Courage to Stand Together
Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, requires believers to honor God and show commitment by keeping the Almighty's commandments. Those precepts are clear. We must love our neighbor, care for those who find themselves in need, show hospitality to the stranger, protect and nurture all children, make provision for the poor, bear the fruit of kindness, gentleness and peace.
President Trump recently declared his presidency “divinely inspired,” likening his leadership to that of biblical figures tasked with a divine mission. Yet, his recent spate of executive orders do not reflect the agape love of Christ. Nor do they reflect basic biblical principles of justice, compassion, inclusion, and serving those most in need. They reflect neither mercy nor grace.
Even acknowledging the separation of church and state, the principles on which these abrupt, harmful and targeted orders are made indicate a level of indifference and political expediency aimed at tearing down the very fabric of this country.
The love of Christ, agape love, dismantles fear, confronts hate and indifference and requires us to demonstrate an ethic of care. Scripture commands that we must seek to do good on the earth, show forth love and treat our neighbor as ourselves. In this season of amplified political, racial, and social divisiveness, when many are indifferent to the idea of the common good, one might ask: who is my neighbor?
The answer has not changed. The Gospel of Luke shares the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus uses the parable to illustrate that our neighbor is anyone around us, or anyone in need regardless of their race, religion, country of origin, or economic status. Our neighbor is that person who God calls us to love despite our differences of doctrine, opinion, or life choices. Demonstrating this unencumbered love is the only option we have, to combat the unchecked hatred flowing through society today.
In that spirit, the Minnesota Council of Churches denounces efforts to:
-
Usurp constitutional protections such as birthright citizenship;
-
Close our borders to those seeking refugee from war-ravaged countries, brutal dictatorships, anarchy and religious persecution;
-
Whitewash history and promote false DEI narratives that try to diminish the brilliance, tenacity and worth of BIPOC individuals;
-
Block funding that serves the most vulnerable in our society; and
-
Allow federal law enforcement to enter locations previously deemed sensitive or secure such as places of worship, schools and clinics.
The impacts of these orders are widespread. At MCC for example, we prepared to welcome 960 new refugees this year; now we have 91 canceled flights, and it is possible the rest will never be allowed to come. Deepening the devastating effects of that initial order, our ability to support newly arrived Minnesotans who came prior to the ban, has been severely threatened by an abrupt pause on federal grant and contract expenditures serving refugees. The order freezing funding for U.S. refugee groups will absolutely make it harder for refugees already in the U.S. and in Minnesota to keep their housing, find jobs and adapt to their new lives here. And we are just one of hundreds of organizations affected in Minnesota.
Through advocacy, organizing, partnership and prayer we remain committed to working with the whole body of Christ in Minnesota and those of other faiths who seek to care for the vulnerable, walk alongside the marginalized, and build the common good in the world.
In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. grieved the collective silence of the church in the fight for civil rights: “There was a time when the church was very powerful -- in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. …By their effort and example, they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests.” However, King also warned of weakness in the modern church, and its reflexive defense of the status quo.
I pray that in these uncertain and troubling times we all find the courage to stand together and take action to disrupt a status quo that targets the most vulnerable and marginalizes those perceived to be diverse in any way. We will not relent from fulfilling the mandate given us by Christ to love our neighbors – including refugees and immigrants. To support us in these efforts please donate here.
Walking with you in grace and peace,
Elder Suzanne Kelly, CEO
Minnesota Council of Churches