Faith Leaders Denounce The Radicalization Of White Christians In Wake Of Capitol Riot
Nikki Toyama-Szeto, executive director of the advocacy group Christians for Social Action, is still deeply disturbed by the way her religious tradition was distorted during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Some rioters carried crosses, Christian-themed flags and signs. A group that stormed onto the Senate floor bowed their heads for a prayer led by a conspiracy theorist who thanked God for “filling this chamber with patriots that love you and that love Christ.”
“It scared me because I know the ways that people have twisted faith to fuel violence and justify all kinds of behaviors,” Toyama-Szeto told HuffPost.
“I just felt like I needed to stand up and bear witness that this is not what all Christians believe and, more specifically, that I think that those actions grieved God’s heart,” she added.
On Wednesday, Toyama-Szeto joined more than 200 Christian leaders who released a letter denouncing the faith-linked nationalism displayed at the insurrection and pledging to work toward quelling far-right extremism within evangelical circles. After the letter went public, more than 900 pastors, professors and other Christian leaders added their signatures.
https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/christian-nationalism-letter-030627440.html