Church Leaders Condemn Acts of Violence, Racism and Hate Speech at Charlottesville Rally on Sunday
Clergy plan to have public witness and national prayer vigil via Facebook Live from Charlottesville on Sunday, August 13, at 4:00 P.M.
Contact: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Christian Defense Coalition & Church on the Hill, 540-538-4741
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Aug. 13, 2017 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Clergy plan to have public witness and national prayer vigil via Facebook Live from Charlottesville on Sunday, August 13, at 4:00 P.M.
Rev. Patrick Mahoney and Rev. Rob Scheck to lead a vigil at the corner of Main and Third St. on the Charlottesville Pedestrian Mall.
The pastors will be praying for the family and friends of all those who were killed and injured yesterday and for God to bring healing and unity to our nation.
The prayer vigil will center on the Biblical teaching of "loving your neighbor as yourself."
"This was a despicable, atrocious, cowardly, and sinful act of mass murder and violence against innocent civilians. It's hard to imagine the level of hatred that propels an individual to commit this kind of terrorism. Religious voices across the spectrum, but especially evangelicals because of our disproportionate presence in the South, must condemn this heinous act unequivocally. It is a violation of the sanctity of human life, the commandment against murder, and the teaching and model of Jesus Christ. The church must respond vigorously to this supremely immoral episode, as we pray for those mourning, struggling to survive, recovering from their wounds, and traumatized. God help us in this deeply sad and tragic time in our nation's life." -- The Reverend Dr. Rob Schenck, Evangelical Methodist minister, president of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute in Washington, DC, subject of Emmy-nominated documentary on gun violence, The Armor of Light
"The fomenting of racism, antisemitism, divisiveness, hatred, and contempt for fellow human beings is an insult to everything that makes America great. Our nation stands for the dignity of every human person, the rights of all, the equality of individuals and communities. What happened in Charlottesville is a human tragedy, a scandalous crime, and a terrifying precedent that puts many other communities at risk. The Bible says we reap what we sow. The nationalists and white supremacists sowed the seeds for the terrorist attack on civilians and officers in Charlottesville. When you sow to the wind you reap the whirlwind. Let us pray for surviving loved ones, for the injured, and the fearful." -- The Reverend Dr. Suzan D. Johnson-Cook, Baptist minister, 4th U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, retired NYPD chaplain, and civil rights advocate
"This is sad moment in American life and history. This kind of violence has no place in America or anywhere else. These acts must be condemned, brought to justice, and eradicated. As Americans we cannot allow hatred, bigotry, or prejudice to stand. People of faith, leaders of faith communities, and all good people of conscience must speak out and take action now. We are calling on pastors, ministry leaders and representatives to lead their people in prayer, call on their civic and political leaders to intervene, and take action themselves to bring healing and spiritual restoration to Charlottesville and our whole country. We know through prayer and public witness we can see Christ bring healing and reconciliation to our nation and people." -- Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Presbyterian minister, National Director, The Christian Defense Coalition and pastor of The Church on the Hill, Washington, DC
