Last Sunday the Church Federation of Greater Indainapolis, Light of the World Christian Church held an interactive community forum on “Race, Religion and Politics.”
The forum featured candidates running in the Democratic and Republican primaries for the 7th Congressional District.
Bishop T. Garrott Benjamin Jr., host pastor for the gathering, emphasized that the event was a civil forum for discussion, not a debate that could cause division.
“Our goal with this forum is to give candidates the opportunity to present themselves and talk about issues that particularly affect this district as well as the state of Indiana as a whole,” said Benjamin.
Participating candidates included Democrats Andre Carson, Carolene Mays, Woody Myers, David Orenthlicher and Dr. Rev. Frances Nelson Williams, as well as Republicans Jon Elrod, Catherine Ping and Larry Shouse.
The candidates were asked to respond to questions posed by a panel of spiritual leaders and journalists that included Rev. Charles Harrison of Barnes United Methodist Church, Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson of Eastern Star Church, Rev. Kent Millard of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Imam Mikal Saahir of Nur-Allah Islamic Center, Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith of the Church Federation, Robert King of the Indianapolis Star, Amos Brown of WTLC-AM and Abdul Hakim Shabaaz of WXNT-FM.
Numerous public forums have previously been held for the candidates, but the Light of the World event was the first in which they spoke extensively about faith.
Although a variety of issues such as the economy, health care, diversity and the war in Iraq were discussed, many of the candidates’ insightful comments were made during discussions about religion and values.
Carson, the incumbent congressman running for a full term, said his faith guides, centers him and directs him to keep his word.
“It also directs me to speak out on behalf of the underprivileged, on behalf of the poor, on issues that concern working men and women,” said Carson, a Muslim.
Mays noted that churches are playing an important role in this election, and when issues are presented in churches they are presented out of love. She noted that discussions in churches as well as the community in general have indicated concern over whether the presence of several African-American candidates will split the Black vote.
“I think that’s something we should be applauding, the fact that we have many credible, good candidates,” said Mays.
She added that her Christian values have led her to “reach out” into the world and said those values “are a part of my life, they are my life.”
Orenthlicher, who is Jewish, encouraged attendees to remember the value of racial and religious diversity in society, noting the virtue of diversity was encouraged by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Today we would be a more just country if we emulate his example of bringing together race, religion and politics,” said Orentlicher.
Elrod, who studied various faiths and liberation theology at Christian Theological Seminary, said politicians should live “principled lives” and he encouraged citizens to be bold about embracing differences.
“Our society should not be blind as it relates to race religion or politics,” he said. “But rather we should see each other for our individual beliefs, our vices and our virtues and understand that we are all children of God who are entitled to dignity, respect and equality under the law.”
