News from the Week May 8 - May 12, 2023

Friend:

A Muslim, a Christian and a Jew walk into a bar…. Well, it wasn’t a bar, it was the Reform Jewish Movement’s Commission on Social Action meeting this past Wednesday, and we discussed the threat of White Christian Nationalism and what to do about it.

With me were my friend Robby Jones, president and founder of Public Religion Research Institute and author of (among other books) White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, and the brilliant Wajahat Ali, author of Go Back To Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American. We laughed about how we were the start of a good joke but left feeling buoyed because it’s empowering to come together across our differences and fight for the promises of American democracy. It was quite a morning, and we may have to take our show on the road.

None of you will be surprised by what I said: As the country’s demographics change and America’s progress towards a more inclusive society continues, White conservative Christians are raging against the dying of their privilege. Church-state separation is the xxxxxx that stops them from codifying their privilege in our laws.

As the Jew on the panel speaking to a Jewish audience, I explained how White Christian Nationalism is a threat to Jews’ lives, Jews’ equality and the Reform Jewish movement’s values that insist on equality for all marginalized communities. But I could make—and have made—the same points about any group of Americans because these threats apply to all of us.

We see the threat to our lives in mass shootings perpetrated by neo-Nazis and white supremacists targeting racial and religious minorities. We saw it at the rally in Charlottesville and the vehicle attack that killed Heather Heyer. We saw it during the violent assault on American democracy on Jan. 6, 2021.

The threat to equality can be seen on AU’s legal docket. In case after case, we’re fighting against taxpayer-funded discrimination. Liz and Gabe Rutan-Ram couldn’t adopt a little boy because they are Jewish. The Christian foster care agency—funded with your tax dollars—refused to serve them because they’re not evangelicals. Other clients were in similar situations because they’re Catholic, or LGBTQ, or fought back against racism. We can also see the threat to equality in our abortion lawsuit, where 14 clergy from seven different denominations are challenging Missouri’s abortion bans as a violation of the separation of church and state.

White Christian Nationalism threatens our democracy. The Jan. 6 insurrection demonstrated vividly that Christian Nationalists will stop at nothing to secure their power and privilege–and that includes toppling our democracy.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that more people are understanding the importance of church-state separation. AU was made for this moment. And we’re calling for a national recommitment to keep church and state separate. As our loyal, smart, passionate members, YOU are leaders in this campaign. So please start by visiting www.au.org/Pledge/ and sign the Pledge today if you haven’t already. Once you sign the pledge, help us grow our ranks by sharing it with your friends, families and communities. We are the majority. Now let’s build some power!

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

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In The U.K., The New King Is Defending A Dwindling Faith.
The Church of England has been in steep decline for decades. Just 14% of Britons say they belong to it.
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Christian Nationalists And COVID: A Legacy Of Shame.
During the COVID pandemic, Christian Nationalists chose to promote a dangerous ideology instead of keeping Americans safe.
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Mississippi’s New License Plate Is Now Deity Free.
Mississippi’s new license plate replaces a state seal that includes 'In God We Trust' with an image of a magnolia.
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Here’s The Problem With The ‘Thoughts And Prayers’ Response.
Many Americans – including plenty of religious ones – aren’t angry because politicians advise us to pray after a mass shooting; they are angry because that’s all they’re offering.
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Get Involved—Check Out AU’s Upcoming Events:
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May 15, 2023, 6:30 p.m. ET (Virtual): “Debunking The ‘Christian Nation’ Myth." Is the United States a “Christian nation?” Some Americans think so. Join AU Senior Adviser & Church & State Editor Rob Boston for a talk about debunking the “Christian nation” myth. Sponsored by the First Coast Freethought Society. Sign up here: [link removed]

May 20, 2023, 7:30 p.m. ET (In Person & Virtual): “Hell or High Water: Religion and Climate Change Denial,” a discussion on the extent to which religious views, in particular evangelical Christianity, present obstacles to the acceptance of climate change with Glenn Branch, the deputy director of the National Center for Science Education. Sponsored by AU’s Orange County, Calif., Chapter. Sign up here: [link removed]

May 23, 2023, 1:30 p.m. ET (Virtual): “The Importance of the Separation of Church and State for Feminists." Feminists are keenly aware that religious extremists and their politician allies are trying to force everyone else to live by their beliefs and to use religion as a license to harm others. Join AU's Maggie Garrett, Dena Sher and Catherine Feuille for a discussion on how their work relates to feminist issues. Co-Sponsored by AU and the Clearinghouse on Women's Issues. Sign up here: [link removed]

May 24, 2023, 7:30 p.m. ET (Virtual): “SRF Webinar Series: What's at Stake for Our Issues at the Supreme Court?” In the next installment of AU’s SRF365 programming, hear from legal experts about the latest Supreme Court religion cases – what the Court has said, how it might rule, and what these cases could mean for the country and the law. Sign up here. [link removed]

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