Within the Bible’s many pages are texts that sanction military violence, impose limits on its use, and imagine a world beyond it. Given the diversity of social settings—and the more than thousand years over which these texts were composed—this should hardly surprise us. The Bible’s reflections on war are every bit as complicated as our own.

On this upcoming Palm Sunday, disciples of Christ have the opportunity to follow his example as we stand against injustice and oppression today. Isaiah, a group long known for empowering those who are vulnerable to the political powers of this world, is calling for faith communities around the country to join them on the Palm Sunday Faith Actions.