ɫɫ College Chaplain Jennika M. Borger was among the religious leaders in the Lehigh Valley who released a statement recently addressing the “rising tide” of anti-Muslim rhetoric that they said is a troubling part of public discourse. The statement, signed by more than 40 religious leaders in the community (see below) called those who believe in religious liberty “to stand in solidarity with Muslim neighbors.”
The statement was released on Thursday, Jan. 21, at a news conference at Lehigh’s Packer Chapel attended by about 20 prominent Lehigh Valley religious leaders. Chaplain Borger delivered the following statement during the event:
“The ancient ɫɫ Church, known as the Unitas Fratrum was the first peace church. Founded in 1457 during a time of dire persecution, these oppressed believers became a group whose founding principle was belief that love of all was central to faith and to life. ɫɫ College was established in 1742, based on this same principle, love of all is central to faith and to life.
In academia, we are invited to stretch our minds and embrace controversial ideas in order to become more fully and responsibly engaged in our world. Next week the ɫɫ College community will gather to discuss the fallacy of violence in Islam. We will openly talk about the true nature of Islam: a faith based on peace and love.
We sometimes allow the loudest voices to set the tone and ideals for all of the people in our country. During this time when we are hearing voices speaking of exclusion and discrimination, I am choosing to speak of the beauty and richness of diversity.
On the cusp of celebrating the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., how can we fail to acknowledge that we are still in the midst of the struggle for equal rights for all people? Dr. King’s words still hold true that ‘The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.’
Today we speak for the rights of Muslims to live and practice freely. As religious leaders in this community, let us continue to be the voices of compassion and justice for our Muslim brothers and sisters and all who are oppressed. Let us be bold and courageous as we honor our faith traditions that are grounded in love. And let us place our hope in the witnesses of peace gathered here today.”
Statement of Support for Muslims in the Lehigh Valley by Community Religious Leaders
Troubled that anti-Muslim rhetoric is spreading in the media and that attitudes of hostility toward Islam are on the increase in the United States, we affirm the right of Muslims to practice their religion freely and without fear or intimidation. We call on all citizens who believe in religious liberty to stand in solidarity with our Muslim neighbors that they might be assured of support from the larger inter-faith community of which they are so vital a part. Accordingly, we, the undersigned, who are leaders in the religious community of the Lehigh Valley, offer our names in support of the following affirmations:
- That Muslims who live in the Lehigh Valley community as neighbors and friends have a right to live free from fear and intimidation;
- That the First Amendment stands as the foundation upon which has been built the world’s most religiously diverse nation, and that infringing the religious liberty of one group diminishes the rights of all;
- That respecting the right of all people to exercise religious belief and practice in a context of peaceful co-existence is not only a legal but a moral imperative, and that hate-filled speech and actions that threaten the personal safety or the dignity of others constitute a form of violence, which has no place in an open, free and religiously pluralistic society;
- That our religious traditions have themselves endorsed the importance of showing hospitality to the newcomer and that all people in new settings are in need of welcome, hospitality, friendship and peace;
- That Muslims, who have themselves been the subjects of terrorist attacks throughout the world, deserve the protections of law and the good will that citizens in the United States afford to each other.
As religious leaders we affirm the need for dialogue among people of diverse religious traditions, and we urge members of our community, whether or not they are religious, to study and learn about Islam and other religions. We affirm the values that we cherish as Americans: free inquiry, respectful encounter with others, tolerance of diverse viewpoints and peaceful co-existence among a wide array of religious bodies, groups and organizations. We celebrate the diversity of our religious community and the good will of citizens in the Lehigh Valley.
The Statement was signed by the following:
Rev. Dr. Lloyd Steffen
University Chaplain, Lehigh University
Rev. Dr. Larry Pickens
Ecumenical Director, Lehigh Conference of Churches
Most Rev. John O. Barres
Bishop of Allentown Diocese, Roman Catholic Church
Monsignor John S. Mraz
Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown,
Director, Office for Ecumenism & Inter-religious Dialogue
Rev. Alan C. Miller
Conference Minister
Penn Northeast Conference
United Church of Christ
Bishop Peggy A. Johnson
The United Methodist Church,
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
Eastern District Executive Board of the ɫɫ Church
Bethlehem
Bishop Hopeton Clennon
Central ɫɫ Church
Bishop Samuel Zeiser
Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
The Rt. Rev. Sean W. Rowe
Bishop of the Diocese of Bethlehem
The Episcopal Church
Rev. Canon Maria W. E. Tjelveit
Rector, Episcopal Church of the Mediator
(Ecumenical Representative)
Rev. Susan Bennetch
Presbyterian Church (USA) Moderator
Lehigh Presbytery
Karen Matthias-Long
Associate of the Bishop for Youth and Family
Ministry and Curator of Synodical Resources,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Father Anthony Sabbagh
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Rev. Fr. Nicholas Palis
Dean, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Rev. Fr. Alexandros Petrides
Asst. Priest, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Rev. Elizabeth Goudy
Senior Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Don Garrett
Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley
Rev. Joy Wyler
Senior Minister
Unity Church of the Lehigh Valley
Rev. Tom Cormier
Temple Sophia. Ep.Gn., I.M. - Co-Chair
Roseann Bowerman
Chairperson, Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Bethlehem Township
Rabbi Michael Singer
United Synagogues of America,
Congregation Brith Sholom
Bethlehem (Jewish – Conservative)
Rabbi Emeritus Alan Juda
Congregation Brith Sholom
Rabbi Melody Davis
Temple Covenant of Peace
Easton, PA ( Jewish-Reform)
Rabbi Emeritus Jonathan Gerard
Temple Covenant of Peace
Easton, PA
Rabbi Seth Phillips
Congregation Keneseth Israel
Allentown
Cantor Kevin Wartell
Temple Beth El
Cantor Ellen Sussman
Temple Shirat Shalom
Mr. Mark Goldstein
Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
Mr. Richard Fitzpatrick
Buddhism, Member of Lehigh Conference of Churches
Mr. Timothy Bingham
Former Board Liaison, Lehigh Conference of Churches
Rev. Peter A. Pettit, PhD
Director, Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding, Muhlenberg College
Rabbi Danielle Stillman
Assoc. Chaplain & Director of Jewish Student Center, Lehigh University
Rev. Dr. Allen Richardson
Chaplain, Cedar Crest College
Rev. Callista Isabelle
Chaplain, Muhlenberg College
Rev. Alex Hendrickson
Chaplain and Director of Religious & Spiritual Life, Lafayette College
Chaplain Robert Israel Weiner
Jewish Chaplain, Lafayette College,
Cantor, B'nai Abraham Synagogue
Rev. Jennika Borger
Chaplain, ɫɫ College
Fr. Tim McIntire, OSFS
Chaplain, DeSales University
Mr. Kamran Siddiqui
Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley
Deeba Jamal
Secretary, Islamic Center of the Lehigh Valley
Mr. Mohammed Khaku
President, Shia Ithna-Asheri Jamaat of PA
Mr. Mohamed Rajmohamed
Khoja Shia Ithna-Ashre Jamat of PA