Faith Leaders Denounce Political Violence

October 1, 2025

As faith leaders, we denounce all forms of political violence.

Just this year alone, our country mourned the horrific assassinations of Charlie Kirk in Utah, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman in Minnesota, and just last week, the shooting at the ICE facility in Dallas, TX. Our hearts break for the victims and their families.

Today, we write because we are deeply concerned by the escalating frequency of acts of violence and threats, and the growing acceptance of violence as an appropriate response to political disagreement.

Our sacred texts are clear: violence is never the answer. And as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., himself a victim of political violence, reminds us, “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”. Our traditions call us all to be peacemakers– seeking repentance, reconciliation, and repair. We call on all people, especially elected officials, to call for an end to violence, violent and divisive rhetoric, and to commit to seeking shared values through civil discourse and dialogue.

As faith leaders, we are also concerned by any effort to undermine the protections of the First Amendment, including the targeting of faith-based organizations for living out the commitments of their faith. The First Amendment ensures that all individuals and organizations are protected from unlawful targeting by the government for exercising their beliefs, even those organizations with whom we disagree. Targeting organizations is an attack on free speech and the First Amendment and sets a dangerous precedent that undermines democratic norms in our country.

We call on all political leaders, including the President and his administration, to unequivocally support freedom of speech and religious liberty, and to ensure that the government does not target individuals and nonprofits for exercising that freedom.

As people of faith, we believe that every person is made in the image and likeness of God and has inalienable dignity and worth. It is because of this that we believe that free speech is fundamental to our democracy, and it must be protected.

Signatories:

• Joyce Ajlouny, American Friends Service Committee
• Rev. Eddy Aleman, Reformed Church in America
• Bishop Claude Alexander, The Park Church
• Rev. Dr. Giovanni Arroyo, The General Commission on Religion and Race of The United Methodist Church
• Dr. Vincent Bacote, Wheaton College
• Dr. Diana Butler Bass, Author and historian
• Rev. Dr. Paul Baxley, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
• Bridget Bearss, RSCJ, Leadership Conference of Women Religious
• Lisa D Beaudoin, NH Council of Churches
• Rev. Dr. David Beckmann, Virginia Theological Seminary
• Dr. Ruth Benella Lewis Bentley, National Black Evangelical Association
• Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, Unitarian Universalist Association
• Bishop Hee Soo Jung, The United Methodist Church
• Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, Rabbinical Assembly/United
  Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
• Rev. Dr. Timothy Tee Boddie, Conference of National Black Churches
• Dr. Kathleen Bonnette, Georgetown University
• Rev. Dr. Marc Boswell, St. Charles Ave. Baptist Church
• Rev. Thomas Bowen, Shiloh Baptist Church of Washington
• Rev. Rachelle Brown, Presbyterian Church USA
• Rev. Timothy Button-Harrison, Church of the Brethren, Northern Plains District
• Bishop Lidelmar Eduardo Cáceres, Iglesia de Dios de la Profecía Lynn, MA.
• Rev. Kristen Capel, ELCA
• Laurie Carafone, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
• Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño, United Methodist Church
• Rev. Molly Carlson, South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ
• Carl Carmichael, WIN
• Bishop Kenneth H. Carter Jr., United Methodist Church
• Raymond Chang, Asian American Christian Collaborative
• The Rev. Hope A.J. Christensen, Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence
• Rev. John D. Conwell JR., African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
• The Rev. Peter Cook, New York State Council of Churches
• The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, North Carolina Council of Churches
• David Cortright, Professor Emeritus, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame
• Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr., African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church)
• Zachary Davis, Faith Matters
• Rev. John Dear, The Beatitudes Center for the Nonviolent Jesus
• Bishop Robin Dease, United Methodist Church
• Dr Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Western Theological Seminary
• The Rev. Annemarie Delgado, Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming
• Marie Dennis, Pax Christi International Catholic Institute for Nonviolence
• Dr. Peter Digre, Greater New Orleans Interfaith Climate Coalition
• Pablo DeJesus, Executive Director, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
• Rabbi Megan Doherty, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
• Rev. Douglas Donley, University Baptist Church
• Sr. Kathy Dougherty, OSF, Sisters of St. Francis
• Christie Duncan-Tessmer, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
• Michele Dunne, OFS, Franciscan Action Network
• Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley, Providence Missionary Baptist Church
• Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling, United Methodist Church
• Rev. Nathan Empsall, Another Way
• Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, California-Pacific Conference of The United Methodist Church
• Fran Eskin-Royer, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
• Rev. Laura Everett, Massachusetts Council of Churches
• Rev. Michael Evers, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Sheridan, WY
• Rev. Sharon Felton, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
• Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck, Faithful America
• Sister M. Elizabeth Fuhr, Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and
  Christian Charity Sacred Heart Province, Denver
• Bishop Elias Galvan, United Methodist
• Ana Garcia-Ashley, Gamaliel Network
• Rev. Kathleen Gloff, WISDOM, Wisconsin
• Rev. Mary Anne Glover, Virginia Council of Churches
• Wes Granberg-Michaelson, Reformed Church in America
• Myal Greene, World Relief
• Susan Gunn, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
• Rev. Dr. David P. Gushee, Mercer University
• Glen A. Guyton, Mennonite Church USA
• Malynda Hale, The New Evangelicals
• Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, Ray of Hope Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Rev. Dr. Richard L. Hamm, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Lisa Sharon Harper, FreedomRoad.us
• Rev. Fred Harrell, Cultivate Pastors and Churches, Inc.
• Rev. Dr. Peter Goodwin Heltzel, Park Avenue Christian Church, New York, New York
• Rev. Linda Hodson, Vitas Healthcare
• Melissa L. Holland, Kentucky Council of Churches
• Rev. Dr. Jennifer Hosler, Washington City Church of the Brethren
• Rev. Dr. Nathan Hosler, Church of the Brethren
• Chancellor Gregory D. Huffman, Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church
• Rev. Deth Im, Faith in Action
• Rev. Katie Jacob, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Rabbi Rick Jacobs, Union for Reform Judaism
• Rev. Dennis Jacobsen, MICAH/Gamaliel
• Pastor Eric V Johnson, Clergy Community Coalition
• Bishop Charlene Kammerer (Retired), The United Methodist Church
• Elder Suzanne Kelly, Minnesota Council of Churches
• Rev. Sue Koenig, Moravian Church Northern Province
• Rabbi Ashira Konigsburg, Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ
• Rev. Dr. Mark Labberton, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Avery Davis Lamb, Creation Justice Ministries
• Jeremy Langill, Rhode Island State Council of Churches
• Jeanné L. Lewis, Faith in Public Life
• Rev. Dr. David Long-Higgins, Heartland Conference, United Church of Christ
• Pastor Mayra Macedo-Nolan, Clergy Community Coalition
• Sr. Margaret Magee, OSF, Board Member, Franciscan Action Network
• Rev. Carlos L. Malave, Latino Christian National Network
• Bishop Tracy S. Malone, United Methodist Church
• Bishop Joel N. Martinez (Retired), United Methodist Church
• Rev. Michael A. Mata, Los Angeles First Church of the Nazarene
• Bishop Marcus Matthews, Council of Bishops, The United Methodist Church
• Gospelizer Dr. Walter Arthur McCray, National Black Evangelical Association
• Rev. Dr. Brian D. McLaren, author
• Ken Medema, Ken Medema Music
• Rev. Kyle Meyaard-Schaap, Association for a More Just Society-US
• Bishop Lee M. Miller II, The Upstate New York Synod – ELCA
• Bridget Moix, Friends Committee on National Legislation
• Bishop Monroe Saunders Jr., United Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic)
• Rev. Jerad Morey, Minnesota Council of Churches
• Rev. Dr. Lydia Muñoz, El Plan for Hispanic/Latine Min. United Methodist Church
• Bishop Jen Nagel, Minneapolis Area Synod
• Joan Neal, National Black Sisters Conference
• Rev. Michael Neuroth, United Church of Christ
• Rabbi Dev Noily, Kehilla Community Synagogue
• Rev. Roberto Ochoa, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota
  Conferences of the United Church of Christ
• Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Rev. John Paarlberg, NY State Council of Churches
• Bishop Gregory Vaughn Palmer, The United Methodist Church
• Rev. Freeman L. Palmer, Conference Minister, Central
  Atlantic Conference United Church of Christ
• Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
• Dr. Monica Schaap Pierce, Christian Churches Together (USA)
• Rev. Efrain Pineda, Congreso RED/ Vida Church
• Pastor Leigh Rachal, Louisiana Interchurch Conference
• Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, Interfaith Alliance
• Senior Bishop Lawrence Reddick, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
• Stephen K. Reeves, Fellowship Southwest
• Bishop Frank M. Reid, III, African Methodist Episcopal Church
• Jesse Rincones, Convencion Bautista Hispana de Texas
• Rev. Dr Elizabeth Rios, Passion2Plant Network
• Bishop Raymond Rivera, Latino Pastoral Action Center (LPAC), Council of Holistic Christian Churches and Ministries (CHCCM)
• Rev. Marian Boyle Rohloff, Moravian Church
• Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra, Centro Latino, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Richard L. Santos, President & CEO, Church World Service
• Rabbi David Saperstein, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
• Rev. Chris Schaefer, ELCA
• Rev. Dr. Robert Schenck, Methodist Evangelical Church USA
• Rev. Dr. Rick Schlosser, California Council of Churches
• Virginia Schmidt, Christ Episcopal Church Cody
• Dr. Stephen Schneck, Catholics for the Future
• Bishop Dan Schwerin, Northern Illinois-Wisconsin Area United Methodist Church
• Barry Crossno, General Secretary, Friends General Conference (Quaker)
• Rev. Katie Sexton, Arizona Faith Network
• Imam Dr Talib Shareef, Masjid Muhammad, The Nation’s Mosque
• Frank J. So, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
• Amy Spitalnick, Jewish Council for Public Affairs
• Andy Stanley
• The Rev. Dr. Becca Stevens, Episcopal
• Rev. Ron Stief, National Religious Campaign Against Torture
• Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr., The Ohio Council of Churches
• Rev. Lori Tapia, Obra Hispana, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, Sojourners
• Rev. Paul S. Tché, Christian Unity and Interfaith Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Bishop Bill Tesch, Northwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
• Jennifer Walker Thomas, Mormon Women for Ethical Government
• Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, United Church of Christ
• PK Thompson, Claremont School of Theology
• Rev. Dr. Marlon Tilghman, BRIDGE Maryland, Inc.
• Rev. James VanderWeele, Unitarian Universalist Association
• Rev. Jim Wallis, Center on Faith and Justice
• Rev. Dr. Colin P. Watson, Sr., Christian Reformed Church in North America
• Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., Reconstructing Judaism
• Tim Whitaker, The New Evangelicals
• Rev. Dr. William Huston Wilkinson, Center for the Welcoming Way
• Bishop Don D. Williams, United Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic)
• Bishop Delores Williamston, Louisiana Area of the United Methodist Church
• Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Skinner Leadership Institute and
  National African American Clergy Network
• Rev. William Worley, United Church of Christ
• Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellermann, The Community at Kirkridge
• Rev. Kenneth Young, Calvary Baptist Church
• Sr. Carol Zinn, SSJ, Leadership Conference of Women Religious