U.S. church leaders encourage prayer in response to possible post-election violence and unrest
With only days left before the contentious U.S. election comes to a close, church leaders have announced plans for possible post-election violence and unrest.
Galen Carey of the National Association of Evangelicals emphasized patience during a Religion Media Center briefing as votes are counted, reminding the public that delays should not be interpreted as fraud. He called for respect towards election officials and urged prayer for the nation’s leaders as the situation unfolds.
The Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) released a prayer guide for the 2024 election, which encourages its members to graciously accept the outcome of the election while approaching others with kindness, respect, and love, even in the face of disagreement.
“The last several years of American life have been challenging. During that time, the country has been stressed economically, culturally, and politically, and those stresses have revealed major cracks in our foundation,” writes Jordan Wootten for the ERLC.
“This tumult is not unprecedented, but it’s not quite normal either. What’s more, 2024 is a presidential election year in a political environment that is remarkably polarized, divided, angry, and charged with emotion,” adds Wootten. “When we face a season like this, there is plenty we can do to respond in a healthy way, but the most important thing we can do is pray. So, as the presidential campaign season gets underway, make a commitment that you will “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) for its duration and then for our local, state, and national politics beyond that.