Open Letter to the Faithful,
We the undersigned call on believers of all faiths to join us in denouncing the dangerous 'War on Prayer' being waged in America.
The War on Prayer is a war against me, against my house of worship, and against my community of faith.
The faithful are no strangers to religious persecution. We recognize the request to build a place of worship “here” but not “there” as a breach of a fundamental American principle: in America, we don't tell anyone where they can and cannot pray.
We believe that there is no more sacred bond than the relationship between people and God found in prayer. For political figures to infringe on this most intimate relationship by telling citizens where, when, or how they should pray is a sin and transgression of the worst order. Our nation’s Founding Fathers recognized the freedom to worship as the most hallowed and self-evident of rights.
We believe it is time to shine light on the hypocrisy of politicians and pundits who expound on the freedom of religion for their chosen sects while seeking to tell our Muslim brothers and sisters where they can and cannot worship. Using a political podium to bully a religious community threatens one of our most fundamental freedoms.
Scripture is our guide. The Hebrew Bible teaches (Lev. 19), "Do not hate your brother in your heart." The New Testament (1 John) teaches, "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar."
We support the rights of all Americans to worship in their chosen place, through a climate of respect, dignity and peace.
Faithfully,
Rev. Dr. Fred R. Anderson
Pastor
Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church New York City
Rev. JC Austin
Auburn Director
Center for Christian Leadership
Rabbi Justus Baird
Director of the Center for Multifaith Education
Auburn Theological Seminary
Rev. Canon Peg Chamberlin
President
National Council of Churches
Rev. Robert Chase
Executive Director
Intersections
Rev. Dr. William P. Crawford
Rev. Dr. James Forbes
Director
Healing of the Nations Foundation
Rev. Charles Henderson
Executive Director
CrossCurrents
Rev. Dr. Katharine Henderson
President
Auburn Seminary
Rev. Dr. Serene Jones
President
Union Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Michale Kinnamon
General Secretary
National Council of Churches
Rabbi Irwin Kula
President
Clal - The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership
Rev. Jim Kitchens
Interim Pastor
Calvary Presbyterian Church
Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rev. Jacqueline Lewis, PhD
Senior Minister
Middle Collegiate Church
Rev. Donna Schaper
Senior Minister
Judson Memorial Church
Dr. Samir Selmanovic
Founder
Faith House Manhattan
Dr. Tricia Sheffield
Associate Minister
Middle Collegiate Church
Rev. Dr. Paul Sorrentino
Director of Religious Life
Amherst College
Joshua Stanton
Editor-in-Chief
The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue
Rev. John Vaughn
Auburn Theological Seminary
Rabbi Burt Visotzky
Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies
The Jewish Theological Seminary
Rev. Jim Wallis
CEO
Sojourners
Rev. Dr. Jon Walton
Senior Minister
First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York