NCC Newsletter – July 1, 2023

NCC Vehemently Opposes Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action in College Admissions

For I, the Lord, love justice,      I hate robbery and wrongdoing; [a]  I will faithfully give them their recompense,      and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Isaiah 61:8, NRSVue The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA vehemently opposes the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v President and Fellows of Harvard College to eliminate the consideration of race and ethnicity from the college admissions process. The decision reverses decades of legal precedent and progress in providing equitable access to higher education for Black Americans and other racial groups who have endured the shackles of structural and systemic discrimination for centuries.  Affirmative action is a reparative attempt to undo the lasting effects of slavery, segregation, and systemic discrimination against Black people in education and other aspects of American society. Since the 1960s, colleges and universities have developed programs to improve access to higher education for racial minority groups to reflect the full strength and diversity of the United States. Affirmative action considers an applicant’s racial background, including financial and other hardships due to systemic racism, as one of several factors in the college admissions process when evaluating a qualified pool of applicants.  It is short-sighted, shameful, and downright immoral for American institutions to deny the history and impact of racism and discrimination. Opposition to affirmative action programs in higher education is evidence of how deeply entrenched white supremacy is in our society and how much more work is needed to undo and end racial injustice. “Refusing to remedy the wrongs of the past does not erase them. It only exacerbates and magnifies the negative effects they have had. Unfortunately, the nation and some of our most vulnerable citizens will pay the price for this egregious ruling,” said Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, Chair of NCC’s Governing Board.  While progress has been made to close the racial gap in education, disparities remain in many institutions of higher education. It is tone deaf to act as though racism is not still a factor in American life, despite the realities of ongoing structural and systemic racial barriers that plague our society. All God’s people, regardless of their race, should have not only equal but equitable opportunity to thrive and realize their full potential.   “Race has been a factor in making employment, housing, banking, health care, and education decisions for centuries in America. The decision by the Supreme Court adds to the pain of marginalized people and pits one group against the other, vying for a few spaces in certain institutions of higher learning. When our colleges, corporations, communities, and country make space for people of diverse backgrounds and experiences to participate fully, it enriches all our lives. This decision undermines ‘liberty and justice for all’ in the face of historical discrimination and rising racism,” said NCC President and General Secretary Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie. Today, we reaffirm the commitment made by the National Council of Churches in 1997 to encourage our member denominations and ecumenical agencies to continue support of and advocacy for effective affirmative action programs, statutes, policies, and practices; to speak out against retrogressive legislative and other attempts to rescind or weaken affirmative action statutes on municipal, state, or federal levels; to align themselves with others of goodwill to defeat anti-affirmative action initiatives constructed to turn back the clock; and to encourage members to exercise their constitutional and civil responsibilities fully in helping to defeat these and other assaults on productive affirmative action programs.  We must remain steadfast about the realities of racism and be willing to make changes to overcome new challenges that emerge as we strive to become the Beloved Community.

Journey to Jubilee Reparative Justice Bible Study Resumes July 11

NCC Legislative Update

NCC Condemns SCOTUS Decision to Strike Down Student Loan Debt Relief Program Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness plan in Biden v Nebraska. Under the program, millions of Americans—more than half of all student loan borrowers—are eligible for up to $20,000 in debt forgiveness. The plan seeks to cancel roughly $430 billion in debt. In this case, the Supreme Court agreed with Nebraska and five other states that argued the Secretary of Education does not have authority under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003, to diverge from provisions in the Higher Education Act of 1965 that allow the Secretary of Education to reduce or cancel student loans in limited circumstances, such as war and national emergencies, by waiving and modifying aspects of the federal financial aid programs. The Court asserted the Biden Administration did not waive, or modify relevant provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965, but rewrote it. “Our precedent—old and new— requires that Congress speak clearly before a Department Secretary can unilaterally alter large sections of the American economy,” Chief Justice John Roberts said. Last November, the Department of Education extended the pause on student loan repayment until the Supreme Court handed down its decision in June, or 60 days after June 30, 2023, whichever came first. During debt ceiling negotiations, President Biden and House Republicans reached an agreement to uphold the administration’s temporary extension on student loan payments through August 30, 2023. However, the bill Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law (the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023), gave Congress express authority on the issue and prohibits the Secretary of Education from using, “any authority to implement an extension of any executive action or rule,” to extend the pause of student loan repayments in the future.   In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, President Biden issued a fact sheet doubling down on the administration’s efforts to provide debt relief to borrowers. Acting on his authority under the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Secretary of Education has developed a new rulemaking process that will be an “alternative path” to student loan forgiveness, finalized a repayment plan, launching this summer, that will result in no monthly payments for most borrowers and $1,000 in annual savings for some, and a 12-month “on-ramp” for repayment that will prevent borrowers from facing delinquency or default from missed student loan payments. The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA condemns the Supreme Court’s ruling in  Biden v Nebraska. In the United States, education is key to success, a pathway to financial freedom and stability. According to scripture, “the rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender (Proverbs 22:7, NRSVue).” The American Dream should not come at the unbearable cost of a lifetime of debt that prevents people from building generational wealth to lift themselves out of poverty through homeownership and other means.   The Court’s decision places a heavy burden on millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, especially younger Americans who are newly navigating the harsh realities of our society. NCC applauds the Biden Administration for using the tool at their disposal to provide relief to those most in need. As the details of this new program emerge, we urge our member communions to share the information with constituents and interested parties. • • • • • • •    NCC Vehemently Opposes SCOTUS Ruling on Affirmative Action Programs at Harvard and UNC   On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling on affirmative action programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in Students for Fair Admissions v President and Fellows of Harvard College. According to the high court, the admissions process at both institutions violated the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause and was unconstitutional. The majority opinion held that the affirmative action programs lacked specific, measurable objectives that justify the use of race, negatively used race by denying some applicants admission because of their race, racially stereotyped applicants, and did not have a foreseeable end. On the other hand, the Court said that colleges and universities can consider, "an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise," in which case the school must credit the benefit to a trait other than race, such as courage, or determination.   While the Supreme Court’s decision is somewhat narrow in scope and focuses on the admission process at Harvard and UNC, as well as schools with similar programs, it will have far-reaching implications for institutions of higher learning, and higher education broadly, that are yet unknown. The ruling would make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for schools to consider race in their admissions process to promote diversity.   The Court’s majority opinion rejected the dissenting view that remedying the effects of past societal discrimination through affirmative action programs is constitutional. The ruling did not discuss whether institutions of higher education could correct their past discriminatory practices and policies through affirmative action programs or other forms of reparative justice.    The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) released a statement vehemently opposing the Court’s decision to eliminate the consideration of race and ethnicity from the college admissions process.   NCC reaffirms the commitment made by the National Council of Churches in 1997 to encourage our member denominations and ecumenical agencies to continue support of and advocacy for effective affirmative action programs, statutes, policies, and practices; to speak out against retrogressive legislative and other attempts to rescind or weaken affirmative action statutes on municipal, state ,or federal levels; to align themselves with others of good will to defeat anti-affirmative action initiatives constructed to “turn back the clock”; and, to encourage members to exercise their constitutional and civil responsibilities fully in helping to defeat these and other assaults on productive affirmative action programs.

At the 500th Day Mark Join Ecumenical Prayer Service for Ukraine

As the world commemorates 500 days of Russia’s full-fledged aggression against Ukraine, Washington National Cathedral will host Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA Oksana Markarova and Ukrainian clergy for a special ecumenical prayer service on Sunday, July 9, at 4:00 p.m. (EDT). The service will feature music provided by the choir of Washington National Cathedral, the choir of the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, and the choir of St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral. The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope, Provost of Washington National Cathedral, the Rev. Dr. Volodymyr Steliac, Dean of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral (Silver Spring, MD), and Fr. Robert Hitchens, Pastor of the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family (Washington, D.C.) will lead the ecumenical service. Join this special service online or in-person in the Cathedral Nave at Washington National Cathedral.

Churches for Peace Webinar Series: Conversations with Middle East Christians

Join Churches for Middle East Peace and Embrace the Middle East for a four-week series in conversation with Christians across the Middle East. Rev. Colin Chapman will speak with Christian leaders from Iraq, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, and Egypt, discussing the intersection between political context and personal faith. Learn about the work Christians are doing to address various issues present in these countries, and how Christians outside of these countries may still have a role to play. Delve into these rich conversations on four Mondays in July and August. Mondays | July 17, 24 &  August 7, 14 (No Event on July 31) 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (EDT) | Via Zoom Click here to learn more. CMEP proudly co-hosts this webinar series with Embrace the Middle East.

Episcopal Church Sponsors "It's All About Love: A Festival for the Jesus Movement"

Join the Episcopal Church for “It’s All About Love,” a churchwide festival of worship, learning, community, and action for the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement, to be held Sunday, July 9 through Wednesday, July 12, at the Baltimore Convention Center. Register here. “It’s All About Love” is organized around three Jesus Movement festival “tents”: Evangelism, Racial Reconciliation, and Creation Care. Get ready for evening revival worship and daytime speakers, workshops, panels, and practice opportunities around the big tent themes. Stick with one tent or explore across the tents, following the themes of worship and liturgy, formation, justice and advocacy, leadership, preaching, stewardship, and youth and children. Featured speakers, preachers, and artists to include Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, President of the House of Deputies Julia Ayala Harris, Brian McLaren, the Rev. Mariama White-Hammon, Dr. Kwok Pui-lan, Sarah Augustine, Lilly Lewin, Dr. Catherine Meeks, the Very Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas, the Rev. Winnie Varghese, Live Hymnal & Friends, and more! Lodging: Discounted room blocks have been reserved for participants near the Baltimore Convention Center

Friendship Press Releases Classic Titles

Shop the Friendship Press Sale and Take an Extra 20% Off with code fp2023    Print copies can be ordered from the Friendship Press website or readers using Kindle can order on Amazon.

Shop for Friendship Press Books Now!

The Racial Healing of America Revival and Bus Tour

The ACU Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action invites everyone to join them for the Racial Healing of America Revival and Bus Tour, July 9–17, 2023. The Racial Healing of America Revival and Bus Tour will serve as one form of direct spiritual action. It will publicly demonstrate that we are against violence and racial division by visually demonstrating that we are for racial healing.   The Bus Tour will bring together people of faith and goodwill from various ethnic backgrounds to publicly promote racial healing and biblical justice, and to advance social peace across America. The revival and bus tour will start in Dallas (TX), with stops in Memphis (TN), Birmingham (AL), Charleston (SC), and ending in Washington (DC). The revival services will include featured speakers and congregational singing in each city. Tour participants will visit the International African American Museum in Charleston and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.   Click here for event information and registration.

Register for March on Washington 60th Anniversary Event

Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of National Action Network; Arndrea Waters King, President, Drum Major Institute; and Martin Luther King, III, Chairman, Drum Major Institute enlist your participation in the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington to be held August 26, 2023, in Washington, DC to mobilize the faith community across America, for "March on Washington Not a Commemoration, a Continuation!" Please use the link to register for the march and to confirm your participation and that of your congregation, peers, and colleagues. The link has information you can use to share with your contacts.

Employment Opportunities

The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations Hiring Domestic Policy Advisor

Represents The Episcopal Church’s public policy positions to Congressional offices, U.S. government departments and agencies, and the broader policy community in Washington. Builds and maintains relationships with government officials to further the policy goals of The Episcopal Church. Serves as a resource for OGR and Episcopalians on a wide range of U.S.  public policy issues, including developing a deep understanding of U.S. political context, and detailed knowledge of legislative and policy initiatives. Maintains flexibility to respond to emerging and priority needs and to develop new areas of legislative and policy expertise.   If you or someone you know would like to apply, please click here for more information. • • • • • • • Interfaith Alliance Seeks Policy and Advocacy Associate Interfaith Alliance is hiring a policy and advocacy associate to support our federal and state policy initiatives focused on religious freedom, fighting discrimination, and protecting democracy. The position description is attached and on the Interfaith Alliance website.  • • • • • • • Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul Seeks Chief Executive Officer Ballinger | Leafblad is pleased to conduct the search for Chief Executive Officer at Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota. Interfaith Action mobilizes diverse faith and spiritual communities to support individuals and families who are striving for stability and economic mobility. Together with the interfaith community, Interfaith Action provides critically needed shelter for families, free legal assistance, and emergency services related to food and clothing. View profile here.