As we see new state laws and Supreme Court rulings that hamper access to the ballot and roll back the right to vote, what is the role of people of faith who feel called to stand in the gap?

This summer, the BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation joined with Sojourners and Protect Democracy to host a webinar to discuss the threats and the practical steps people can take. The work begins now, well before Election Day.

“Attacks on voting are attacks on religious freedom,” said BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler during the webinar. She pointed out that both religious freedom and the people’s power to elect their representatives are foundational to our constitutional system.

“Put plainly, if people cannot vote, they cannot protect their communities or their own churches,” she said. “If we do not protect our right to vote, then our very foundational freedoms — including our right to worship — may be compromised.”

The Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, president of Sojourners, named the complicated feelings that come with celebrations of America’s 250th birthday when we see so many freedoms under attack. When our country was founded, voting was restricted to white, land-owning men.

“Since then, there has been an ongoing struggle to expand who is fully included in ‘we the people’ enshrined in our Constitution,” he said. He pointed out how the vote has expanded to women and people of color, but not without great effort and struggle, often led by people of faith.

The efforts to subvert our elections are well underway, according to Corey Dukes of Protect Democracy. He outlined the threats, explaining how the White House is marshalling federal power toward undermining a free and fair election, using strategies that deceive, disrupt, and deny if things don’t go how they want.

Faith communities are not powerless in the face of such threats, and they are rising to meet the moment. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out the new Executive Override Faith Companion Action Guide, which provides practical strategies that faith communities can engage in to ensure every vote is counted. It moves from naming the moment to grounding a moral response to it.

“Faith communities need more than an analysis,” said the Rev. Moya Harris, senior director of projects at Sojourners, who introduced the guide. “Congregations need practical ways to understand when and where they can act, what this moment requires, and how their role changes across the life of an election.”

She explained how restrictions on voting deny the full dignity of people and their ability to live freely in our society, thus impacting other foundational freedoms. Election integrity is connected to religious commitments to justice, truth-telling, and protecting the vulnerable.

Dr. Sabrina E. Dent, director of the BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation, invited everyone to remember the people they care about in the face of threats to free and fair elections. In light of the challenges, she asked us all to consider: “What is your moral obligation in taking your next steps?”