Bringing compassion and mercy to migrants means looking past the fear, resentment and scarcity mentality conservatives are bringing to the immigration debate, Cláudio Carvalhaes said during Fellowship Southwest’s Compassion and Justice Conference. “It means to continue to live with those…
‘If we weren’t powerful, they wouldn’t try to stop us,” Justin Jones says
Pro-democracy activists should have as much if not more confidence in the potential of their movement as authoritarian white supremacists do, Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones said during Fellowship Southwest’s Compassion and Justice Conference. “If we were not powerful, if our…
Yo-Yoing of U.S. immigration policy is bad for the world, experts warn
Gridlock on effective immigration reforms will continue until politicians set aside partisan differences to focus on the systemic drivers of global migration, said David Cronin, a senior policy and legislative specialist with Catholic Relief Services. Domestic advocacy groups, migrants, refugees,…
Evangelicals could kill capital punishment system if they would, speakers declare
The already dying American capital punishment system could be eradicated much sooner if evangelical Christians would stop supporting the practice, a Christian death penalty abolitionist said during a Sept. 10 webinar hosted by Equal Justice USA. “I remember hearing from…
Springfield nonsense is part of plan to dehumanize immigrants, UnidosUS president warns
Accusations that Haitian immigrants are stealing white Americans’ pets and eating them are more than bizarre ramblings by Donald Trump, UnidosUS President Janet Murguia said during a press call with immigration advocates. “Their purpose is clear — to dehumanize immigrants…
Faith leaders urge Springfield residents to resist the fear of Trump and Vance
Clergy, social justice activists and other community leaders are urging residents of Springfield, Ohio, to resist the fear Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance are spreading by slandering Haitian and other immigrants who have settled in the city. During…
Both Mainline Christians and evangelicals lost relevance by seeking power, podcast emphasizes
White evangelicals have swapped cultural and religious relevance for political power in the hope of creating a society made in their own image, author and historian of religion Randall Balmer said. But faith groups enmeshed in authoritarian causes like Donald…
Elected officials who spread immigration lies pose a threat to public safety, rights groups say
Members of Congress who actively spread anti-immigrant conspiracy theories pose a significant threat to public safety and democracy, according to a report released by eight human, civil and immigrant rights groups. The “Bigoted Conspiracy Caucus Report” examines the power and…
Several states are still fighting over ballot initiatives on abortion
Conservatives in several states have gone all out to defeat abortion-rights ballot measures before voters even get to the polls in November. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered state police to question residents who signed petitions to place Amendment…
‘Confession of Evangelical Conviction’ puts Jesus ahead of politics
A new confession of conviction to counter the politicization of evangelical congregations will generate pushback from Christians convinced their preferred political candidates are chosen by God, faith leaders said during an online briefing about the document. The “Confession of Evangelical…
Publishers sue to stop Florida’s rapid book bans
Six major U.S. publishers, the Authors Guild and several authors and parents have filed a federal lawsuit to stop a new Florida law allowing public school libraries to ban books whenever a parent raises objections about sexual content. The suit,…
Texas Board of Education gets huge pushback on religion-infused curriculum
Activists and other Texans opposed to a proposed Bible-based curriculum for public school children are becoming a concern for extremist Christians who support the material, said Amanda Tyler, executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. BJC has joined…