AME Bishops Urge Congress to Show Moral Leadership
The Council of Bishops outlines a nine-point call to action in an open letter to sitting and incoming members of Congress.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Christianity
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Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church issued an open letter titled 'A Call for Moral and Courageous Leadership,' delivered electronically to current Democratic Senate and House leadership. The letter urges members of the U.S. House and Senate to act boldly and courageously in defense of vulnerable communities and constitutional protections.
Why it matters
The letter argues that an election confers authority but does not excuse cruelty, cancel constitutional duties, or place any leader above the law, and that Congress must do more than express concern. Its nine points span voting rights, immigration detention, health care, corruption, and U.S. policy toward Africa and the Middle East.
The open letter lists nine points of action spanning voting rights, immigration detention, health care, corruption, and U.S. policy toward Africa and the Middle East. The source does not indicate whether Congress has responded or whether any of the points will advance.
The players
African Methodist Episcopal Church
A historic Methodist denomination founded in Philadelphia in 1816 and one of the largest predominantly Black Christian denominations in the United States.
Marvin C. Zanders II
A bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church who serves as President of the Council of Bishops and signed the open letter.
The details
The letter, signed by Bishop Marvin C. Zanders II, President of the Council of Bishops, Bishop Francine A. Brookins, Secretary, and Bishop Wilfred J. Messiah, Senior Bishop, was delivered electronically to current Democratic Senate and House leadership. It calls on Congress to act boldly, swiftly, and with courage in defense of vulnerable communities and constitutional protections.
Timeline
November 10, 2026: The open letter was published and reported.
Roadmap
The letter continues a long tradition in which the African Methodist Episcopal Church has addressed federal lawmakers directly on civil rights and voting rights. It positions the church's current concerns on immigration detention and health care alongside its historic advocacy for constitutional protections.
Readers who follow voting rights, immigration detention, or health care policy can track whether Congress responds to the nine points in the letter. The letter itself is a direct appeal to lawmakers that may shape how constituents of faith engage with their representatives.
The takeaway
The letter asks lawmakers to measure their authority against their obligations to vulnerable communities and the Constitution. Readers can watch how members of Congress respond to these nine points in the months ahead.
Further reading
For more on how faith communities engage federal policy, see Christianity coverage on Wisevoter.
More information
Read the full text of the full text of AME Bishops' open letter to Congress on The Christian Recorder.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Religion News Service.
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