For some Black faith leaders, Ohio’s Issue 1 is bigger than abortion

[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nnCLEVELAND (RNS) — The Rev. Tony Minor concluded the Sunday (Aug. 6) service at the Community of Faith Assembly, a Pentecostal church in Cleveland’s North Broadway neighborhood, by reminding the congregation of the cost African Americans had paid for the right to vote.“Voting is holy ground! ” said Minor, standing in front of the church’s wooden altar. “This is holy ground! Blood was shed that we might have a right to vote.”
On Tuesday, Ohioans are voting in a special election on Issue 1, a ballot initiative aimed at fending off efforts to amend the state constitution to include a right to abortion. But Minor and other Ohio faith leaders say Issue 1 about more than abortion. It’s a matter of democracy, and of faith.
For the last six months, Minor has been one of dozens of faith leaders across Ohio — many of them Black clergy — hosting rallies, news conferences and educational sessions, encouraging early voting, offering rides to the polls and canvassing as part of a broader statewide movement against Issue 1.
“We have to be ready and prepared to deal with public policy,” Minor told Religion News Service. “It’s at the heart and soul of who we are as people of faith, as a prophetic …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]