Faith in the Public Square

Several faith-based agencies working with refugees are not happy with the way the Biden administration has chosen to leave Afghanistan. Religion News Service (RNS) reports  those groups include Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service , World Relief , Church World Service , the Episcopal Church (which resettles refugees through Episcopal Migration Ministries ) and HIAS (founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society). According to RNS, in June, those organizations  urged  President Biden to implement plans to evacuate Afghan translators, soldiers, cultural advisers, embassy clerks and others who have worked with American armed forces, media or nonprofits and allies and to authorize as many SIVs as necessary to make that possible. President Biden told the nation this week that one reason for the turmoil was that “some of the Afghans did not want to leave early, still hopeful for their country. And part of it is because the Afghan government and its supporters discouraged us...

Earlier this week, an interfaith group met informally at Al-Hidaya Center in Latham to begin planning a strategy to support passage of a bill in Congress “to promote justice, equality and human rights for Palestinian children and families by prohibiting Israeli authorities from using U.S. taxpayer funds to detain and torture Palestinian children, demolish and seize Palestinian homes, and further annex Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.” Known as HR 2590, the bill is endorsed by a wide range of national organizations that include the American Friends Service Committee, Church World Service, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, National Council of Churches USA, Oxfam America, Pax Christi USA, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, The Episcopal Church, The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society, and the United Church of Christ. Supporters of the bill say that “Israel has the dubious distinction of being the   only country in the wor...

  The Office of Government Relations of the Episcopal Church has weighed in on both the For the People Act and the  John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and is urging people to speak out publicly on the importance of voting rights for all. Their website states: As a Church, we have policy on most – although not all – of the issues in the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Primarily, we oppose voter suppression and encourage voting access.  General Convention Resolution  2018-D003  calls on  all states to cease and desist efforts to suppress the voting rights of American Citizens . We “call on governments on all levels to create policies to enhance voter participation by, among other strategies, seeking to implement policies that will increase early voting, extend registration periods, guarantee an adequate number of voting locations, allow absentee balloting without the necessity of having an excuse, and prohibit forms of identif...

Beginning today, Reform Jews across the United States will   meet virtually with their U.S. Senators   to advocate in support of the   For the People Act   and the   John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act   as part of the Reform Movement’s   Racial Justice Campaign .   According to the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism  (RAC): Despite the ongoing pandemic and   a patchwork of barriers to the ballot box across the country , more than 159 million Americans voted in the 2020 elections, the highest rates seen in over a century. However, some state elected officials want to roll back this progress by creating more barriers to vote. That is why we need federal legislation to protect the freedom to vote. Noting that the right to vote is fundamental in a democracy, the RAC urges people to ensure that elections are accessible for all. "The For the People Act (H.R.1/S.1) is a broad bill, that among its provisions, will protect the freedo...

The  Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province  has made a commitment to reduce their consumption of plastics as one way to respond to the crisis of global warming. This month, they invite everyone to join them in recognizing Plastic Free July by taking one action each day throughout the month. You can find their webpage with the daily actions here . Each takes less than five minutes, so there is no reason not to participate.

The FOCUS Churches of Albany have identified the complex issue of immigration as one of four priorities to which they may respond with advocacy, collective participation by their covenant churches and affiliates, linking with community partners, and providing direct service.  According to the latest FOCUS newsletter, their Immigration Task Force, which will reconvene in September, is in need of "a few more friends within the FOCUS Community to join this work."  If  you are interested, please contact: Belinda Quaye in the FOCUS office:   belindaq@focuschurches.net  or 518-443-0460 ext. 2.

To mark World Refugee Day, religious leaders from several faith communities in the Capital District will offer an interfaith Zoom program on Monday, June 21. The hour-long program begins at 7 p.m. Among the speakers are representatives of the Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, and Protestant faiths. [The final list is still in formation.] Speakers will share selections from their sacred texts, prayers, and/or stories of what people of their faith are doing to help refugees.   No pre-registration is required. To join the Zoom Meeting, click  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81648352852 Meeting ID: 816 4835 2852 One tap mobile +16465588656,,81648352852# US (New York) For more information, contact Deacon Walter Ayres at 518-469-4339.