The Christian Recorder - An Open Letter from the Bishops of the AME Church to the United States Congress

A Call for Moral and Courageous Leadership

An Open Letter from the Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to the United States Congress To the sitting and incoming members of the House of Representatives and the Senate: There is no honor in holding office while failing to fulfill its duties. When the people you have sworn to serve are being harmed, your silence is betrayal. You were not elected to protect the powerful from accountability. You were elected to protect the people from the abuse of power. We write as bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church—a church born of resistance to racial exclusion and sustained by the conviction that no human being was created to live beneath another’s heel. We speak from the experience of Black America: the labor of Black women too often taken for granted; the dignity of Black men too often denied; the hopes of Black children too often deferred. We speak from congregations that feed the hungry, bury the victims of violence, care for the sick, and help families survive what public policy has failed to prevent, and push to turn out the vote every time there is an election. We have always understood our obligation to all of humanity. A government permitted to deny one community its rights places every community’s rights in danger. An election confers authority. It does not excuse cruelty, cancel constitutional duties, or elevate any leader above the law. Congress must do more than express concern. It must act boldly, swiftly, and with the courage this moment demands. Click here to read the full statement

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View email in browser The Christian Recorder is the official newspaper of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the oldest continuously produced publication by persons of African descent. Bishop Francine A. Brookins, Chair of the General Board Commission on Publications Rev. Dr. Roderick D. Belin, President/Publisher of the AME Sunday School Union Dr. John Thomas III, Editor of The Christian Recorder Copyright © 2026 The Christian Recorder, All rights reserved.