Press Release
Interfaith Alliance: As Election Nears, Nation Must Confront the Truth About January 6
Interfaith Alliance, a national organization that advocates for inclusive democracy and healthy boundaries between religion and government, acknowledged the third anniversary of the January 6 insurrection by highlighting the continuing threat posed by Christian nationalists and by rejecting efforts to rewrite the history of that day as less violent and threatening than the reality.
In a statement, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, said:
“So many of us watched in horror when a band of insurrectionists attacked the United States Capitol, taking a bludgeon to our nation’s bedrock principles of democracy and free and fair elections. And many did so in the name of faith, as numerous attackers carried wooden crosses, Christian flags, and signs that read ‘Jesus Saves,’ painfully illustrating the authoritarian threat that Christian nationalism poses to our democracy.
“Three years later, we must ask ourselves: has our nation confronted the reality of January 6, and accepted the critical work we must do to bring our country together so that history does not repeat itself? Powerful elected officials, far-right media, and extreme religious figures continue to minimize and, in some cases, even celebrate the insurrection.
“As the 2024 election approaches, democracy is on the ballot. Interfaith Alliance marks this solemn anniversary with renewed determination to mobilize Americans of diverse faiths and beliefs to heal our nation, restore faith in elections, and defeat Christian nationalism at the ballot box.
“We must collectively reaffirm that no matter our differences, our democracy is sacred and worth fighting for.”
I.R.S. Support for Political Endorsement by Houses of Worship Erodes Critical Boundary Between Religion and Government
WASHINGTON – Interfaith Alliance, a national leader in defending religious freedom and inclusive multi-faith democracy, is deeply concerned by a new I.R.S. court filing that says churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates to their congregations from the pulpit. This action by the Trump Administration violates the fundamental purpose and spirit of the Johnson Amendment, a decades-old ban on political campaigning and endorsement by non-profits, including houses of worship.
Interfaith Alliance Condemns Islamophobia and Extremist Targeting of Public Officials
As a national leader in defending religious freedom and multi-faith democracy, Interfaith Alliance is appalled by the recent surge of Islamophobic hate speech and incitement against NYC Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, and the broader pattern of extreme hate directed against public officials and vulnerable minorities. This hateful rhetoric seeks to spread polarization and division and wrongly pit diverse American communities against one another.
SCOTUS Ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor Enables LGBTQ+ Discrimination, Harms True Religious Freedom
WASHINGTON, DC – Interfaith Alliance, a national leader in defending religious freedom and multi-faith democracy, is deeply disturbed by the Supreme Court’s ruling today in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor. The decision clears the way for further discrimination against diverse groups and undermines public education. While falsely claiming the mantle of religious freedom, it in fact suppresses diversity and promotes exclusion.