Southern Arizona Clergy Unite in Public Witness for Justice and Compassion
On August 15, 2025, nearly 80 clergy from Southern Arizona—representing Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Mennonite, Baptist, UCC, and other Christian traditions—issued a bold, ecumenical public witness rooted in the way of Jesus.
Titled For God So Loved the World: A Christian Witness Against Harm, the statement denounces harmful policies and practices in our nation that target the most vulnerable, exploit creation, and misuse Christian language to justify injustice. Signed by judicatory leaders including Bishop Deborah Hutterer of the Grand Canyon Synod, clergy from across denominations are calling Christians to speak with moral clarity in a time of crisis.
The statement condemns actions such as deportations without due process, immigration raids that instill fear in families, cuts to healthcare and humanitarian aid, ecological irresponsibility, systemic racism, and discrimination against LGBTQ children and communities. Quoting Jesus’ teachings—“For the least of these” and “For God so loved the world”—the clergy contrast God’s vision of justice, mercy, and freedom with political rhetoric that fuels fear and division.
“Clergy have too often been complicit or silent in times of crisis. We are negligent if we remain so now,” the leaders write.
This grassroots witness began in May 2025, when clergy in Southern Arizona formed an ecumenical working group committed to speaking with a collective voice. Their first action was to draft and publish this statement, now open for additional clergy to sign. The statement is available in both English and Spanish, reflecting the multilingual, multicultural context of Southern Arizona.
The clergy’s call is clear: to hold themselves accountable, to denounce harm, and to invite Christians and people of all traditions into practices of bold mercy, justice, and compassion. Instead of greatness, they urge a turn toward goodness.
Additional clergy in Southern Arizona may add their names by visiting the sign-on page. Those outside the region are encouraged to form their own grassroots groups, creating public witness in their own context.
Read the full statement and view the list of signers at Bear Witness Now.
