As people of differing faith traditions in the United States, we find it offensive when the Attorney General misuses any religious tradition to justify separating children from their families. As people of faith we derive our commitment to social justice from the teachings of our respective faiths, but it is entirely inappropriate for a government official to invoke religion in promoting an inhumane policy.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently quoted Christian Scripture – Romans 13 – in defense of his policy of tearing children away from their parents when they arrive at our border, seeking asylum. These are people fleeing from civil war, gang violence, and domestic violence. Border officials often take the children away, some as young as 18 months, under false pretenses of taking them for a bath. The parents realize too late that their children are not coming back, and they have no way to find where they have been taken or contact them. These people are seeking safety and hospitality at our borders, and they are receiving the opposite.
The Scripture AG Sessions cited (Romans 13:1) does indeed read, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God,” but he ignores the context. The following verses explain not only that we are to obey the law, but also lay out an expectation that the laws are made for the benefit of all God’s people. The passage culminates in this admonition: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.’”
While we deplore the misuse of scripture to justify public policy, if our government officials are going to use religious text, there are many others we suggest: “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born, love them as yourself” from the Hebrew Bible (Lev. 19:33-34: 33). From Christian scripture: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40).
From the Quran: "And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour from among your own people, and the neighbor who is a stranger… " (Quran: An-Nisa (4:36)). From the Baha'i: "Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive" (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh).
Faith traditions around the world teach versions of the Golden Rule. We encourage our elected representatives and government officials to look to that Golden Rule when making policies, for then our collective values of love, compassion, empathy, and generosity toward those who come seeking safety and peace will be reflected.
Reverend Susan Schneider
Trinity Lutheran Church
Madison, WI 53704
Rabbi Bonnie Margulis
President, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Madison, WI 53719
Organizations/Congregations
Community of Hope UCC Steering Committee
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
Madison-Area Urban Ministry
Wisconsin Council of Churches
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Signatories: (congregations/organizations for identification purposes only)
Rev. Anne Andert
ELCA (retired)
Janesville, WI
Alicia C. Armstrong
Immigration Attorney
Owner, Alicia C. Armstrong Law Office, LLC
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Rev. Ann Beaty
Associate Minister
First Congregational UCC
Madison, WI 53726
Joanna Berke
Madison, WI
Rabbi Jonathan Biatch
Temple Beth El
Madison, WI 53719
The Reverend Jeffry G. Billerbeck
Chaplain (retired)
Blue Mounds. WI
Rev. Winton Boyd
Senior Pastor
Orchard Ridge UCC
Madison WI
Rev. Joe Brosius
Pastor of Outreach
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
5701 Raymond Road
Madison, WI 53711
Marlene Buechel
Verona, WI
The Rev. Mark M. Clinger
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Madison
Madison, WI
Catherine Coberly
2580 Lalor Road
Oregon WI 53575
Merle Cohen
Madison, WI
Kia Conrad
Madison, WI 53704
Tim Coughlin
Middleton Community United Church of Christ
Middleton, WI
Rev. David C. Couper
Madison Chief of Police (Ret) and St Peter’s Episcopal Church
North Lake, WI
Reverend Cindy Crane
Director
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53719
Rev. Kirsten Curtis
Christ Lutheran Church
Spring Green, WI 53588
Rev. Timothy Dean
Senior Pastor
McFarland Lutheran Church
McFarland, WI 53558
Ruby Dow
Mauston, WI
Rev. Mark Elsdon, M.Div, MBA
Executive Director/Campus Pastor
Pres House at UW Madison
Madison, WI 53703
Rev. JoAnne Fabie
ELCA (retired)
Waunakee, WI
Rev. Dr. Jerry Folk
ELCA (retired)
Madison, WI
Reverend Jeff Fox-Kline
Minister of word and sacrament
Covenant Presbyterian Church
Madison, WI
Rev. Kristin Gorton
Memorial United Church of Christ
Fitchburg, WI 53712
The Rev'd Dr. D. Jonathan Grieser
Rector
Grace Episcopal Church
Madison, WI 53703
Reverend David Hart
Sherman Avenue United Methodist Church
Madison, WI 53704
Rev. Phil Haslanger
United Church of Christ (retired)
Fitchburg WI 53711
The Reverend Dr. Miranda Hassett
Rector
St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church
Madison, WI 53705
Rev. Heather Hayward
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
Middleton, WI
Reverend Eldonna Hazen
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Madison, WI 53726
Nathan Houston
Madison, WI
Rev Breanna Illéné,
Pastor
Trinity & First United Methodist Church
Madison, WI
Reverend Sonja Ingebritsen
Community of Hope United Church of Christ
Madison, WI 53717
Rev. Peder Johanson
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Broadhead, WI
The Rev. Andy Jones
Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church
Madison, WI 53716
Barbara Katz
Madison, WI
Linda Ketcham
Executive Director
Madison-area Urban Ministry
Madison, WI 53713
Rev. Robb Kosky
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Waterloo, WI
Reverend Tina Lang
First United Methodist Church
Madison, WI
Reverend Lex Liberatore
Lake Edge United Church of Christ
Madison, WI 53716
Ellen Lindgren
Middleton WI
Rev. Erica Liu
Campus Pastor
Pres House
Madison, WI 5370
Rev. Doug Locken
Pastor
Peace Lutheran Church
Waunakee, WI
Rev. Karen Locken
Lead Pastor
Peace Lutheran Church
Waunakee, WI
Rev. Jason M Mack
First Baptist Church
Madison WI
Bill and Bobbie Malone
Madison, WI
Maureen McDonnell, O.P.
Madison, WI 53711
Rev. Dr. Paul J. Melrose ( ret )
United Methodist Church
Michigan Conference
Madison, WI
The Rev. Jonathan Melton
St. Francis House Episcopal Student Center
Madison, WI 53715
Rev. Lisa Nelson
Faith Lutheran Church
Columbus, WI
Rev. Katya Ouchakof
Lake Edge Lutheran Church (ELCA)
Madison WI 53716
Rev. Kathleen Cook Owens
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Oregon, WI 53575
Rev. Kerri Parker
Executive Director
Wisconsin Council of Churches
Sun Prairie, WI
Leila Pine
Madison, WI
Rev. Matthew Ploeger
Spiritual Care Coordinator
Heartland Hospice
Madison, WI
Rev. Lori Powell
Pastor
St. Mark's Lutheran Church
Madison, WI
Reverend Michael Rehak
Director, Institute for Congregational Identity
Cambridge, WI 53523-9401
The Rev. Oscar A. Rozo
Priest in charge
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Rev. Dick Runge
Retired UCC Pastor
Member of Memorial UCC
Fitchburg
Janet Ruszala-Coughlin
Middleton Community United Church of Christ
Middleton, WI
Mary Sanderson
De Forest, WI
Reverend Leslie Schenk
Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ
Madison, WI 53704
Erica Serlin Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Co-Chair Temple Beth El Immigrant Action Team
Madison WI
Reverend Larry Sexe
Deerfield Lutheran Church
Deerfield, WI 53531
Janice Cittasubha Sheppard
Lay Buddhist Minister
Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery, and
Madison Insight Meditation Group Tuesday night weekly sitting
Pastor Pat Siegler
Zion Faith Community
Madison WI
Myrna Solganick
Madison, WI
Laura Stalder
Immigration Group Plymouth UCC
Madison Wisconsin
Rev. Nick Upthall
Advent Lutheran Church
Madison, WI 53717
Reverend Brad Van Fossen
Monona United Methodist Church
Monona, WI 53716
Rae Vogeler
Oregon, WI
Donna Vukelich-Selva
Madison, WI
Wendy Ward
Madison, WI 53704
Rev. Joe Wilkinson
Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church
Sussex, WI
Reverend Cynthia M. Wunder
Lodi First Presbyterian Church
Lodi WI 53555
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