Christian leaders write to the Biden administration

Short post today, as I mainly want to draw your attention to an open letter from earlier this week that you may have missed. A group called Churches for Middle East Peace wrote a letter to the Biden administration about the US’s involvement in the crisis in Gaza.

On the one hand, no big deal, people write open letters all the time. On the other hand, this letter was co-signed by the top leader of nearly every major Protestant denomination in the US—well, the ones that care about global issues and justice (you won’t find any Southern Baptist leaders on the list).

This includes Harbor’s two denominational partners, the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA). The letter was signed by the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, general minister and president of the UCC, and the Rev. Bronwen Boswell, acting stated clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA).

No one asked me, Dottie, or Dawn to sign, as it turns out that a small quirky online faith community doesn’t carry the clout of, say, a denomination with a million members and thousands of clergy. But if they had, I think I could sign this letter without reservation. It outlines some of the key aspects of the conflict that the US may be able to influence by exerting pressure or demands. It also condemns the violence demonstrated by both sides of the conflict, while still being specific and concrete about the particular harms.

Without further ado, I leave you with the letter. Joining you as you we engage in our own forms of prayer and lament.