Kamala Harris's Faith

NPR, Kamala Harris and Faith: a Baptist With a Jewish Spouse and Ties to the Black Church and Gandhi:

Black clergy who know Vice President Kamala Harris, now the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, marvel at the fusion of traditions and teachings that have molded her religious faith and social justice values.

A Baptist married to a Jewish man, she’s inspired by the work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and influenced by the religious traditions of her mother’s native India as well as the Black Church.

“She’s had the best of two worlds,” says her longtime pastor, the Rev. Amos Brown, who leads Third Baptist Church in San Francisco.

In interviews, religious leaders and theologians told The Associated Press that Harris’ candidacy has special symbolic significance following President Joe Biden’s departure from election campaign. Not only because she would be the nation’s first female president, but she’s a Black American with South Asian roots and her two cultures are intrinsically linked.

The clergy and scholars noted that the concept of nonviolent resistance, a critical strategy in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, gained influence under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi in India, who was an inspiration for many decades to America’s Black preachers and civil rights leaders. ...

The Black Church tradition also influenced Harris.

“The vice president has a strong Christian faith that she’s talked about a lot,” said Jamal Simmons, a pastor’s son and Harris’ former communications director. As a Democratic strategist, he has helped candidates make inroads with faith communities.

“She was raised in a Christian church, and attended Christian churches throughout her life, and I think that still influences her, her worldview and her ethical commitments,” he said.

• Biography, How Vice President Kamala Harris’ Religion Impacted Her Life Over the Years
• Catholic League, Kamala Harris Is Not Religion-Friendly
• Christianity Today, Kamala Harris Against History
• Crosswalk, Kamala Harris’ Controversial Views on Religious Liberty Spark Concern among Christian Leaders
• Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, What Christians Should Know About Kamala Harris Following President Biden’s Withdrawal and Endorsement
• MSN, A Potential Trump v. Harris Race Puts Two Competing Ideas of Christianity on Display
• National Catholic Reporter, Kamala Harris’ Multi-Religious Identity Is a Map of the Future
• Rev. Rob Schenck, A Christian Case for Kamala Harris
• Washington Times, Catholics Warn of Kamala Harris’ Record of ‘Anti-Catholic bigotry’

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