06/20/26

During the recent 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence rally in Washington, D.C., Catholic Bishop Robert Barron emphasized thr importance of all of us following the laws of the land. We are not free to choose which ones to follow and which ones to ignore. In his discourse, he mentioned one of his favorite theologians, Thomas Aquinas (whom I also admire), and his work, Summa Theologica, which discusses the right we all have not to follow “unjust” laws. In his classical work, Aquinas famously declared that “an unjust law is no law at all.” He taught that legitimate human laws must serve the common good, originate from proper authority, and impose proportional burdens. If a law violates natural or divine law, it loses its moral binding force and may be disobeyed. 

With this in mind, I wanted to see what Psychologists had to say about this subject. They analyze just and unjust laws through the lens of human behavior, morality, and systemic impact. They find that “just” laws promote fairness, mental well-being, and social trust. Conversely, “unjust” laws create toxic stress, trigger cognitive dissonance, and—when they clash with professional ethics—often require practitioners to consider civil disobedience. 

Furthermore, some mental health organizations note that ethical principles can sometimes supersede the law. In so doing, it demands prioritizing the minimization of harm, meaning psychologists may ethically need to engage in civil disobedience to protect marginalized groups from discriminatory legislation. If left unchecked, this belief allows society to justify and legitimize unjust laws, leading to victim-blaming and the rationalization of systemic inequalities. 

But I wanted to know what the Bible has to say about this subject. The Bible views just laws as reflections of God’s perfect righteousness, established to protect the innocent and promote fairness. Conversely, it strictly condemns unjust laws that oppress the poor or subvert morality, explicitly authorizing civil disobedience when human commands contradict God’s just laws and justice. God is described as a judge who loves justice and shows no partiality. Just laws are characterized by: Fairness: The Law of Moses commanded that there be one standard for both the native and the foreigner (Leviticus 24:22). In light of this, judges are repeatedly instructed to defend the cause of the poor, the fatherless, and the widow, and to never deny justice to the afflicted in a lawsuit. In fact, the ultimate moral law of the New Testament is to “love the Lord your God” and “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). 

On the other hand, the Bible fiercely denounces rulers and systems that pervert justice: Woe to the Unjust, the prophet declares, “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights…” (Isaiah 10:1-2). Then Proverbs 17:15 states that both the one who justifies the wicked and the one who condemns the righteous are an abomination to God. In addition, Psalm 94:20 questions whether corrupt earthly thrones that devise mischief by legal decree can have fellowship with God. 

While the Bible generally commands respect and submission to governing authorities as established by God (Romans 13:1-7), it highlights an absolute rule: God’s law takes precedence over human law. That means, when earthly laws require people to do something directly forbidden by God—or forbid them from doing what God requires—Scripture models civil disobedience. Examples include the Hebrew midwives in Exodus 1, who defied Pharaoh’s decree to kill baby boys, and Peter and John in Acts 5:29, who told the authorities, “We must obey God rather than human beings.” Historically, in the Bible, those who defied unjust laws accepted the earthly consequences of their disobedience, trusting in God’s ultimate justice.