In anticipation of Texas Impact’s Houston Faith Votes Kick-off Events on 8/20, 8/26, and 8/27 (register here), I am speaking with several faith leaders across Houston. Through these dialogues, faith leaders explore why voting is vital for their community, and why it’s a matter of faith.
Each week I’ll share how different leaders understand the connection between their faith and participation in democracy and why they feel called to mobilize their communities to engage in civic processes.
This week I spoke with Rev. Dr. Angela Ravin-Anderson, a leader in the Social Justice Ministry at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, situated across from the University of Houston in Third Ward. Rev. Dr. Ravin-Anderson shared her thoughts about the deep connection between the justice ministry of Christ and the need to actively pursue those values in our communities.
Kyle Riley: How do you express your beliefs through voting?
Rev. Dr. Angela Ravin-Anderson: My understanding of what it means to be compassionate, seek justice, and be fair all comes into play when I’m considering voting. I think my vote needs to reflect that same ethos… I take that into the ballot box, and I want that expressed in the legislation that will come forward.
Riley: What from your faith tradition do you point your community to when explaining the importance of voting?
Rev. Dr. Ravin-Anderson: The call for us to be salt and light in the world drives it for me. Beyond my personal belief, as the church, we are called to be that light on the hill and, by being light, representing this new creation that comes from a Christ that reigns and survives, a Christ who says, “I’ve come to set the captive free,” “I’ve come to relieve the oppressed,” “I’ve come for the poor.”
When you understand that was the mission of Christ in the world, that becomes the same values and goals we have in the mission for us to seek out in everyday life. That’s the most significant driving force. It’s not just about my polity. It’s the understanding of the community that we are developing that reflects Christ in the world.
Riley: What from your faith tradition motivates you to participate in democracy through things like voting?
Rev. Dr. Ravin-Anderson: Particularly what you will find in the African American Christian tradition is constantly having to lean on deep faith because, in the United States, we are a group that is continuously suffering a great deal of marginalization and oppression. It is always looking to the scriptures, to the promises of God, to understand that God is fighting our battles for us and that what we see in the world is not necessarily God’s plan for our people as a race—but coming into this space knowing that God does not forget us.
We can see in the scriptures that God continues to say that He is on the side of the oppressed and that God is a God who loves justice…he says, “I am a God who loves justice,” and knowing that he is also a God of compassion, grace, and mercy. I think Being mindful of all those things from our faith tradition drives us into those spaces to participate in the processes of this country.
Riley: What do you wish people understood about the connection between civic engagement and your religious tradition?
Rev. Dr. Ravin-Anderson: I believe that when people think about voting or who they’re choosing to represent them, sometimes… it gets compartmentalized. You know, the two things you aren’t supposed to discuss are religion and politics, right? But, while we have the separation of church and state in our country, the fact is, as an individual, in every aspect of how I live… everything that I do should always reflect my belief system and the values I hold to be true. If I believe that… the scripture says to be kind to foreigners because… you were a foreigner in this land.
When I think about what that means, it doesn’t say that I am just personally kind to someone who is an immigrant. It means that even as I think about how our organizations and institutions work, how do they show kindness to others? Those are the ways that I would like for people to begin to open their eyes and go beyond the personal to make sure that the systems, policies… and legislation governing our country also reflect those values.
Kyle Riley is Texas Impact’s Houston Civic Engagement and United Church of Christ Fellow. He is a Master of Divinity student at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado.
Texas Impact’s Houston Faith Votes (HFV) campaign is bringing together mainstream Houston faith groups to build faith-based civic participation throughout our region. HFV mobilizes diverse faith communities across the Greater Houston area to engage their members and neighbors in elections in 2023 and 2024. This is a non-partisan effort, and any policy discussions will focus on voting rights and our current voting regulations and processes.
The HFV initiative provides resources that are developed by people of faith, for people of faith, with the support of more than two dozen partner institutions. These resources will help faith communities explore the faith-based call to civic engagement and provide tools for faith-based voter engagement activities that help faith communities scale their impact and get out the vote.
To learn more about our Houston Faith Votes campaign, visit our website, houstonfaithvotes.org.