Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope was founded upon the idea of bringing different religious denominations together as one voice for justice. The organization includes Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, and other religious communities who, as a collective, act towards civic engagement, criminal justice reform, and economic development, among other initiatives.

The We All Belong Campaign originated as part of MICAH’s goal to promote civic engagement and education as a way to push back against Christian nationalism. MICAH identifies Christian nationalism as a dangerous ideology that aims to sow division throughout the United States. Christian nationalism lumps Christian identity and American identity together, which distorts Christian values and marginalizes religious minorities and non-religious people. MICAH focuses on gathering around Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beloved Community, where everyone is loved and respected regardless of religious affiliation.

The Beloved Community believes in the power and necessity of pluralist democracy. This view is consistent with the principles of America’s founding, however, it is actively being undermined by Christian nationalism, which instead prioritizes only those who see Christianity as a favored elite and political class. Standing for democracy means separating church and state, which allows for a diverse acceptance of other religious traditions. Conflating Christianity with American identity erases the history and culture of other religious groups who also view themselves as Americans.

The We All Belong Campaign began with the idea that the religious leaders of various denominations would join with the president of MICAH, Rev. Dr. Richard Shaw, to sign a statement that commits these religious groups to the goals of the campaign: protecting democracy, rejecting Christian nationalism, and building the Beloved Community. To celebrate this commitment, the religious leaders and their community members marched together to Milwaukee’s iconic statue of Martin Luther King Jr., representing the Beloved Community uniting as pictured below.

Yana Tartakovskiy is a junior studying healthcare management and insurance studies major, political science minor. Her interests include healthcare laws and public policies shaping women’s health.

For more information about the organizations and individuals resisting Christian Nationalism in the United States today, check out our Pluralist Resistance to Christian Nationalism project page.