Interfaith Alliance: As Election Nears, Nation Must Confront the Truth About January 6

Interfaith Alliance, a national organization that advocates for inclusive democracy and healthy boundaries between religion and government, acknowledged the third anniversary of the January 6 insurrection by highlighting the continuing threat posed by Christian nationalists and by rejecting efforts to rewrite the history of that day as less violent and threatening than the reality.

In a statement, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, said:

“So many of us watched in horror when a band of insurrectionists attacked the United States Capitol, taking a bludgeon to our nation’s bedrock principles of democracy and free and fair elections. And many did so in the name of faith, as numerous attackers carried wooden crosses, Christian flags, and signs that read ‘Jesus Saves,’ painfully illustrating the authoritarian threat that Christian nationalism poses to our democracy.

“Three years later, we must ask ourselves: has our nation confronted the reality of January 6, and accepted the critical work we must do to bring our country together so that history does not repeat itself? Powerful elected officials, far-right media, and extreme religious figures continue to minimize and, in some cases, even celebrate the insurrection.

“As the 2024 election approaches, democracy is on the ballot. Interfaith Alliance marks this solemn anniversary with renewed determination to mobilize Americans of diverse faiths and beliefs to heal our nation, restore faith in elections, and defeat Christian nationalism at the ballot box.

“We must collectively reaffirm that no matter our differences, our democracy is sacred and worth fighting for.”