Clergy Pray for Both Parties

Via Myers Park United Methodist Church, Charlotte

In late August and early September, tens of thousands will descend upon Tampa and then Charlotte for the Republican and Democratic Conventions. We clergy welcome our guests.

… While a growing number of folks in our country claim no religious affiliation, or just don’t believe in God at all, prayer seems to be in order. To pray for a convention is risky. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have played the religion card when it helps them get votes. It may be that attaching God to a particular political agenda makes the public cynical about faith, and its leaders.

But we do believe it is possible to offer up non-partisan prayers, especially during these anxious days in our world. And so we pray for our country, that we might be a nation where goodness matters, where justice and kindness are our passions, where truth matters, and is told.

We pray for peace — in the world, and in our own communities. Conventions can bring out the worst in people. We have far too much rancor in our country as is. We forget how to disagree respectfully, and to consider the possibility that the other person might have a point. Anger is toxic and poisons us all. Working together might be better than getting our own way, even if we are dead sure we’re right.

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