1. So I’m just going to start a thread of all the faith groups/faith leaders condemning either the Trump admin’s zero tolerance policy that separates families (and/or asylum change), Sessions’ argument that the Bible supports its enforcement, or both.
Here are a few.
Here are a few.
2. The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemned both policies in a statement, and individual bishops have called for inspection of detention centers, protests, and possible “canonical penalties” for those who enforce the policies. religionnews.com/2018/06/13/cat…
3. The Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution on Tuesday at its Dallas meeting calling for immigration reform that maintains “the priority of family unity.” sbcannualmeeting.net/sbc18/resoluti…
4. Franklin Graham, longtime supporter of Trump, said of the practice: “It’s disgraceful, and it’s terrible to see families ripped apart and I don’t support that one bit.” huffingtonpost.com/entry/franklin…
5. The African Methodist Episcopal Church said Sessions’ attempt to justify the practice “in addition to being sad and sinful, shows a deep misunderstanding of the transforming truth of scripture.” religionnews.com/2018/06/15/pre…
6. The Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers) has been pretty vocal in their pushback to the policy.
7. The United Church of Christ was one of 20 interfaith leaders who signed this statement on “keeping families together” directly criticizing the policy. ucc.org/news_u_s_inter…
8. You know who else signed that statement?
Bishop Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.
You may remember him as the preacher at the royal wedding. ucc.org/news_u_s_inter…
Bishop Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.
You may remember him as the preacher at the royal wedding. ucc.org/news_u_s_inter…
9. Other signers include the heads of:
Armenian Church of America
Islamic Society of North America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Moravian Church Southern (and northern) Province
Mennonite Church USA
Disciples of Christ
Union for Reform Judaism
Islamic Relief USA
…
Armenian Church of America
Islamic Society of North America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Moravian Church Southern (and northern) Province
Mennonite Church USA
Disciples of Christ
Union for Reform Judaism
Islamic Relief USA
…
10. Also leaders of:
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Reformed Church in America
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
International Council of Community Churches
And others from groups already named.
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Reformed Church in America
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
International Council of Community Churches
And others from groups already named.
11. Another group of evangelical leaders condemned the policy in a letter.
Signers included Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, who read scripture at Trump’s inauguration, as well as Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals
christianpost.com/news/evangelic…
Signers included Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, who read scripture at Trump’s inauguration, as well as Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals
christianpost.com/news/evangelic…
12. Other signers included:
Scott Arbeiter, President of World Relief
Shirley V. Hoogstra, Prex of Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Hyepin Im, President & CEO of Korean Churches for Community Development
Jo Anne Lyon, Ambassador for The Wesleyan Church
Scott Arbeiter, President of World Relief
Shirley V. Hoogstra, Prex of Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Hyepin Im, President & CEO of Korean Churches for Community Development
Jo Anne Lyon, Ambassador for The Wesleyan Church
13. AND…
Russell Moore, President of the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Richard Stearns, President of World Vision
Russell Moore, President of the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Richard Stearns, President of World Vision
14. Oh also the Quakers just specifically rejected Sessions’ argument here.
15. 26 different Jewish organizations sent a letter condemning the policy, as noted (and linked) below:
16. Oh, and in case it wasn’t clear before: the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church also passionately called on admin to end the policy.
NOTE: Sessions is reportedly Methodist. These are the bishops of his tradition. umc.org/who-we-are/fai…
NOTE: Sessions is reportedly Methodist. These are the bishops of his tradition. umc.org/who-we-are/fai…
17. Church World Service, which regularly advocates for immigrants, also condemned the policy. interfaithimmigration.org/wp-content/upl…
18. More than 2,500 women faith leaders signed this demanding the policy be brought to an end: faithinpubliclife.org/families-belon…
19. Also the UMC’s General Board of Church and Society put out this statement:
20. And the Unitarian Universalist Association uua.org/loveresists/bl…
21. Also, it appears Johnnie Moore, the de facto spokesperson for Trump’s unofficial evangelical advisory council, is critical of Sessions’ argument.
22. AND the head of the Washington National Cathedral.
23. AND Rev. William Barber and Rev. Liz Theoharris if the Poor People’s Campaign. 
24. Jewish Orthodox Union joins the list.
25. World Vision, an evangelical Christian organization, speaks out against the policy. worldvision.org/about-us/media…
26. Many smaller groups, such as this Orlando-based Jewish org, are also making their voices heard on this issue.
27. American Baptists condemn the border policy AND had this to say to Sessions: “No responsible Christian theologian would assert that Romans 13 … supports the horrific separation of children from parents that we are witnessing at the present time.” abcnj.net/news/2018/6/16…
28. UMC’s GBCS speaks out again, says of Sessions’ attempt to defend the policy: “To argue that these policies are consistent with Christian teaching is unsound, a flawed interpretation, and a shocking violation of the spirit of the Gospel.” umcjustice.org/news-and-stori…
29. A group of local and national faith groups have launched a website/campaign specifically rejecting the policy: stopfamilyseparation.org
30. Fixing link to the original letter penned by a group of Jewish organizations (note: this only lists 26 signers, but, as mentioned, the Orthodox Union has since signed on, making it 27): adl.org/sites/default/…
31. Head of Evangelical Covenant Church also appears to have signed on to the letter from evangelical leaders criticizing the policy: covenantcompanion.com/2018/06/15/pre…
32. Church of the Nazarene joins the list.
33. The Presbyterian Church (USA) now has its own independent statement on the family separation policy, via their Stated Clerk.
It concludes: “In the name of God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stop!” pcusa.org/news/2018/6/16…
It concludes: “In the name of God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stop!” pcusa.org/news/2018/6/16…
34. A group of western Buddhists have signed onto a letter in which they “unreservedly condemn” the family separation policy. drive.google.com/file/d/1aSUXcz…
35. New statement from Unitarian Universalist Association this morning.
One part: “…Jeff Sessions’ use of the Bible to justify family separation echos the ways the Bible was used to support American slavery, Nazi Germany, and South African Apartheid.” —> uua.org/pressroom/pres…
One part: “…Jeff Sessions’ use of the Bible to justify family separation echos the ways the Bible was used to support American slavery, Nazi Germany, and South African Apartheid.” —> uua.org/pressroom/pres…
36. New statement from Agudath Israel of America, an Orthodox Jewish organization, saying the practice of separating families should “be immediately rescinded”:
37. NEW: the LDS church (Mormons) just issued a statement criticizing the child separation policy, attributed to church spokesperson Eric Hawkins.
38. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leaders weigh in, calling the border policy “outrageous” and “heinous” cbfblog.com/2018/06/18/cbf…
38. Christian Reformed Church in North America jumps in, calling on both the administration to halt the border policy and Congress to pass immigration reform: crcna.org/news-and-views…
39. Sikh Coalition speaks out:
40/41: More than 600 Methodists have brought charges against Jeff Sessions for the policy.
The charges: child abuse, immorality, racial discrimination and “dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards of doctrine of the United Methodist Church.”
The charges: child abuse, immorality, racial discrimination and “dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards of doctrine of the United Methodist Church.”
41/42: Missed this Seventh-day Adventist Church statement, saying its denomination “joins other faith-based groups in expressing concern over these actions, and it is deeply worried when biblical texts are used by those in power to affirm them.”
news.adventist.org/en/all-news/ne…
news.adventist.org/en/all-news/ne…
42/43: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America also condemns the policy and its defense: “We are concerned and alarmed at the use of this biblical quote being used out of context to justify the (border policy), which is detrimental to family life.” —> goarch.org/-/archdiocese-…
43/44. Hindu American Foundation declares the family separation policy “unconscionable,” cites Bhagavad Gita: “When the family is ruined, the timeless laws of family duty perish; and when duty is lost, chaos ensues." hafsite.org/separating-chi…
44/45. Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America sent a letter to Trump directly, asking him to “reconsider” the border separation policy, noting “every one of these immigrants is a child of God.” oca.org/news/headline-…
45/46. Pope Francis himself has now implicitly condemned the policy, saying he sides with the U.S. bishops conference on the issue (who have, as mentioned in #2, vehemently condemned the policy)
46/47. The Salvation Army condemned the border policy this morning.
47/48. Christian org Bread for the World condemns the policy AND Paul Ryan’s bill: “The bill does not prevent the administration from separating parents and children at the border and would not provide most Dreamers with a reasonable path to citizenship” bread.org/news/ryan-immi…
