http://faithinpubliclife.org/...

Press Release

Top Religious Leaders Denounce Growing Anti-Muslim Sentiment; Express Support for NY Mosque, Community Center

More 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 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."

"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."

They go on to state that Palin and Gingrich would do better to stop the inflammatory rhetoric and instead tried to inspire understanding and civility amongst the various religions.

Not sure if I can link the whole thing even though it is a press release, but here is a list of the signatories..........

The Rev. Canon Peg Chemberlin

President, National Council of Churches

Executive Director, Minnesota Council of Churches

The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon

General Secretary

National Council of Churches

The Rev. Dr. Ken Brooker Langston

Director, Disciples Justice Action Network

Coordinator, Disciples Center for Public Witness

The Rev. Chloe Breyer

Executive Director

The Interfaith Center of New York

Lisa Sharon Harper

Executive Director

New York Faith and Justice

Simon Greer

President and CEO

Jewish Funds for Justice

Rabbi Joy Levitt

Executive Director

Jewish Community Center in Manhattan

Rabbi Marc Schneier

President

The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding

Rabbi Richard Hirsh

Executive Director

Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association

Rabbi Irwin Kula

President

CLAL - National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership

Rabbi Abie Ingber

Founding Director

Interfaith Community Engagement

Xavier University

Cincinnati, Ohio

Jeremy Ben-Ami

President

J Street

Salam Al-Marayati

President

Muslim Public Affairs Council

Mohamed Elsanousi

Director of Community Outreach

Islamic Society of North America

Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer

Associate Professor

Director, Department of Multifaith Studies and Initiatives

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

Rabbi Gerald Serotta

Clergy Beyond Borders

Virginia Avniel Spatz

Program Director

Clergy Beyond Borders

Sister Mary Waskowiak, RSM

President

Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

Sister Simone Campbell, SSS

Executive Director

NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

Sister Marlene Weisenbeck, FSPA

President

Leadership Conference of Women Religious

David Robinson

Executive Director

Pax Christi USA

Marie Dennis

Director

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Co-President Pax Christi International

T. Michael McNulty, SJ

Justice and Peace Director

Conference of Major Superiors of Men

John Esposito

University Professor & Founding Director

Prince Alwaleed Bin-Talal

Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding

Georgetown University

John Zoll

Associate Director

Prince Alwaleed Bin-Talal

Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding

Georgetown University

James E. Hug, S.J.

President

Center of Concern

Sister Maria Riley, OP

Senior Advisor

Center of Concern

Rabbi J. Rolando Matalon

Congregation B'nai Jeshurun

New York, NY

Rabbi Brant Rosen

Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation

Evanston, IL

Rabbi Sue Levy

Houston, Texas

Rabbi Dev Noily

Oakland, CA

Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman

Congregation Shaarei Shamayim

Madison, WI

Paul Lakeland

Professor of Catholic Studies

Director, Center for Catholic Studies

Fairfield University

Thomas J. Reese, S.J.

Senior Fellow

Woodstock Theological Center

Georgetown University

Robin Darling Young

Associate Professor

Department of Theology

University of Notre Dame

Alex Mikulich

Research Fellow

Jesuit Social Research Institute

Loyola University, New Orleans

Stephen Schneck

Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies

Catholic University of America

David J. O'Brien

Professor Emeritus of History

University of Dayton

Terrence W. Tilley

Professor of Catholic Theology

Chair, Theology Department

Fordham University

Bronx, New York

Nicholas P. Cafardi

Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law

Duquesne University School of Law

Jeannine Hill Fletcher

Associate Professor of Theology

Fordham University

Lew Daly

Senior Fellow

Demos

Francis Schüssler Fiorenza

Stillman Professor

Harvard Divinity School

John Renard

Professor of Theological Studies

Saint Louis University

Bradford E. Hinze

Professor of Theology

Fordham University

Bronx, New York

Sandra A. Yocum

Chair of Religious Studies

University of Dayton

David DeCosse

Director of Campus Ethics Programs

Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Santa Clara University

Elena G. Procario-Foley

Professor of Jewish-Catholic Studies

Chair, Religious Studies Department

Iona College

Affiliations listed for identification purposes only.

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Update.

Thanks for the recs/tips. Just a few reactions from the charmers over at Conservatives4Palin.............

You folks can stuff it!

Catholic Social Justice Lobby. It figures Marxists. Glenn Beck is right about them. The rat communists have polluted the catholic church, which is why I am not a catholic.SOCIAL JUSTICE. Jim Wallis types again. Marxists and Muslims together why it sounds like a Obama Family Reunion!

Ok, fourty religious leaders out of how many that are against the mosque? Is "chickens come home to roost" on the list? Why is Sister Simone for Social Justice? I don't remember social justice being in the Bible. Jesus wants us to willingly give to others from our hearts, not have is taken from us by the government and distributed to others by force.

Good. Now we know who they are.

Glenn just exposed Faith in Public Life on his show tonight! Their board members are from the Center for American Progress, I think

I could go on, but as usual over there, I'm losing the will to live.