Reclaiming Jesus Church Service and Candlelight Vigil to White House on May 24, 2018

Washington, DC – On Thursday, May 24th from 7-10pm, a group of multiracial elders from many Christian traditions—including representation from evangelical, mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, and African American churches—will lead a church service, procession to the White House, and silent candlelight vigil in response to the moral and political crises at the highest levels of political leadership.

The Christian church will not accept America’s growing political amorality as normal.  The elders call upon all Christians to remember that our identity in Jesus precedes every other identity. The Jesus we serve offers a powerful alternative to racial bigotry and white nationalism, the mistreatment of women, the rejection of immigrants and refugees, the abandonment of the poor, the denial of truth, and the dangerous replacement of public service with autocracy. These pressing dangers are more than political—they are theological issues which pose urgent questions to authentic Christian faith.

“If we don’t take a stand, if we don’t reclaim Jesus in the midst of our current crisis, American Christianity may be known as the religion that enabled our country’s descent into normalizing racial bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, lying, and autocracy. We can’t control the words or actions of those in political power, or those in religion who have become their chaplains. But we can control what we do, what we believe, how we pray, how we speak, and how we act. And it will be the manner in which we exercise our faith at this moment that will impact the soul of the nation and the integrity of faith, which are both now at stake,” said Jim Wallis, President and Founder of Sojourners.

The church service, procession, and vigil at White House, where more than 1000 attendees are expected, serves as a witness to demonstrate that a large number of American Christians of all backgrounds are committed to social justice and speaking truth to power. Although mainstream media has focused on the “Trump Evangelicals”, it has failed to consistently include the voice of the many millions of committed Christians whose faith leads them to reject the current nexus of religion and politics but rather reaffirm the belief that the church’s role is to change the world through the life and love of Jesus Christ.  By taking the Reclaiming Jesus declaration to the public square, we proclaim that our voice will not remain unheard.

Event Details: May 24, 2018 form 7pm to 10pm 7:00pm-8:30 Church Service | 8:30-8:45 Procession to White House| 8:45-10:00 Silent Candlelight Vigil Where: National City Christian Church at 5 Thomas Circle NW and White House at Lafayette Park.

Read the entire declaration  at www.ReclaimingJesus.org

Signers of the Declaration:

Bishop Carroll A. Baltimore, President and CEO, Global Alliance Interfaith Network 

Rev. Dr. Peter Borgdorff, Executive Director Emeritus, Christian Reformed Church in North America

Dr. Amos Brown, Chair, Social Justice Commission, National Baptist Convention USA, Inc.

Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann, Professor Emeritus, Columbia Theological Seminary

Dr. Tony Campolo, Co-Founder, Red Letter Christians

Dr. Iva Carruthers, General Secretary, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church

Rev. Dr. James Forbes, President and Founder, Healing the Nations Foundation and Preaching Professor at Union Theological Seminary

Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary Emeritus, Reformed Church in America

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale, Senior Pastor, Ray of Hope Christian Church, Decatur, GA

Rev. Dr. Richard Hamm, former General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Rev. Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Faith Community Organizer and Chairman, Community Resource Network

Rev. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent Emerita, The Wesleyan Church

Bishop Vashti McKenzie, 117th Elected and Consecrated Bishop, AME Church

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., Co-Convener National African American Clergy Network

Dr. John Perkins, Chair Emeritus and Founding Member, Christian Community Development Association

Bishop Lawrence Reddick, CEO, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Fr. Richard Rohr, Founder, Center for Action and Contemplation

Dr. Ron Sider, President Emeritus, Evangelicals for Social Action

Rev. Jim Wallis, President and Founder, Sojourners

Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, Director, NCC Truth and Racial Justice Initiative

Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Co-Convener, National African American Clergy Network; President, Skinner Leadership Institute

Bishop Will Willimon, Bishop, The United Methodist Church, retired, Professor of the Practice of Ministry, Duke Divinity School      

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