WASHINGTON – Following the announcement about the creation of the Religious Liberty Task Force by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, called on Sessions to re-evaluate his definition of religious freedom:

“Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Department of Justice can’t celebrate the United States as ‘one of the world’s most diverse religious people’ while jettisoning the interests of the vast majority of Americans of faith and of no particular faith. The attempt to have it both ways shouldn’t come as a surprise from someone who simultaneously praises Roger Williams – a man ostracized for his faith – and the Pilgrims – the community that ostracized him – as good examples of the ‘freedom of conscience.’

“In equating respect for people of faith with saying ‘Merry Christmas,’ the speech by Sessions was the clearest statement of the administration’s radical redefinition of religious freedom by preferencing a single brand of religion over all the others. We call on Sessions and the Department of Justice to reconsider the creation of a task force designed to enforce the use of religion as a license to discriminate.”

Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.