By Logan Finney | FāVS News Reporter
It was an afternoon full of worship, song and protest as people of faith gathered in the cold on Sunday to mark the start of the annual legislative session at the Idaho State Capitol.
“We’ve been watching and witnessing with growing concern the way that our state continues to legislate against our trans and queer communities, against our immigrant and undocumented communities, against Medicaid and homelessness and education — and all doing so under the guise of conservative Christian values,” Rev. Sara LaWall of Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship told FāVS News. “We feel like that is a misuse of Christianity, and so we wanted to kick off this legislative session, to come together in worship, to remind ourselves and each other of our highest values and invite our leaders to lead from that place.”
The interfaith service was organized by Boise First United Church of Christ, Boise Unitarian Universalists Fellowship, Cathedral of the Rockies, Collister UMC, Hillview UMC, First Presbyterian of Boise, and Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel.
“We’re watching our leaders attempt to conflate government and religion, which as we all know is not in accordance with our First Amendment and that freedom of religion,” Rev. LaWall told FāVS News. “We’re watching our leaders bring those very conservative Christian beliefs and harmful theology into the state government as a reason why they are stripping away rights and dignity and health care from marginalized communities.”
Rev. Josh Lee of Boise First United Church of Christ offered the main sermon.
“Using religious language to justify harm? It’s not okay to do that in the name of religious freedom. Using our sacred texts to control bodies and erase identities and restrict people’s belonging is not righteous. Confusing political dominance with moral leadership is a mistake every empire makes, and eventually every empire comes to regret,” Rev. Lee said. “If we were truly a Christian nation, we would make sure that this was never a Christian nation. Because we know as Christians that the table of fellowship, it was always open to all — everyone, including our Jewish and Muslim and Buddhist and humanist neighbors.”
Local faith leaders took turns leading the worship service and songs from the capitol steps.
“If we want change, we all have to work together. We have to sing together. We have to bring our hands and our heads and our hearts together,” Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel Rabbi Emeritus Dan Fink told the crowd.
Rabbi Johanna Hershenson of Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel told FāVS News she doesn’t think Idaho lawmakers who profess Judeo-Christian values truly understand the Jewish faith.
“I am here because I believe that religion teaches something quite different than what many of our legislators believe it teaches, and I’m not willing to abdicate faith to Christian nationalism,” Hershenson said. “My sense is that when Judeo-Christian values are preached, generally that is in opposition to Islam, in opposition to the LDS, rather than an affirmation of shared values.”
Speakers highlighted the interfaith nature of the gathering, inviting anyone committed to dignity and justice to participate in the worship services regardless of their personal religious beliefs.
“The easiest way to describe myself is an atheist activist and humanist,” said Rowan Astra of Satanic Idaho. “Change is possible not because justice is inevitable, but because people keep showing up and insisting on it.”
The interfaith coalition plans to hold weekly faith actions in the capitol building each Wednesday during the legislative session.
“At the start of this legislative session, we are not asking for our theology to be put into legislation or law. We don’t want anyone’s theology to be put into legislation and laws,” Rev. Lee said. “Instead, we’re asking for moral courage. The courage to legislate people that you may have never met. The courage to listen to those affected by your votes. The courage to choose compassion, even when fear seems more convenient and politically more savvy.”
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This was an exceptional article, highlighting the many and diverse viewpoints people of faith come to the community. I think they would all be classified as part of the Beloved Community, they care and call out political powers that care for a limited subset of the population. That’s not the gospel, nor most any other religion. Thanks for your balanced reporting