CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Free, fair elections, including the right of every citizen to cast a ballot that is duly counted, form the bedrock of American democracy. Voting rights are referred to as “the right preservative of all others,” since only through voting can the people of a community peaceably remove leaders who seek to oppress them. The world’s faith traditions collectively affirm voting as a responsibility both civic and spiritual: through voting, we express our preferences for the circumstances our neighbors will live in.
INDIVIDUAL ACTION
Individual civic participation is the primary building block of our democracy, like cells are the primary building blocks of our bodies. Individual actions—like voting and speaking out on issues—may seem small or insignificant, but collectively they drive our policies and our future.
COLLECTIVE ACTION
Congregations and other faith groups can help their members fulfill their civic engagement responsibilities. They also can serve the wider community by opening doors to civic participation.
ADVOCACY 101
Advocacy means using your voice to advance something you care about. In public policy, advocacy means expressing your views in a way that influences policymakers.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Events
NEWS + UPDATES
International Religious Freedom: Fighting for the Common Good
Guest blog post by Rev. Mel Caraway and Rev. Phil DiekeWe had a great meeting today with a delegation from Tajikistan on "International Religious Freedom." Their visit was...
March 5: Where Do We Go From Here?
For ten years, the Texas Legislature has been a divided body. The extreme wing of the Republican Party controlled the Senate and the traditional wing of the Republican Party...
Texas Public Schools Are Still Safe for Every Faith
Since last summer, our members have been urging their local school boards not to create a “new school chaplain program” as required by SB 763. Overwhelmingly, Texas school boards...
Advancing Issues through Elections
The most successful issue organizations in American history achieved that success by injecting their issue into the primary of both political parties. The railroad tycoon, Jay...
Texas’s March Primaries: What’s at stake
Texas’s March Primaries: What’s at stake The future of public education in Texas will be decided in the party primaries. The next month is particularly crucial. ...
Your Voice Only Counts if You Use It
Feel like your voice doesn't matter? Only 14% (!) of eligible Texans vote in the March primaries, but that's when most state legislative seats get decided. Legislators aren't...