The Franciscan Action Network, along with partners Sojourners and Faith in Peace Concerts, held the fourth annual “Faith in Democracy” prayer vigil on Sunday (Jan. 5) at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Washington, D.C. On the eve of the capitol insurrection anniversary, this interfaith gathering featured a variety of religious leaders advocating for a strong, functioning, representative democracy.
Those gathered on Capitol Hill shared messages of unity, concerns about the direction the American political system is headed, and outlined why their faith perspective brought them to this particular event. Speakers not only represented a number of religious traditions but also an array of political identities.
Screenshot from the “Faith in Democracy” livestream.
“Giving ourselves to the work of justice is to give ourselves to the work of love,” said Bishop Julius Trimble of the United Methodist Church. “And an expansive nature of love is justice in the public square. It is also to give ourselves to a liberal definition of ‘neighbor’ and ‘family,’” he added.
Echoing this sentiment, Rev. Leslie Copeland Tune of the National Council of Churches spoke about the experience of checking in with friends and family to make sure they were unharmed and receiving mobile text alerts about sheltering in place during the deadly chaos of Jan. 6, 2021.
“Even as in this moment we know that some would have us to forget, I believe this is a moment that calls us to remember,” she implored. “Because the power of memory helps us to move forward. It reminds us that this democracy is fragile, and it depends on each and every one of us.”
Adam Taylor of Sojourners added that he believes everyone in attendance shares a genuine commitment to justice and to truth.
“It is because of that fierce commitment, that is inspired by our faith, that we share a commitment — a faith, even — in not only protecting, but in strengthening our democracy. Not because we think our democracy is perfect, but because we think that by perfecting our democracy, we have the best chance to advance the common good, to protect human dignity, and to resolve our significant differences in this nation peacefully,” he preached.
Rev. Paul Raushenbush of Interfaith Alliance offered a closing prayer that summarized many of the goals of the event and invoked the traditional motto of the United States: E pluribus unum, or “Out of many, one.”
“We are being told by too many that what we saw was not what we saw, and that what we know is not what we know. They are trying to lure us with propaganda, a poisoned songbook designed to invite us to sleepwalk in lockstep as our hard-fought democracy becomes as a forgotten dream. In defiance, we keep our eyes open and call upon all that is sacred to keep us alert, alive, awake,” he prayed.
Raushenbush added, “Even today, the profane and powerful twist history and desecrate truth, using religion to blind their followers and nationalism to target the marginalized. We lament the role that those who claim faith and patriotism played in this violent attack. God of all people, we ask that you might enter into the hearts of Americans who worship at the dangerous idol of Christian Nationalism that fueled so much of the violence of Jan. 6.”
Other speakers included Imam Dr. Talib M. Shareef of Masjid Muhammad, Sr. Carol Zinn of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and Jeanné Lewis of Faith in Public Life. Some of the vigil’s cosponsors included Faithful America, the Poor People’s Campaign of Washington, D.C., the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice, and the United Church of Christ.
The acclaimed Washington Douglass Chorale headlined the music throughout the vigil. Their performance highlighted themes such as healthy patriotism, the ideals upon which our nation was founded, and what it would mean to have liberty and justice for all.
The Franciscan Action Network has previously partnered with Faiths United to Save Democracy to recruit poll chaplains and the Washington Interfaith Staff Community’s Faithful Democracy group to advocate for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which is yet to be passed.
