By Rev. Dr. Earle J. Fisher,
As we stand just days away from the 2024 Federal Election, the opportunity for Black faith communities to profoundly influence the political landscape has never been clearer. In the spirit of the Black Prophetic Tradition and the long and arduous Black Freedom Struggle, we are called to take our rightful place at the intersection of faith and politics.
While far too many of our faith leaders have shied away from this crossroads, it has been to our own peril. Moreover, several Black faith leaders have been co-opted and manipulated such that now they misrepresent the essence of the faith—the full emancipation and empowerment of all of God’s people.
However, this moment is not merely about casting votes. It is about reclaiming agency, healing the rift between our churches and the broader Black community, and mobilizing our institutions around long-term strategies for community building and political engagement.
Historically, the Black church was at the forefront of social justice movements. From the hush harbors to abolition of slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, our churches were not just places of worship but hubs of activism and political organization. Despite that, recent elections have shown a worrying trend where our involvement has lagged, particularly in 2016 and 2020.
The evidence is stark. A significant portion of the Black faith community seemed disconnected from the urgency of the Movement for Black Lives, despite its critical importance in addressing systemic racism, police violence, and economic inequality. This disconnection not only diluted our political impact but also exacerbated divisions between our faith institutions and the wider community.
In Memphis and Shelby County specifically and throughout the nation generally, we have an opportunity to pivot from these missed chances and reengage with our communities. The legacy of our foreparents who fought for justice, equity, and dignity implores us to respond to the moral imperative of our time.
The energy surrounding the 2024 elections can serve as a catalyst for igniting long-range political organizing anchored in our faith traditions. The Black prophetic calling encourages us to be compassionate and courageous, not just in our preaching but in our practices.
First, we must acknowledge that the political landscape has changed dramatically. The urgent issues facing our communities—ranging from education and health disparities to housing instability—demand not only our voices but our coordinated actions.
Too many Black churches have sat on the sidelines, allowing others to dictate the narrative of our existence and the policies affecting our lives. We must shift this dynamic. And it begins with fostering environments where congregations can discuss political engagement genuinely.
Second, it is essential for faith leaders to encourage congregants to not only vote but to understand a) the mechanisms and candidates who can drive meaningful change and b) the concerns of the politically disillusioned amongst us.
The fractures between Black churches and the broader Black community often stem from generational divides and misunderstandings about the role of faith in political life. Many younger members of our communities are disillusioned by a political system that has repeatedly failed them, leading to cynicism toward traditional institutions, including the church. A new model of engagement that honors the concerns of young people while grounding them in the rich tradition of prophetic witness can help bridge this gap.
Third, we must develop programming that integrates faith and activism, ensuring that our churches are places of not only spiritual rejuvenation but also political mobilization. The Black Prophetic Tradition persuades us to see the world through the lens of justice, mercy, and compassion. It implores us to connect our spiritual beliefs with our political responsibilities.
A concerted effort to engage our communities politically will not only enhance voter turnout but also cultivate a sense of belonging and purpose within our congregations. We can act as architects of hope and carriers of our collective legacy, reaching generations that feel disconnected from the struggle.
We must become more than passive bystanders. Hosting forums, town halls, and community discussions within our churches can help dispel myths about the electoral process and the impacts of policy decisions.
Let’s utilize our sacred spaces to foster dialogue about the issues that matter most. For example, criminal justice reform, equitable education funding, affordable housing, and health care access. Furthermore, we can develop partnerships between churches, grassroots organizations, and civic entities to mobilize resources and knowledge that enhance our political clout.
By coming together as a unified force, we can not only increase voter turnout but also ensure that the voices of our communities are heard in the halls of power. An action-oriented approach also means investing time and resources in long-range organizing. Political involvement cannot be limited to election cycles. It must be an ongoing commitment to social change.
Just as our ancestors gathered and organized for freedom, we must cultivate a spirit of resilience, persistence, and community that mirrors their efforts. This reclamation of political engagement is crucial for the long-term health of our communities.
Investing in political education empowers our members and helps dismantle systems of oppression that seek to keep us marginalized. Furthermore, the divine mandate to love, serve, and uplift compels us to advocate for policies that prioritize the most vulnerable among us.
The time for Black faith communities to reclaim our place in the political arena is now. The 2024 Federal Election presents an opportunity for revitalization, bridging the gap between our institutions and the community for which we strive to serve.
And together, rooted in the best of the Black Prophetic Tradition, we can transform our communities through advocacy, activism, and a fierce commitment to justice. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past but instead be agents of hope and change, ensuring that our collective voice echoes powerfully on Election Day and beyond.
Rev. Earle J. Fisher, Ph.D., is Senior Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Memphis, and founder of #UPTheVote901 a non-partisan initiative to “give more political power to more people” and “increase voter turnout in Memphis and Shelby County in every election.” He is the author of The(Re)Introduction of The Black Messiah: Rev. Albert Cleage Jr., and the Black Prophetic Tradition (2021), and the essays, Brother Malcolm, Dr. King and Black Power (2020) and Introducing Sermonic Militancy – A Call Towards More Revolutionary Homiletics and Hermeneutics (2021). The views expressed here are his own.
