Press Release
Top Religious Leaders Denounce Growing Anti-Muslim Sentiment; Express Support for NY Mosque, Community Center
Challenge Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin To Stop Exploiting FearAugust 11, 2010More than 40 prominent Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders and religion scholars issued a statement today condemning the “xenophobia and religious bigotry” fueling the increasingly strident opposition to a proposed Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero. These leaders from New York City and across the country are specifically challenging the divisive rhetoric of Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin, who have strongly opposed a center that will promote interfaith relations, combat extremism, and offer community programs for Americans of all religious backgrounds.”It’s simply wrong for Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin, public figures who frequently reference their Christian values, to malign all Muslims by comparing this cultural center and mosque with a radical ideology that led to the horrific attacks of 9-11,” said Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby. “We fail to honor those killed by terrorists when we betray the bedrock principle of religious freedom that has guided our democracy for centuries.”Newt Gingrich recently claimed that the Cordoba House “… is a sign of their contempt for Americans and their confidence in our historic ignorance that they would deliberately insult us this way.” Palin called plans for the center a “provocation” that “stabs at the heart.”Faithful America – an online community of more than 100,000 people of faith – is also standing up for the American Muslim community and interfaith cooperation today in response to anti-Muslim sentiment and fierce opposition to proposed mosques in communities across the country. Faithful America members are signing a petition to honor the “many contributions of American Muslims toward global peace” and denounce bigotry and limits on religious freedom as a betrayal of American values.”Christians who believe in the values of religious freedom and interfaith cooperation welcome plans for Cordoba House, a center of culture and dialogue that will honor our nation’s highest ideals,” said the Rev. Peg Chemberlin, President of the National Council of Churches. “We are deeply saddened by those who denigrate a religion which in so many ways is a religion of compassion and peace by associating all Muslims with violent extremism. That’s like equating all Christians to Timothy McVeigh’s actions. This center will reflect not only the best of Islam, but the enduring hope that Christians, Jews and Muslims can together find common ground in addressing the most urgent challenges of our time.””Back in the fall of 2001, when President George W. Bush assured the American people that the War on Terror was not a war against Islam, it would have been hard to imagine a more picture perfect example of Muslim Americans exercising their civic responsibilities than by building a thirteen-story YMCA-style community center,” said Rev. Chloe Breyer, Executive Director of the Interfaith Center of New York. “Cordoba House is exactly the kind of initiative that we need here in New York – it will serve people of all faith traditions and enrich the city, cultivating a society that lives up to our highest ideals, not our worse fears.””I’m proud to join so many leaders from diverse faith traditions who recognize that fear-mongering and scapegoating ‘the other’ has no rightful place in a nation that strives to be a beacon of hope for all those seeking opportunity or escaping persecution,” said Simon Greer, President and CEO of Jewish Funds for Justice. “At a time when Americans deserve real solutions to profound challenges, I am hopeful that the shrill voices of division will be drowned out by a chorus of citizens dedicated to working across lines of race and faith to serve the common good.”Rabbi Marc Schneier, President of The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding in New York, said: “A fundamental tenet of the Torah teaches us to ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself’ (Leviticus 19:18). Far more challenging is the dictum, ‘Love the stranger, for you too were strangers in the land of Egypt’ (Deuteronomy 10:19). ‘Love thy neighbor’ is mentioned only once in the Bible while ‘Love the stranger’ is repeated 36 times. This added emphasis highlights how challenging and important it is to love someone different than yourself. Our great nation’s history as a beacon of tolerance and religious freedom further encourages us to embrace the strangers in our midst of different faiths and backgrounds. The Cordoba House embodies these proud and sacred traditions.”The full statement with signatories is below, or available online here. To view the Faithful America petition, visit https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2518/action/supporting_muslims.Interfaith Leaders Stand with Cordoba House, Denounce Hateful RhetoricAs Catholic, evangelical, mainline Protestant, Jewish and Muslim leaders and scholars committed to religious freedom and inter-religious cooperation, we are deeply troubled by the xenophobia and religious bigotry that has characterized some of the opposition to a proposed Islamic center and mosque near where the World Trade Center towers once stood.Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, is the most recent prominent opponent to cast this debate in a way that demonizes all Muslims and exploits fear to divide Americans. “It is a sign of their contempt for Americans and their confidence in our historic ignorance that they would deliberately insult us this way,” Gingrich, a Catholic, said in a statement. Sarah Palin, an evangelical Christian who frequently references her faith as an inspiration for her political beliefs, called plans for the center a “provocation.” Fox News has aired a steady stream of irresponsible commentary and biased coverage that reduces what should be a civil debate into starkly combative terms.The profound tragedy of Sept. 11th revealed the horror that can unfold when a small minority of violent extremists manipulates religious language for political gain and falsely claims to represent one of the world’s great religions. We have witnessed this sinful corruption of religion across faith traditions throughout history and must condemn it without equivocation whenever or wherever it occurs. However, we fail to honor those murdered on that awful day – including Muslim Americans killed in the Twin Towers and Pentagon – by betraying our nation’s historic commitment to religious liberty, fueling ugly stereotypes about Islam and demeaning the vast majority of Muslims committed to peace. The proposed mosque would be part of Cordoba House, a center open to all Americans that will provide Islamic, interfaith and secular programs. The project aims to support “integration, tolerance of difference and community cohesion through arts and culture,” according to the Cordoba Initiative, which promotes improved “Muslim-West relations.” These are exactly the kind of efforts that foster dialogue, break down barriers and begin to build a world where religiously inspired violent extremism is less likely.Mr. Gingrich, Ms. Palin and other prominent voices privileged to have the ear of the media would make a more lasting contribution to our nation if they stopped issuing inflammatory statements and instead helped inspire a civil dialogue between Christians, Jews and Muslims committed to a future guided by the principles of compassion, justice and peace. Fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric only undermine treasured values at the heart of diverse faith traditions and our nation’s highest ideals.The Rev. Canon Peg ChemberlinPresident, National Council of ChurchesExecutive Director, Minnesota Council of ChurchesThe Rev. Dr. Michael KinnamonGeneral SecretaryNational Council of ChurchesThe Rev. Dr. Ken Brooker LangstonDirector, Disciples Justice Action NetworkCoordinator, Disciples Center for Public WitnessThe Rev. Chloe BreyerExecutive DirectorThe Interfaith Center of New YorkLisa Sharon HarperExecutive DirectorNew York Faith and JusticeSimon GreerPresident and CEOJewish Funds for JusticeRabbi Joy LevittExecutive DirectorJewish Community Center in ManhattanRabbi Marc SchneierPresidentThe Foundation for Ethnic UnderstandingRabbi Richard HirshExecutive DirectorReconstructionist Rabbinical AssociationRabbi Irwin KulaPresidentCLAL – National Jewish Center for Learning and LeadershipRabbi Abie IngberFounding DirectorInterfaith Community EngagementXavier UniversityCincinnati, OhioJeremy Ben-AmiPresidentJ StreetSalam Al-MarayatiPresidentMuslim Public Affairs CouncilMohamed ElsanousiDirector of Community OutreachIslamic Society of North AmericaRabbi Nancy Fuchs KreimerAssociate ProfessorDirector, Department of Multifaith Studies and InitiativesReconstructionist Rabbinical CollegeRabbi Gerald SerottaClergy Beyond BordersVirginia Avniel SpatzProgram DirectorClergy Beyond BordersSister Mary Waskowiak, RSMPresidentInstitute of the Sisters of Mercy of the AmericasSister Simone Campbell, SSSExecutive DirectorNETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice LobbySister Marlene Weisenbeck, FSPAPresidentLeadership Conference of Women ReligiousDavid RobinsonExecutive DirectorPax Christi USAMarie DennisDirectorMaryknoll Office for Global ConcernsCo-President Pax Christi InternationalT. Michael McNulty, SJJustice and Peace DirectorConference of Major Superiors of MenJohn EspositoUniversity Professor & Founding DirectorPrince Alwaleed Bin-TalalCenter for Muslim-Christian UnderstandingGeorgetown UniversityJohn ZollAssociate DirectorPrince Alwaleed Bin-TalalCenter for Muslim-Christian UnderstandingGeorgetown UniversityJames E. Hug, S.J.PresidentCenter of ConcernSister Maria Riley, OPSenior AdvisorCenter of ConcernRabbi J. Rolando MatalonCongregation B’nai JeshurunNew York, NYRabbi Brant RosenJewish Reconstructionist CongregationEvanston, ILRabbi Sue LevyHouston, TexasRabbi Dev NoilyOakland, CARabbi Laurie ZimmermanCongregation Shaarei ShamayimMadison, WIPaul LakelandProfessor of Catholic StudiesDirector, Center for Catholic StudiesFairfield UniversityThomas J. Reese, S.J.Senior FellowWoodstock Theological CenterGeorgetown UniversityRobin Darling YoungAssociate ProfessorDepartment of TheologyUniversity of Notre DameAlex MikulichResearch FellowJesuit Social Research InstituteLoyola University, New OrleansStephen SchneckInstitute for Policy Research & Catholic StudiesCatholic University of AmericaDavid J. O’BrienProfessor Emeritus of HistoryUniversity of DaytonTerrence W. TilleyProfessor of Catholic TheologyChair, Theology DepartmentFordham UniversityBronx, New YorkNicholas P. CafardiDean Emeritus and Professor of LawDuquesne University School of LawJeannine Hill FletcherAssociate Professor of TheologyFordham UniversityLew DalySenior FellowDemosFrancis Schüssler FiorenzaStillman ProfessorHarvard Divinity SchoolJohn RenardProfessor of Theological StudiesSaint Louis UniversityBradford E. HinzeProfessor of TheologyFordham UniversityBronx, New YorkSandra A. YocumChair of Religious StudiesUniversity of DaytonAffiliations listed for identification purposes only.