New Jersey Coalition of Religious Leaders Statement: Hate Will Not Win

A Statement from the New Jersey Coalition of Religious Leaders

Once again as members of The New Jersey Coalition of Religious Leaders we are saddened and disheartened by an act of hate nurtured in the sin of Racism.  The ugly and cold blooded murder of ten Black sisters and brothers, in Buffalo is yet one of countless acts of racial hatred that continues to plague our nation.  This hate-filled sin of deadly magnitude is directed toward the other because of the color of their skin.  This brazen attack reminds us yet again how words of hate breed tragic acts of violence.

We are deeply concerned about a sickness in our society that continues to thrive through extremist groups, hate crimes and political opportunists whose heinous lies sow discord and negate our humanity.  We condemn the toxic racist political rhetoric that is prevalent and increasingly accepted in certain circles. The scourge of racism continues to negate our efforts to address unjust systems that perpetuate inequality for our black brothers and sisters.  This hateful act reminds us, as Religious leaders in our state of New Jersey, that we cannot remain silent as we are confronted by this crime against humanity.  But speech alone will not suffice.  It is time to dismantle the structures of systemic bias and racial prejudice that have been allowed to deprive people of their dignity and their divine given rights. It is time to heed God’s call for Justice for All.

To those families and to the citizens of Buffalo who have been devastated by this evil act, we join our hearts with yours in grief and anguish over this senseless destruction of innocent life.  May God be with you in your time of mourning and bring you consolation.  And may God who is the source of Peace bring Peace and Wholeness to every broken heart. 
 

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Rabbi Matthew Gewirtz, President of the New Jersey Coalition of Religious Leaders, Senior Rabbi Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, Short Hills

Reverend Jack Johnson, Coordinator of the New Jersey Coalition of Religious Leaders, Member of the Greater New Jersey Conference of the United Methodist Church
Reverend Darrell Armstrong, General Baptist Convention of New Jersey

Rev. Dr. Sandawna Ashley, Transitional Leader of the Presbyterian of the Synod of the Northeast

Very Reverend Peter Baktis, Orthodox Church of America

Bishop Tracie Bartholomew, Bishop of the New Jersey Synod Evangelical Church in America

Imam Qareeb Bashir, Islamic Center of Ewing

Reverend Dr. Tanya Bennett, Chair of the Board of Church and Society of Greater New Jersey United Methodist Church, Drew University Chaplain

Very Reverend Archimandrite Ambrose Bitziadis-Bowers, Ecumenical Officer, Greek Metroplis of New Jersey

Sara Blaine, JD, Lead Organizer. Religious Action Center of Reformed Judaism of New Jersey

Reverend Charles Boyer, Executive Director, Salvation and Social Justice, Social Justice, Chair of the Social Action Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Reverend Dr. Deborah Brincivalli, Presbytery Executive for the Southern New Jersey Presbytery

Mr.Marcus Burnett, President of the New Jersey Council of Churches

Reverend Amos Caley, Prison and Drug Policy Director for Salvation and Social Justice

M.Ali Chaundry, Ph.D., New Jersey Interfaith Coalition, Islamic Society of Basking Ridge

Imam Hamad Chebli, Islamic Society of Central New Jersey

The Most Reverend James F. Checchio, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen

Joan M. Diefenbach, Esq., Director of the New Jersey Council Of Churches

Reverend Eric Dobson, Deputy Director Fair Share Housing Center of New Jersey

Rabbi Menashe East, Mount Freedom Jewish Center, Interfaith Council of Morris County

Reverend Bolivar Flores, Vice- President of the New Jersey Coalition of Latino Pastors and Ministers

Rabbi Daniel Geretz, Maayan of West Orange

Rabbi Arnold Gluck, Temple Beth- El, Hillsborough

Father Timothy Graff, Roman Catholic Arch-Dioecese of Newark

Bishop Carlye J, Hughes, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark

Reverend Seth Kaper-Dale, Reformed Church of America, Synod of New Jersey

Mr. James King, Director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference

Rabbi David Levy, American Jewish Conference, New Jersey Regional Director

Reverend Sara Lilja, Director, Lutherans Engaging In Advocacy Ministry for New Jersey Synod of the Lutheran Evangelical Church in America

Charles Loflin, Executive Director, Unitarian Universalist Faith Action New Jersey

Reverend Dr. A. Roy. Medley, Retired General Secretary of American Baptist Churches U.S.A., Emeritus, Past President of the National Council of Churches

Reverend Miriam Mendez, Executive Minister American Baptist Churches of New Jersey

Reverend Nelson Murphy, Interim Associate Minister of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ

Reverend Freeman Palmer, Conference Minister of Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ

The Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton

Reverend Jeanne Radak, Presbytery Leader of the Presbytery of the Highlands of New Jersey

Mr. Raghu Rao, Hindu / Jewish Coalition of New Jersey

Reverend Dr. Joshua Rodriguez, Senior Advisor to the New Jersey Coalition of Latino Pastors and Ministers

Bishop John Schol, Bishop of the United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey Conference

Reverend Raul Ruiz, President of the New Jersey Coalition of Latino Pastors and Ministers

Reverend Louise Scott-Roundtree, Clergy Affairs Manager, Office of the Mayor of the City of Newark

Amman Seehra, Esq., Sikh American Legal Defense Fund and Education Fund

Imam W. Deen Shareef, Convener of the Council of Imams of New Jersey

Mr. Kavneet Singh, American Sikh Council

Mr. Sutinder Singh, American Sikh council

Bishop William Stokes, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey

The Most Reverend Dennis Sullivan, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden

The Most Reverend Kevin J, Sweeney, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese Of Paterson

His Eminence Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Newark

Rabbi David Vaisberg, Senior Rabbi, Temple B’nai Abraham , Livingston

Rev. Dr. Robert Wade, Presiding Elder of the Camden-Trenton District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church