A Sacred Call to Action: Religion, Politics, and the Fight for a Sustainable Future
by James Sternlicht, Founder & Chief Strategy Officer
In the United States, we have long held the separation of church and state as a foundational tenet that has shaped the very fabric of our society. In fact, so fundamental is this principle that it is embedded in the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. This precept, backed by decades of legal precedent, has long been interpreted not just as a policy of non-interference in religious affairs by the government, but also as a firewall between the pulpit and political participation. The Johnson Amendment of 1954 formalized the separation of church and state by blocking religious establishments from involving themselves in political affairs under threat of revocation of their tax-exempt status. However, like so many of our norms, laws, and institutions, this ideal has found itself challenged by the current administration. A statement made by the Internal Revenue Service in a court filing last month signals that the IRS will not be revoking the nonprofit status of religious institutions that use the pulpit to serve political campaigns. This has the potential to transform campaign financing, making places of faith a way to circumvent both taxes and transparency. But it may also be an opportunity to galvanize public support for critical causes amidst an increasingly challenging political landscape.
On some level, this proposed shift in IRS policy comes as little shock. Not only has this administration made a habit of dismantling deep-rooted norms integral to our democracy, but religious interest groups have long tried to shape the political agenda even despite restrictions on their involvement. The movement against reproductive rights, for example, was borne out of religious motivation and campaigning stretching back decades, largely tied to conservative movements in the US South. Historically, right-leaning agendas have been more adept than their centrist and more liberal counterparts at harnessing religion as an organizing force to advance political ends. Today, however, when the dividing line between church and state is being disassembled, it may be time for those devoted to equity and sustainability to reconsider how religion can be strategically and responsibly leveraged to push back on rising nationalism and climate backsliding.
Efforts to claw back the protections enshrined in the Johnson Amendment are rightly underway, but they are not enough, as forces set on using the pulpit to entrench (and fund) the policies of the current administration are already mobilizing. Indeed, we cannot stand idly by while interests intent on further impeding human rights, justice, and the green transition weaponize religion against our hope for a better human and planetary future.
“...religion singularly facilitates Americans’ use of their freedoms.”
In his work Democracy in America, French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville observed that religion was a, if not the, primary political institution in the fledgling United States in that “religion singularly facilitates Americans’ use of their freedoms.” He surmised that in American democracy, where people’s freedoms are relatively expansive, religion provides guardrails through the shaping of personal choices that align with their desire to live up to the standards religion sets forth. While separation of church and state is a vital legal parameter, it is people’s desire to live moral lives that allows a democratic society to live in freedom.
Today, with significant declines in religious observation and engagement across the nation, it often feels like the interplay of religion and politics occurs more to the right of the political spectrum, in the service of eroding many hard-won victories for structurally minoritized groups and progressive causes. But this is far from the full picture. Where the current administration is working to cut back incentives and programs vital for the green transition, there are many organizations throughout the country engaged in faith-based advocacy for creation care, inspired in part by the Laudato Si Movement centered around the work of the late Pope Francis.
“The Peace Department has recognized faith as a vital lever for activating communities and translating climate action into something meaningful and real for their brethren.”
Since its inception, The Peace Department has recognized faith as a vital lever for activating communities and translating climate action into something meaningful and real for their brethren. We have invested significantly in track 7 diplomacy (interfaith/religious diplomacy) and interreligious coalition-building in furtherance of sustainable development and peacebuilding, including by taking interfaith organizations to conflict zones to call for peace, playing a critical role in the creation of the 10 Spiritual Principles for Climate Repentance, and engaging faith communities in Earth Day activations around the world. We have also partnered with many faith-based and faith-adjacent organizations working to build renewable infrastructure, decarbonize their congregations, and holistically uplift structurally disadvantaged communities.
While protecting American democracy from further decline is vitally important, we should not remain stagnant or silent in the face of the recent IRS signaling. Instead, religious institutions committed to sustainability, equity, peace, and climate action should take it as permission to amplify their voices as a critical countermeasure to recent policy shifts and on-the-horizon threats. When the futures of our children and the rights of our fellow human beings are on the line, religious institutions – with the power to call people to their better angels – may be one of our last lines of defense and greatest assets in encouraging social and climate progress.
“Those who love Peace, must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.”
As the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. so eloquently put it, “Those who love Peace, must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.” With green transition under attack, how will those meant to shape people’s understanding of what is right and moral rise to the occasion? Where are we seeing leaders from our religious communities step up? How are congregations coming together in action? How can we connect efforts within and across jurisdictions and organize more effectively? How do we get the word out to those who believe in the causes of justice, peace, equality, and sustainability and build bridges across sectors for maximum impact? Can those of us who are more secular in our understanding find a way to join with these congregations in common cause?
“Faith without Works is Dead.”
As one of my favorite lines goes, “Faith without Works is Dead.” What good works can we collectively rally around now, so that we can breathe life into our faith and into a better tomorrow?
In light of the recent opening created by the IRS filing, we will be convening faith leaders and other stakeholders to explore the above questions and strategize on how to responsibly seize the opportunity for emboldened advocacy while staying true to the democratic and ethical principles that bind us. If you’re interested in joining the conversation, please reach out to us here.
