DURHAM, N.C. — With just over a week to go until Election Day in the down-to-the-wire White House race, Black pastors and faith leaders are stepping into what they see as their divine responsibility — helping those in vulnerable and underrepresented communities cast ballots.
In North Carolina, where there’s also a contentious race for governor, community leaders are working to galvanize voters.
“This election is the most important election of my lifetime,” Bishop Reginald T. Jackson told a packed sanctuary earlier this month at St. Joseph’s A.M.E. Church in Durham, N.C.
Jackson is the nationally prominent clergyman whose efforts in organizing Black voters in Georgia led to the state flipping for the Democrats and sending not only Joe Biden to the White House in 2020, but also two Democratic candidates to the U.S. Senate: Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, the first Black senator elected in the state of Georgia. Jackson recently left Georgia to begin a term as presiding bishop over the Second Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, which includes churches in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and North Carolina, where he is continuing his work of mobilizing Black voters and urging people of faith to vote in a way that preserves human rights and advances social justice.
Jackson’s message to St. Joseph’s was based on the New Testament Gospel according to St. John, chapter nine, verses 10 through 11, wherein a blind man regains his sight.
“The outcome of this election is going to depend on turnout,” Jackson said. “And the only way folks are going to turn out is if they can see. We must have our eyes open so we can see what’s in our best interest.”
Jackson’s appearance at St. Joseph’s is part of Democrats’ barrage across battleground states in the tight White House race. Jackson’s visit to St. Joseph’s was part of “Souls to the Polls Sunday,” an event at the community minded church designed to activate the Black vote.
“The future of this country is on the line in this election,” Jackson told Black News & Views. “There’s a tremendous opportunity for this [faith-based] community to impact how these elections turn out; there’s an opportunity for us to help this nation redeem itself. That’s ongoing work.”
Since 2019 under the leadership of Rev. Augustine, St. Joseph’s has hosted and organized a “Souls to the Polls” caravan and rally helping literally drive people to the polling precincts to vote in local and federal elections. The most recent caravan took place Sunday, Oct. 20 and brought hundreds of church and community members as well as students to their precinct at North Carolina Central University to cast their ballots.
“[We want] to bring the community together not just for faith, not just for salvation and the kingdom to come, but to address social issues here and now. That’s really what this church is all about.” the Rev. Dr. Jay Augustine, senior pastor at St. Joseph’s, told Black News & Views.
“We are a church that’s deeply involved in the community that brings people together and we want people to vote in every single election. Whether it’s an election for the dog catcher or the president, we want to make sure the community mobilizes,” Rev. Augustine said.
Bishop Jackson firmly believes it’s the responsibility of faith leaders like himself and Rev. Augustine to “press the case” of the Black constituency to their elected officials and keep their communities informed on the issues. However, the church world is not on one accord with some of the specific hot button issues that are impacting voters today. Access abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration reform, access to education, and more are on the ballot and are seen by some Black clergy as subjects that “the church ought not be involved in,” according to the Bishop, which creates confusion and apprehension among Black Christians as election day approaches.
Meanwhile, other faith-led groups such evangelical churches and a rising denomination of white Christian Nationalists, are succeeding in galvanizing their followers to vote for candidates and policies that will strip back the rights of non-white communities. Jackson says this political divide between evangelicals and what he terms “the Black church” stems from a fundamental misinterpretation of the Biblical text as well as a failure of Black church leadership to stand up and advocate for the least of these.
“Most of our folks have no idea where on the basis of our faith we are on issues because we [Black pastors] never talk about it,” Jackson said.
“A lot of our pastors don’t appreciate the fact that they’re called to be watchmen. Our task, the church’s task and responsibility, is to seek for God’s kingdom to come on earth. You can’t do that without promoting social justice,” he said, adding that any faith leader spreading a gospel that does not speak to social justice is antithetical to Christ’s teaching and to Christian traditions.
In his “Souls to the Polls” sermon, the bishop concluded by imploring Black faith leaders and Christians to abandon any fear that holds them back as the country marches closer to Election Day and lean into the teachings of the Bible by voting for a future that promises democracy for all.
“Vote for the homeless, somebody needs to reflect their interests. Vote for the poor, somebody needs to reflect their interests,” he told the crowd. “By faith, cast your ballot. By faith, encourage others to vote. Don’t go in fear. We’ve been through this before. God brought us through before and God will bring us through again.”
