“We are living through perilous and polarizing times as a nation, with a dangerous crisis of moral and political leadership at the highest levels of our government and in our churches. We believe the soul of the nation and the integrity of faith are now at stake.”
This video and letter was crafted by Christian faith leaders–including Bishop Curry–and published on Ash Wednesday, 2018. The leaders felt compelled to respond to increased racial injustice, making a shared call to action for followers of Jesus.
Now, as we prepare for Advent, the timeliness of this letter is still so profound.
For more information on the letter, visit the ReClaiming Jesus website at: http://www.reclaimingjesus.org/.
Also featured are resources aimed at supporting action, including:
Bible study discussion guide on Reclaiming Jesus for small groups
Five-week curriculum guide to effect change through civic engagement
Statement on the separation of immigrant children from families
The letter concludes,
“The church’s role is to change the world through the life and love of Jesus Christ. The government’s role is to serve the common good by protecting justice and peace, rewarding good behavior while restraining bad behavior (Romans 13). When that role is undermined by political leadership, faith leaders must stand up and speak out. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.”
