Faith in Public Life (FPL) has played an important role in changing the narrative about the role of faith in politics, winning major progressive policy victories, and empowering new religious leaders to fight for social justice and the common good. Our media expertise, rapid-response capabilities and strategic campaign development have made us respected commentators in the media and valued partners with a range of religious groups working for economic and social justice.
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OUR VISION
A world where prophetic faith voices triumph so that justice and democracy prevail, and all people live in peace, dignity, community and abundance.
OUR MISSION
Faith in Public Life is a national movement of clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice, equality and the common good. Together, we are leading the fight to advance just policies at the local, state and federal levels. Our network of 50,000 leaders engage in bold moral action that affirms our values and the human dignity of all.
OUR VALUES
Faith in Public Life is an organization committed to an intentional, transformation and accountable journey toward internally and externally living out the values of racial equity and deconstructing white supremacy in a concrete way. Steps on this journey include (but are not limited to) setting and holding the organization accountable to norms, establishing and pursuing a racial equity road map, and ensuring organizational prioritization of racial equity.
2019: A Rising Religious Left
A tumultuous national landscape invigorated our work this year as we stayed grounded in our faith and our values. We launched a harm reduction advocacy program in Ohio, partnering and building on work on the ground. Our Catholic network grew deeper and more connected with immigration advocacy: hosting a “Catholics4DACA” event at the Capitol. And Rev. Jennifer Butler, our CEO, played a major role in an NPR feature on the religious left!
2017: Year of Resistance
In 2017, we stood firmly for our values across the country – from pushing back against a discriminatory Muslim ban to fighting for the rights of Dreamers to live here safely and in peace. In Jacksonville, FL we won a major expansion of the city’s human rights ordinance to our LGBT neighbors. In Columbus, OH, we worked with faith leaders to encourage Mayor Ginther to make changes to make everyone, in every neighborhood, safer.
2013: Hitting the Road
After the 2012 election, FPL worked hard to transform the immigration conversation: inserting powerful voices into the debate in key states and Congressional districts. While Congress debated a bipartisan reform bill, we played an integral role in the “Nuns on the Border” bus tour, which rallied the faith community in support of reform that keeps immigrant families together and builds a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented. In partnership, we organized an open letter from 100 Catholic college and university presidents calling on Catholic members of Congress to support bipartisan, commonsense immigration reform. These influential voices resonated in national media outlets such as the Washington Post and The New York Times.
2008: Changing the Debate
As the 2008 presidential primaries approached, FPL was determined to carve out a positive, constructive role for faith in the political narrative. Before the primary debates began in fall 2007, we organized an ideologically and religiously diverse board of faith leaders for the Compassion Forum, a one-of-a-kind event where faith leaders asked candidates substantive questions about moral issues such as climate change, health care and poverty. The event was broadcast live on CNN, giving moderate and progressive faith leaders a national platform to discuss real issues. Amid a seemingly endless season of “gotcha” moments, it was more substantive and issue-focused than any other debate.
Lifting up New Voices
Following the 2004 election, “values voters” and Religious Right groups were the face of religion in politics. In Ohio, the “Patriot Pastors” were portrayed by the media as a political force. Shortly after FPL was founded, we helped “We Believe Ohio,” a fledgling clergy coalition in Columbus and Cleveland, become a force in the Buckeye state that challenged the Religious Right’s dominance. By providing We Believe’s diverse leaders with media training, communications capacity, and strategic counsel, we broke the Right’s chokehold on the media narrative in that year’s elections. We Believe clergy spoke out about issues such as the minimum wage and immoral campaign tactics, engaged candidates and publicly confronted Religious Right leaders.
Faith in Public Life Action Fund
Our sister organization, Faith in Public Life Action Fund, is 501(c)4 organization. With staff in four states and growing, we work closely with our members to take strategic moral action that shapes policy both locally and nationally. We believe that faith leaders have unique moral power to influence public debates and build more just and equitable communities.
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