According to Cameron Trimble’s research, civilizations typically follow a 300-year cycle of growth, prosperity, and eventual decline. We currently stand at the beginning of a global societal collapse that may last 50-60 years, marked by increasing wealth disparity and violence.
What happened recently represents “the largest redistribution of wealth to the 1% that has happened in the entire history of humanity,” creating a heaviness felt throughout communities as people grapple with anger, fear, and uncertainty about the future.
“The hope is in what each and every one of you does in the next year to fifty years of how you pass down the legacy of love, the legacy of compassion, the legacy of justice, the legacy of generosity, the legacy of care.”
This powerful call to action reminds us that in times of societal breakdown, our response must be to mobilize around those most vulnerable—surrounding those who lose healthcare, food assistance, and housing with the support of a loving community.
The weight of being the hope during civilization’s collapse feels overwhelming, but we’re reminded that Jesus began with just twelve disciples before growing a movement that spread worldwide. We don’t carry this burden alone, but together as an interfaith, ecumenical, beloved community, a concept championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
When despair threatens to overwhelm us, we reach for the hands of those beside us, showing up together to embody love that is patient, kind, and never fails, even as systems around us falter.
