We Believe Salutes Faith and Politics Town Hall Meeting
Ohio Clergy Advocate for Statewide Public Discourse
Thursday, March 23, 2006
March 23, 2006 (Columbus, OH) – We Believe released the following statement on the public dialogue to take place between Rev. Jim Wallis, Rev. Russell Johnson, and 900 Ohioans this weekend at the Capitol Theatre in Columbus:
“At the public launch of We Believe last week, our diverse group of more than 100 pastors, rabbis, cantors and active lay leaders announced our shared commitment to engage our congregations in the electoral process and preach about God's call to work toward social justice. We believe engaging in public dialogue about achieving social justice is part of how we answer God’s call to reconcile.
“We are hopeful the town hall meeting this weekend with Revs. Jim Wallis and Russell Johnson, and 900 Ohioans will be a solid step toward people of faith uniting, healing and committing to pursuing social justice for all. Building on the energy coming out of the We Believe launch, we invite the public, clergy and the media to attend a We Believe rally on Sunday, April 23, just days before the Primary election. Join us as together we reflect a strong, diverse, religious voice that speaks on behalf of the poor, the voiceless, and the unrepresented.�
We are called as people of faith and loyal Americans to be united in dialogue and action to say:
YES to justice for all; NO to prosperity for only a few; YES to diverse religious expression; NO to self-righteous certainty; YES to the common good; NO to discrimination against any of God’s people; YES to the voice of religious traditions informing public policy; NO to crossing the lines that separate the institutions of Religion and Government
