Colorado Religious Leaders Launch Interfaith Coalition to Change “Values Debate”
Friday, June 13, 2008
(Denver) – An overflowing crowd of nearly 300 religious leaders from Muslim, Jewish, Christian and other faiths gathered at Denver’s Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church last night to publicly launch We Believe Colorado – a new interfaith coalition dedicated to broadening the values debate in the 2008 election and beyond. The evening featured inspiring interfaith worship, political advocacy training, and numerous organizations endorsing We Believe Colorado’s founding statement. (See bottom for full list.)
“We’re uniting to usher in a broader, inclusive dialogue on issues ranging from abortion reduction to high rates of incarceration, from immigration to environmental stewardship,” said Rev. Ron Stief, a lead organizer of We Believe Colorado and Director of Organizing Strategy for Faith in Public Life.
The enthusiastic overflow crowd applauded the impassioned messages from the Latino, African-American and white leaders who endorsed We Believe Colorado’s successful gathering of diverse people of faith together around shared principles.
“H.S. Power & Light, a Latino Faith Based Initiative, believes that We Believe Colorado is an important new interfaith movement that brings religious leaders from all faiths to work together on issues in which we have common perspectives that touch the lives of so many Coloradoans in a positive manner,” said Fidel “Butch” Montoya, director of H.S. Power & Light and a former Deputy Mayor of Denver.
As the 2008 election approaches, We Believe Colorado is creating partnerships among faith activists who are already active in addressing a broad values agenda.
“Our coalition members are already taking the lead on common good issues -- We Believe Colorado will amplify these efforts in the public square in this crucial election year,” said Rev. Jann Halloran, chair of the Colorado Council of Churches’ Justice Commission.
We Believe Colorado is part of a growing national movement of statewide interfaith coalitions working to broaden the faith and values conversation. The group was inspired in part by We Believe Ohio, founded in 2006 to create a voice for common good values and a positive, faith-based alternative to the divisive rhetoric of the religious right.
The following organizations officially endorsed We Believe Colorado: The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, Colorado Council of Churches, H.S. Power and Light – A Latino Faith Based Initiative, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Colorado, Interfaith Voices Against Poverty, Northeast Denver Islamic Center, Eco-Justice Ministries, Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, United Church of Montbello.
