Press Statements

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) laments the lives lost and shattered on Saturday by the act of White supremacist terrorism that killed 10 and wounded three at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood of Buffalo, New York. We are once again devastated by a targeted attack of the Black community and feel the outrage and shock that an 18-year-old learned online to hate to such an extreme that he would commit these atrocious, wicked acts of murder.

In this moment, the Prophet Habakkuk’s cry echoes our own:

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law becomes slack, and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous; therefore judgment comes forth perverted. Habakkuk 1:2-4 NRSVue

The White supremist ideology that authorities attribute to the gunman in a 180-page manifesto references “replacement theory,” far-right extremist rhetoric about people of color replacing White Americans, which was once on the fringe and is now being shared more widely by right-wing television channels and politicians. We cannot help but acknowledge that politicians, citizens, and even some faith leaders, are working to stop crucial Black history teachings from the past while children instead learn White supremacy in the present.

According to Bishop Vashti McKenzie, NCC’s Interim President/General Secretary, “Our communities have not healed from the onslaught of violence from past White supremist attacks and now the scabs have been ripped off to bleed again,” she said. “This racial violence has to stop. We must all increase our efforts to bring racism to an end and that will not happen by only making ceremonial or performative gestures that don’t get to the root causes of the problems. We have to do the deeper work. This is especially true for Christians.”  

After holding a Governing Board retreat in Montgomery, Alabama this month and visiting The Legacy Museum, we see the direct connection between the shooter’s intent to commit an act of terrorism and America’s extensive history of lynchings and policy decisions meant to intimidate and dehumanize the Black community.

We clearly see the injustices evident in all aspects of this shooting. We see it when the teen arrested had previously been reported as a threat and released. We see it in the way in which he was taken into custody. We see it in the fact that east Buffalo was a food desert before this grocery store was built and now the predominantly Black neighborhood has no reliable source for food. We see it when the majority of Americans want common sense gun legislation but politicians refuse to pass the necessary laws and the Supreme Court considers striking down gun restrictions.

As part of our ACT NOW to End Racism initiative (Awaken, Confront, Transform), the NCC calls for commitments on three levels. Individually, all members of our communions are encouraged to commit to the inner work of becoming aware of the deeply-rooted and ever-present racism in each of our lives, and resolve to dismantle it. Locally, ministers are invited to commit to ongoing direct communication with parishioners, including through preaching and teaching, that confronts racism. Remaining silent encourages and affirms the growing threat of White supremacy. Nationally, we must work to transform the hearts, minds, and behaviors of people and fight for policies that change the very structures that shape society in which racism is engrained.

In addition, we urge Congress to be courageous and determined in its resolve to pass common sense gun control legislation as well as legislation that will bring an end to systemic racism and begin to repair the harm done in the past to include HR 40 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

“We see this shooter referencing past ‘mentors of massacres’ from Atlanta and New Zealand and we press people to respond,” stated Bishop McKenzie. “We must continually seek opportunities to plant seeds of love that recognize the humanity of all people in order to detoxify the planted seeds of hate and realize “Beloved Community.”

“There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that hurry to run to evil,
a lying witness who testifies falsely,
and one who sows discord in a family.”
Proverbs 6:16-19 NRSVue

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) extols the signing of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act by President Joe Biden on March 29, 2022. The long-overdue Act has made lynching a federal hate crime offense. The bill imposes criminal penalties ranging from a fine to up to 30 years in prison for anyone who conspires to commit “a hate crime offense that results in death or serious bodily injury or that includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.”

The Act’s namesake, Emmett Till, was a 14-year-old boy when he was murdered in 1955 while visiting his relatives in Mississippi. He was kidnapped and beaten before his body was dumped in the Tallahatchie River. Historians note that even though clear evidence indicated two white men committed the crime, an all-white jury did not find the men guilty after only one hour of deliberation.

The NCC cannot ignore the fact that it took the United States over a century to outlaw lynching. The first antilynching legislation was introduced in 1900 by Rep. George Henry White of North Carolina, the only Black lawmaker at the time, but it never advanced out of committee. U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush, a sponsor and negotiator of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, noted that over 200 attempts have been made since that time to pass an antilynching law.

For America to take more than 100 years to make the terrorism of lynching illegal speaks volumes about the racism that permeates every part of our society. We cry out in anguish when we see the historical evidence that lynchings were public spectacles commemorated with photographs on postcards, often with white Protestant churchgoers participating, and recognize that the trauma and threat of these acts continue each day. Although the worst of the Jim Crow era of lynching has ended, we know current-day lynching still manifests itself in America. We witness the continuation of racial lynching in America when a Black teen, Travon Martin, is killed while walking home after buying iced tea and candy; a Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, is killed while jogging; and a Black woman, Rekia Boyd, is killed when socializing with friends in a park.

As part of our ACT Now to End Racism initiative, the NCC challenges our member denominations and our communities to join in truth-telling, leading to actions that right the wrongs, and, with God’s grace, bring healing and wholeness to all people and unity to the nation. We hail the signing of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act as a long-overdue recognition of the wrongs that were committed and a move toward a new era of truth-telling.

Although we cannot erase the terror that lynching has imposed on every Black American since the end of chattel slavery, we call on our churches to acknowledge this pain from our nation’s past while taking an active role in the process of healing and joining the fight for justice in every present instance of lynching. We pray that the unending strength from our faith in Christ will unify us in this struggle and bring us to victory over racial violence.

You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13 NRSVue

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) cries out in anger and despair as we witness the brutal war in Ukraine. We condemn Russia for invading and murdering the people of Ukraine without provocation.  

The horror of Russia’s missiles and bombs – that have destroyed and completely leveled entire cities and towns including homes, houses of worship, medical facilities, offices, and utilities – has now been compounded by the evidence of mass murder by the Russian army against Ukrainian civilians during the occupation of their communities. With the retreat of the Russian military from around Kyiv, evidence has mounted from credible sources of torture, rape, and mass graves filled with entire Ukrainian families killed and people bound while executed.  

Lord, have mercy on all who have been brutally murdered and suffered through these attacks. Bring comfort to their remaining family, to their compatriots, and to all who are traumatized by this terror.  

We continue to look on in horror at the assault on the Ukrainian people. As the war escalates, Ukrainians remain trapped without any means of survival or humanitarian corridors of escape due to Russia’s refusal to provide safe passage out of cities like Mariupol.  

Lord, watch over those who are fleeing for their lives and bring them to safety. 

The Russians who have committed these atrocities in Ukraine must be brought to justice. We call upon international bodies, including the United Nations, to investigate and punish war crimes committed by Russia. We commend the International Criminal Court for actively investigating the situation and beginning to collect evidence based on the referrals by many of its members to investigate any past and present allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide committed on any part of the territory of Ukraine by any person. The NCC asks the United States to fully support this investigation by the International Criminal Court.

In light of the continuing evidence of these human rights violations, we applaud the United Nations General Assembly for voting to suspend Russia from its Human Rights Council.

In addition, under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Article 7, when the acts being documented in Ukraine are proven to constitute crimes against humanity, in addition to Russia being held accountable, Russian individuals should also be held criminally responsible for “any prohibitive acts committed including murder, extermination, deportation or forcible transfer of population, torture, sexual violence, persecution against an identifiable group, and enforced disappearance of persons, and inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.” 

Lord, reign justice down upon us. 

The NCC calls on President Joe Biden, all elected leaders, and all corporations to further the sanctions against the Russian government and all those who hold any power or influence within its government. Every possible effort must be taken to stop Russia from this continued massacre. 

Lord, give us the moral courageto sacrifice our worldly goods to protect those who are under siege. 

We cannot ignore the hypocrisy of the Russian lie about invading Ukraine to remove the Nazis. That any nation would use such a lie against any country, and in this case a country with a Jewish head of state, is abhorrent to us.  

Lord, liberate us from evil and deception. 

As Christians with interfaith partners, we know that all of our religions seek peace. We also lift up our joint efforts at peacemaking.  

Lord, bring peace to Ukraine. Help us to find a way to create your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  

On this historic day, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) commends the US Senate for confirming Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States. Since the formation of the Supreme Court in 1790, there has never been a Black woman on the court. This historic confirmation reflects the diversity of our nation and is long overdue.

Since 2018 when the NCC began the A.C.T. Now to End Racism initiative, we have been committed to eradicating the entrenched racism that grips the United States and paralyzes our ability to see every human being as equal. We hold that diversity on our benches is a necessity because it increases the trust we have in our courts and ensures everyone is represented in judicial decision-making.

“As the National Council of Churches continues our work to end racism and advance civil rights, we welcome Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court. With her undeniable credentials, we know she will bring the wisdom and experience needed at this time in our nation. Today is a day to celebrate our diversity as we work to become the Beloved Community we envision.” – Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, NCC Governing Board Chair and Presiding Bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Speak out, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:9 NRSV

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) commends President Joseph Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States. We affirm her well-rounded qualifications and professional legal experience and denounce the overtly racist and sexist commentary that has infiltrated the public square and sought to debase this process and reject our Beloved Community.

Since 2018 when the NCC began the A.C.T. Now to End Racism initiative, we have been committed to eradicating the entrenched racism that grips the United States and paralyzes our ability to see every human being as equal. Since the formation of the Supreme Court in 1790, there has never been a Black woman on the court. In order to have equal justice for all, the court must reflect the diversity of our nation. This historic nomination is a long overdue step toward that goal.

We recognize the nomination of a justice with undeniable credentials, who has served on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit after graduating with honors from Harvard College and Harvard Law School where she was an editor on the law review, clerking for three federal judges, and serving as a federal trial court judge. As Christians centered on the love of God for all, we proclaim the necessity of having a justice with a proven record of protecting the rights of everyone, no matter their race, religion, class, immigration status, or any other ways they might be marginalized, which Judge Brown Jackson did as a public defender when she represented indigent criminal defendants. We celebrate that her background means that she will bring a different lens to the judiciary.

The NCC has long worked to end the mass incarceration crisis, reform sentencing guidelines, and transform the nation’s criminal legal system, as it is deeply rooted in racism. We commend Judge Brown Jackson’s service as vice chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission when it sought to reduce the penalties for crack cocaine that were 100 times more severe than for powder cocaine, which was an NCC priority at the time.

The NCC holds that diversity on our benches is a necessity because it increases the trust we have in our courts and ensures everyone is represented in judicial decision-making. As the NCC works toward the advancement of civil rights, expanded health care access, and the protection of our voting rights, we support every justice who elevates these basic human rights.

We pray for each senator to put partisan politics aside and vote for justice for all. May our nation use this opportunity to embrace and celebrate our diversity as we strive to be the Beloved Community we envision.

Every word of God proves true;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Proverbs 30:5 NRSV

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) denounces the recent announcements from the government of Azerbaijan indicating that it plans to defile Armenian Christian monuments in the region of Nagorno-Karabagh and erase the evidence of their Armenian origin.

Since the early 1990s, Karabagh was governed as an independent Armenian republic, but in 2020 Azerbaijan attacked the region, waging a war that took the land as its own. As we know, this armed warfare displaced thousands of Armenians from their homes, which they lost along with hundreds of Armenian monuments.

In early February, the Azeri Minister of Culture announced his government would form in Azerbaijan a working group of experts in Albanian history and architecture that would be tasked with the goal of removing “false” traces left by Armenians on Albanian religious temples. The Culture Minister’s statement referenced a theory that Armenian inscriptions in churches on Azerbaijani territory are not original but were late additions to churches built under Caucasian Albania, an ancient Christian kingdom that ruled part of the territory that is today Azerbaijan. This theory has been broadly dismissed by mainstream scholars.

With full acknowledgement of the history of the Armenian Genocide of the early 20th century, the NCC cannot ignore this new threat to the Armenian people. We cannot turn a blind eye to the similarities in tactics employed in all historical genocides. To erase a people’s history is to erase their existence, and it betrays a disdain for their very lives and survival as a people.

With this overwhelming connection to the evil that has been unleashed in all genocides, the NCC affirms its solidarity with the people of Armenia against this threat to their very being through the destruction of their history. We stand in witness to the existence of their ancient Christian churches and condemn the decimation of their Christian heritage. 

We once again demand that the Azerbaijani authorities allow United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) representatives to enter Armenian territories under their control, which they have refused to allow since the conflict in 2020. Experts must be permitted to take an inventory of significant cultural properties in order to begin safeguarding the region’s heritage. The formation of this working group in Azerbaijan makes the call to abide by the 1954 Convention for the Protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict even more immediate and imperative.

The NCC calls for prayers for our Christian brothers and sisters in Armenia during this menacing threat to their very existence in history.

May the Lord guide and protect the people of Armenia, solidify the memory of their ancestors’ faith, restore their lives in the region, and incline us to spread the truth about the monuments in Nagorno-Karabagh, so that these important sites and artifacts can be preserved for generations to come. In Christ we pray. Amen.

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) joins with the World Council of Churches in an urgent call for peace for the people of Ukraine. We fervently pray that a diplomatic solution will be accepted, and that Russia will remove the troops on three sides of the Ukraine without resorting to a destructive and deadly conflict. Every possible means must be attempted to prevent the escalation of this confrontation into an armed conflict and the devastating threat of nuclear retaliation that it could bring to all the people of the world.

As the NCC has long upheld peacemaking as one of its core principles, we implore the US government to work tirelessly toward a strong response that protects the people of the Ukraine from harm without resorting to war. We agree with the use of diplomatic tactics instead of warfare, including the Biden administration’s use of a novel export control focused on Russian industries, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and civilian aerospace. We applaud President Biden’s efforts to diffuse the situation including his reassurance that the Ukraine will not be joining NATO in the near term. We support the US stance against the placement of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and encourage the enactment of a formal agreement prohibiting nuclear weapon placement by either NATO or Russia. Additionally, we call on the US to rejoin the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty and for Russia to return to compliance of that treaty, which will prohibit intermediate- and shorter-range land-based missiles and allow inspections to ensure compliance.

At this crucial moment, we pray for the safety of all who live in Ukraine and join with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, one of our member communions, in asking, “May God hear our loving petition and soften the hearts and minds of all, within and without Ukraine during these dangerous times.”

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Statement of the Council of Bishops of the UOC of the USA: Pray for Ukraine!

World Council of Churches Statement on Ukraine