responses, and lead congregations with wisdom and clarity.
The Essential Summit: Bring your leadership team and believers to this premier gathering focused on equipping Christians to think biblically about public policy, dual citizenship, and faithful engagement in the civic square.
Communio & Family Discipleship Initiative: Partner with CCV and Communio to equip your church with proven tools to strengthen marriages, restore fatherhood, and build resilient Christian families that can withstand the cultural storms.
Brothers, let us not shrink back in fear or sleep through the harvest. Let us stand firm in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free (Galatians 5:1), preaching the Gospel faithfully and guarding the fertile soil of freedom for generations to come.
The Church Ambassador Network is a ministry of Center for Christian Virtue. They exist to serve and resource the Church in Ohio to understand the times and know how to respond. Read more about their mission at CCV.org/CAN.
