Immigration raids demean our values

Commentary by Bishop Roy Riley, NJ Synod, and Ralston Deffenbaugh of LIRS.

Presiding bishop responds to Muslim leaders

Commands to love God and one’s neighbor flow through the sacred writings of Christians, Jews and Muslims, and people of all faiths can “read the beauty of these passages found in the sacred texts of the Abrahamic faiths, which signify God’s vision for how and whom we love in a broken world,” ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson wrote in response to an Oct. 11 letter sent to him and several global Christian leaders by 138 Muslim leaders from throughout the world.

The 29-page open letter, “A Common Word Between You and Us,” calls for Muslims and Christians to work more closely together for peace.

“Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world’s population,” the Muslim leaders wrote. “Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians. The basis for this peace and understanding already exists.”

“I receive this letter in the sincere expression of faithfulness intended by its drafters, and with the hopeful expectation for peace that calls to us from the origins of our sacred texts and professions of faith,” wrote Hanson, who is president of the 60-million member Lutheran World Federation. “I encourage prayer and planning for communities of justice, peace, and security where Muslims, Jews, and Christians draw from these origins as from essential wells of living water.”

Read Bishop Hanson’s complete response on the ELCA website.

Religious leaders urge equity in farm bill

Thirty-two bishops and other religious leaders in Pennsylvania have signed letters to Senators Robert Casey, Jr., and Arlen Specter, urging them to work for equity in the farm bill when the Senate takes up the legislation this month. Bishops and clergy who signed the letter represent regional offices of such theologically diverse faith communions as the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Church of the Brethren, Moravian Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and United Church of Christ.

Hand delivered on October 3, the letters signed by Pennsylvania faith leaders are part of efforts by a national religious coalition, led by the anti-hunger organization Bread for the World, advocating for changes to the farm bill that would provide more equitable support to farmers of modest means and help make progress against hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world.

“It is an injustice to give priority to special interests rather than meet the most pressing needs in rural America or do what we can to reduce hunger,” said Larry Hollar, Bread for the World’s Regional Organizer for Pennsylvania.  “Our nation’s farm policy must help those who need it the most—farmers of modest means, struggling rural communities and hungry people who are working to lift their families out of poverty.”

Farm Bill press release