The Houston Chronicle reports that a progressive Christian group in Houston, the Houston Clergy Council, has issued a letter criticizing Governor Rick Perry's planned prayer event, 'The Response'.
Wary of the event's exclusion of non-Christians and its partnership with the anti-gay American Family Association, the group writes, "We ask that Rick Perry leave the ministry to us and refocus his energy on the work of governing our state."
The full text of the Houston Clergy Council's letter:
June 13, 2011
As Houston clergy, we write to express our deep concern over Governor Rick Perry’s proclamation of a day of prayer and fasting at Houston’s Reliant Stadium on August 6th. In our role as faith leaders, we encourage and support prayer, meditation, and spiritual practice. Yet our governor’s religious event gives us pause for a number of reasons:
We believe in a healthy boundary between church and state. Out of respect for the state, we believe that it should represent all citizens equally and without preference for religious or philosophical tradition. Out of respect for religious communities, we believe that they should foster faithful ways of living without favoring one political party over another. Keeping the church and state separate allows each to thrive and upholds our proud national tradition of empowering citizens to worship freely and vote conscientiously. We are concerned that our governor has crossed the line by organizing and leading a religious event rather than focusing on the people’s business in Austin.
We also express concern that the day of prayer and fasting at Reliant Stadium is not an inclusive event. As clergy leaders in the nation’s fourth largest city, we take pride in Houston’s vibrant and diverse religious landscape. Our religious communities include Bahais, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Unitarian Universalists, and many other faith traditions. Our city is also home to committed agnostics and atheists, with whom we share common cause as fellow Houstonians. Houston has long been known as a “live and let live” city, where all are respected and welcomed. It troubles us that the governor’s prayer event is not open to everyone. In the publicized materials, the governor has made it clear that only Christians of a particular kind are welcome to pray in a certain way. We feel that such an exclusive event does not reflect the rich tapestry of our city.
Our deepest concern, however, lies in the fact that funding for this event appears to come from the American Family Association, an organization labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The American Family Association and its leadership have a long track record of anti-gay speech and have actively worked to discriminate against the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. The American Family Association and its leadership have also been stridently anti-Muslim, going so far as to question the rights of Muslim Americans to freely organize and practice their faith. We believe it is inappropriate for our governor to organize a religious event funded by a group known for its discriminatory stances.
As religious leaders, we commit to join with all Houstonians in working to make our city a better place. We will lead our communities in prayer, meditation, and spiritual practice. We ask that Rick Perry leave the ministry to us and refocus his energy on the work of governing our state.
Signed,
Rev. Dr. Jeremy Rutledge, Minister, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Douglas Anders, Conference Minister, South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ
Rev. Paul Beedle, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel, Minister, Plymouth United Church, UCC
Rev. Beth Ellen Cooper-Davis, Minister, Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Michael Diaz, Director of Connections, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Dr. Millard Eiland, Alliance of Baptists
Rev. Pat Farnan, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Lura Groen, Pastor, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Rev. Teddy Hardy, Minister, St. John United Church of Christ
Rev. Lori Keaton, United Church of Christ
Rev. Harry Knox, Senior Pastor, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Janice Ladd, Executive Pastor, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Dr. Becky Edmiston-Lange, Co-Minister, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Mark Edmiston-Lange, Co-Minister, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Dr. Margie Latham, Minister of Administration, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Mona Lopez, Volunteer Staff Clergy, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Laura Mayo, Minister, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Dr. Daniel O’Connell, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. David Pantermuehl, Grace United Church of Christ
Rev. Adam Robinson, Assistant Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Ken Richter, Senior Minister, First Congregational Church, UCC
Rev. Bill Royster, United Church of Christ
Rev. Sam Schaal, Transition Minister, Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Robert Tucker, Executive Director, Foundation for Contemporary Theology
Rev. Ernie Turney, Pastor, Bering United Methodist Church
Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Unitarian Universalist
Additional supporters of the Houston Clergy Council statement
