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by Madeleine Roberts •
HRC released a letter, joined by more than 100 prominent faith leaders, condemning Donald Trump, Mike Pence and the Trump-Pence administration
HRC released a letter, joined by more than 100 prominent faith leaders, condemning Donald Trump, Mike Pence and the Trump-Pence administration’s failure to denounce racism and the epidemic of violence against Black people, as well as their use of religious symbols as props. The letter is written on behalf of faith communities across the U.S. and is signed by over 100 prominent faith leaders.
“Donald Trump’s use of force against peaceful protestors in order to stage a photo op -- holding a Bible that was not his, in front of a church he was not welcome in -- is only the latest incident of offensive and authoritarian actions that have come to represent the Trump-Pence administration,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “The abuse of religious symbols is an affront to people of all religions and faiths everywhere. As faith and civil rights leaders, we are united to fight back against all forms of oppression and injustice. The core pillars of faith traditions across the world are equity and justice, principles that the Trump-Pence administration has failed to uphold in every way. Their disregard for the lives of Black people, people of color and all marginalized communities is morally reprehensible, an affront to the oaths they took, and will be rebuked on election day.”
The letter, which can be found at this link, reads in full:
President Trump, Vice President Pence and Administration:
On behalf of faith communities across the United States, we are writing in response to your failure to condemn the plague of white supremacy and anti-Blackness that has been woven into the fabric of this country since its inception.
As faith leaders representing a diverse group of spiritual and religious traditions, we are unified in our commitment to justice, equity and liberation for all peoples. However, the Black and Brown community in particular has been subject to centuries of brutality and terror at the hands of the state. The recent violent killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade and Ahmaud Arbery are just a few recent examples of an ongoing tradition of violence against Black people in the United States.
This epidemic of violence against the Black community must end. We demand justice.
Speaking specifically to President Trump: While your continued inaction on the work of justice for the oppressed and disinherited -- a core tenant of the Christian faith you claim to hold, and of all faith traditions -- is deeply disappointing, it is unfortunately not surprising.
Your vicious, hateful rhetoric and actions against Black and Brown communities are not new. And though you claim to be a person of faith, your actions betray the values held by people of faith across the world: tolerance, love, inclusivity and justice.
Your recent abuse of sacred symbols -- namely, violently attacking peaceful protestors for the purpose of a photo op with a Bible outside of an unconsenting church in Washington, D.C. – goes beyond simple disregard and contempt for ecclesial leadership and the faith communities that worship at those holy sites. Your actions were an assault on the fundamental ethics of justice that those sites represent, and the human dignity they strive to defend. At the heart of every spiritual tradition is an ethic of justice. The witness of your life, as well as your tenure as President of the United States, could not be more oppugnant to this ethic.
We condemn your ongoing support for white supremacy and anti-Blackness and find your actions an anathema to the communities of faith that we represent. We call on you to repent, turn away from evil and injustice and move to enacting comprehensive justice for the Black community.
We declare with our voices, our lives and our ministries that Black Lives Matter, and will do everything in our power for the defense of Black lives. We demand that you and your administration do the same.
Signed,
Aleidra Allen, Founder, Black Greeks for Black Lives
Lexi Baysinger, MSEd, Faith For Justice
Rev. Traci Blackmon, United Church of Christ
Rev. Tiffany Brooks, Deacon
Alphonso David, President, Human Rights Campaign
Rev. Fred Davie, Executive Vice President, Union Theological Seminary
Bishop Yvette Flunder, Presiding Bishop, The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries
Rev. Darrell Goodwin, United Church of Christ
Rev. Cedric A. Harmon, Executive Director, Many Voices: A Black Church Movement for Gay & Transgender Justice
Lisa Sharon Harper, President, Freedom Road
Terrance Hawkins, Founder, Drum Majors Alliance
Rev. Susan Henderson, United Church of Christ
Andre Henry, Program Manager, Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. Michelle Higgins, Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) + Faith for Justice
Dr. Mike Higgins, Pastor, South City Church
Rev. Gabrielle Kennedy, Pastor, Burden Chapel AME Church
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Senior Minister, Middle Collegiate Church
Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews, Deputy Director, Faith in Action
Bishop James L. Mills, Sr., First Congregational Church of Fair Haven, VT, United Church of Christ
Michael Milton, Co-Director, Faith for Justice
Rev. Otis Moss III, Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Darren Phelps, Senior Pastor, Disciples of Christ
Rev. James D. Ross II, Pastor, Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ
Fr. Martini Shaw, Rector, Historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas
Rev. Aaron Tinch, Rivers of Life AME Church
Bishop Joseph Tolton, The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries-Global
Rev. Dr. Emilie Townes, Dean, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Pedro Valentin, St. Paul’s Free Methodist Church
Rev. Andrea Vassell, United Church of Christ + The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries
Rev. Sean M. Watkins, Four A Consulting
Venneikia Williams, Principal & Project Director, Sanctuary Consulting
Rev. Angel Kyodo Williams, Founding Spiritual Director, Transformative Change
Wajahat Ali, Contributing Op-Ed Writer, New York Times
Lisa Allgood, Executive Presbyter, Presbytery of Cincinnati
Professor Imam Abdullah Antepli, Associate Professor of the Practice of Interfaith Relations, Duke University
Rev. Andrea Asselmeier, Pastor, United Church of Christ
Kathy Baldock, Canyonwalker Connections
Edward Barker, New Life Church, Colorado Springs
Grant Barnes, Youth Pastor, Peoples Church
Rev. Bonnie Beckonchrist, Retired Clergy, United Methodist Church
Jonathan R. Brander, United Church of Christ
Rev. Wendy Bruner, Pastor, Peace United Church of Christ
Rev. Jennifer Butler, President, Faith in Public Life
Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director, Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
Rev. Shaye L. Champ-Correl, Disciples of Christ
Rev. Andrew Cheung, Washington Community Fellowship
Chan Ik Choi, Pastor, Urban Village Church
Stosh Cotler, CEO, Bend the Arc
Rev. Alice Connor, The Edge House Campus Ministry
Christian Coon, Pastor of Emerging Ministries, Urban Village Church
Danny Cortez, Estuary Space
Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, United Church of Christ
Norm Davey, Elder
Josh Dickson, Colorado Faithful Democrats
Rabbi Denise Eger, Congregation Kol Ami
Rev. Kristin Aardema Faigh, Zion United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Susan Fredrick-Gray, President, Unitarian Universalist Association
Rev. Dr. Justin Fung, Pastor of Leadership & Spiritual Formation, Christ City Church
Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli
Rev. Barbara Gerlach, Minister, United Church of Christ
Erwin F. Goedicke, Stated Clerk, Presbytery of Cincinnati
Mitchell Gold, Spiritual Activist
Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, Fellow, Center for American Progress
Erin Green, Co-Executive Director, Brave Commons
William Edward Green, Associate Pastor, Foundry United Methodist Church
Rev. Dr. Allen Grothe, Pastor, United Church of Christ
Dr. Sharon Groves, Vice President Partner Engagement, Auburn Seminary
Christopher Grundy, Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship, Eden Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson, President, Auburn Seminary
Rev. Tina Hubert, Director of Faith Formation, Knox Presbyterian Church
Nathan Davis Hunt, For Shalom
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Executive Director, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Rev. Hannah Kardon, Urban Village Church
Valerie Kaur, Founder, Revolutionary Love Project
David W. Key, Sr., Founding Pastor, Lake Oconee Community Church
Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, Washington Director, Bend the Arc Action
Michael J. Kimpan, Executive Director, (Un)Common Good Collective
Rabbi Rachel Kobrin, Congregation Rodef Shalom
Sr. Anna Koop, Denver Catholic Worker
Deborah Krause, Eden Theological Seminary
Rabbi Michael Adam Latz, Shir Tikvah Congregation
Kathryn A. Lee, Ph.D., J.D., Whitworth University
Brian McLaren, Author
Emily McGinley, Executive Pastor, Urban Village Church
Mark Miller, Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church, St. Louis
Rev. Emma Nickel, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak, Presbytery of Detroit
Doug Pagitt, Executive Director, Vote Common Good
Steven J. Park, President and Executive Director, Little Lights Urban Ministries
Rev. Terri Steed Pierce, Joy Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Dr. Adam Ployd, Eden Theological Seminary
Jana Reister, Associate Pastor, Knox Presbyterian Church
Rev. Brandan J. Robertson, Lead Pastor, Missiongathering Christian Church
Bishop Gene Robinson, The Episcopal Church
Carlos A. Rodriguez, CEO, The Happy Non-Profit
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, Author
Shannon E. Y. Sanker, Family Pastor, University Christian Church
Linda Sarsour, Co-Founder, MPowered Change
Joshua Scott, Head Pastor, GracePointe Church
Rev. Janet Sheppard, Associate Minister, Trinity Baptist Church Columbus, Ohio
Maggie Siddiqi, Director, Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative, Center for American Progress
Rev. Christine Slizewski Tennyson, United Church of Christ
Lauren Sotolongo Co-Executive Director, Brave Commons
Drew Smith, College Hill Presbyterian Church
Mandy Smith, Pastor, University Christian Church
Mindy Smith, Associate Director Office of Church Engagement, Whitworth University
Kevin C. Stainton, Pastor, Heritage Presbyterian Church
Erica St. Bernard, Your Life's Well, LLC
Dr. Robert Taber, Co-Chair, Latter-day Saint Democrats of America
Sandy Taylor, Christ Congregational Church
Mark Tidd, Co-Pastor, Highlands Church Denver
Ms. Sue Torfin, Faithful Democrats
Rev. Rebecca Turner, Christ UCC, Maplewood, MO
Rev. Louisa W. Umphres, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Rev. Thomas Van Brunt, Chaplain, Episcopal Church
Rev. Robert E. Van Ess, Holy Trinity Community Church, Memphis
AnaYelsi Velasco-Sanchez, Founder, En Conjunto
Rev. Kealani Nunes Willbanks, Administrator, Foundry United Methodist Church
Jonathan Williams, Lead Pastor, Forefront Church NYC
Paula Stone Williams, Pastor, RLT Pathways
Rev. Seth Wispelwey, Pastor, Rincon Congregation, United Church of Christ
Ryan Zhang, Assistant Pastor, New City Presbyterian Church
James Zogby, Arab American Institute
Ani Zonneveld, President, Muslims for Progressive Value
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