The Yale Divinity School’s Center for Public Theology and Public Policy held a three-day conference in New Haven from April 12-14, under the title: “What are the Moral and Spiritual Issues of the 2026 Elections?”
The stated goal of the conference was to create a space where “clergy and faith leaders who understand the importance of this moral moment can be equipped with a moral analysis of the landscape, a strategic assessment of the moral issues at stake and moral action they can take with others in their communities to push the nation toward higher ground.”
The Center’s founding director, Bishop William Barber, who also serves as co-chair of the national Poor People’s Campaign, held a press conference on the last day of the conference responding to the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran and President Trump’s social media posts threatening to annihilate Iran’s civilization and attacking Pope Leo, a critic of the war. Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus was there and brings us this excerpt of Bishop Barber’s comments.
For more information, visit Yale Divinity School’s Center for Public Theology and Public Policy website at theologyandpolicy.yale.edu. For periodic updates on the Trump authoritarian playbook, subscribe here to our Between The Lines Radio Newsmagazine Substack newsletter.
