Faith is a Form of Resistance

Nearly thirty years ago, I came to Washington, D.C. for a one-year internship at Sojourners, a progressive Christian community and magazine dedicated to social justice, peace, and faith-based activism. Living in community there, I learned to link faith with justice.

Jim Wallis, the founder of Sojourners, often said, “Hope means believing in spite of the evidence, and then watching the evidence change.” That line has stayed with me ever since.

From those early days to now, I have seen how hope and faith work together. Hope sees the possibility; faith sustains it. Hope opens our eyes to what could be, and faith gives us the strength to see it through.

That belief has guided my life’s work to end homelessness. Every step has required clarity, purpose, and a focus on people, both those striving for stability and those helping make it possible. From the first shelters and street outreach programs to today’s coordinated, data-driven systems transforming lives across the country, faith has remained a steady thread in my work.

I have seen what it means to believe in spite of the evidence. I have seen people hold fast to hope when every system told them to give up. I have seen neighbors who, after years on the street, proudly show me their keys to a new home. I have seen entire communities end veteran homelessness. And I have seen real progress across the country, the result of communities working together with dedicated staff, strong partnerships, and proven strategies that help people find stability and home.

I have also seen the power of home and of community support to help people rebuild their lives and reclaim hope. That is faith in action. It is resilient, steadfast, and full of grace.

Today, the evidence is on our side. We know what ends homelessness: housing and services, prevention, and strong community connections. Yet there are still those who would return to policies that punish rather than solve. What was once hope in spite of the evidence has become hope because of it.

Faith, like hope, is a form of resistance. It reminds us that dignity must guide our choices, compassion can drive effective solutions, and humanity must always remain at the center of policy.