There are so many things to celebrate in the United States today.

So many historic firsts.

For the first time in American history, more than 100 democratic women are serving alongside each other in the House of Representatives.

We saw so many women, including many women of color, indigenous women, and Palestinian women be elected to both state and federal elections.

We saw James Talarico flip Texas for the first time in over 30 years.

We saw Abdul El-Sayed become the first Muslim elected to senate.

We saw Adam Hamilton, a fellow Methodist pastor, flip Kansas for the first time in almost a century.

It just felt so good to see good people being elected.

In this election, we heard “we the people” rebuke the demand to stop putting women in positions of power and take a stand against women’s rights being eroded by electing them.

We saw “we the people” rebuke the erosion of diversity, equity, and inclusion by electing so many women, and people with different ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds.

We saw “we the people” rebuke the erosion of religious freedom and our democracy by not catering to the relentless demands we’ve been receiving from Christian nationalism and right wing authoritarianism.

While states like mine here in Idaho and like Oklahoma and Florida wish we had more to celebrate, there is so much to be grateful for in our country right now. So much to feel hopeful about.

Yet while we have seen such historic events and reasons to hope, it does not mean our work is done. In many ways it is just beginning.

We Americans must hold our leaders accountable to their oath to the Constitution and the American people.

We who follow Jesus must not relent in speaking truth to power, advocating on behalf of the least among us here and around the world.

We must continue to stand against the misuse and abuse of power and wealth in our country and take a stand for the most vulnerable people and our planet, no matter the political affiliation of those in power.

As I wrote in a recent prayer, our greatest loyalty is not to a party, a president, a nation, an ideology, or a political movement. Our greatest loyalty is love.

Love that tells the truth. Love that protects the vulnerable. Love that cares for creation and creatures large and small. Love that refuses to dehumanize an enemy. Love that confronts injustice without becoming unjust. Love that will not make peace with cruelty. Love that seeks the flourishing of every human being, not merely the victory of our own side.

Hate has been loudly rebuked by so many in our country. Let us now make love our reputation.

May those who follow Jesus be on the front lines of building that reputation of love.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13:35

Here is a brief overview of the religious backgrounds of recently elected members of Congress.

These folks were elected alongside others who may or may not have any religious affiliation, yet they have all said they will put their oath to the Constitution and the American people first and foremost.

The idea of Christians from different traditions, clergy, Muslims, Jews, and those with no religious background coming together to pursue the common good of all people, no matter their religious beliefs or no religion at all, is exactly what the American spirit means to me. When people from various faiths can uphold religious freedom for everyone, that is what makes America great.

James Talarico, who flipped Texas in an historic win, attended church all his life, and attended Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Arts in Theological Studies in May 2025 and is working toward a Master of Divinity.

Rev. Adam Hamilton, who flipped Kansas in an historic win for the Senate, is a dedicated pastor in the United Methodist Church.

Abdul El-Sayed, the senator-elect from Michigan, has openly affirmed his Islamic faith on the campaign trail, stating that he is an American who believes in the U.S. Constitution and that a person's faith or method of prayer should not be a barrier to public service.

John Ossoff, the senator-elect from Georgia, is Jewish. He was raised in Metro Atlanta and attended The Temple, a historic Reform synagogue in Atlanta. He has become a vocal critic of Israel. When he took office in January 2021, he became Georgia’s first Jewish U.S. senator and the first Jewish senator elected in the Deep South since 1974.

Rev. LeKesha Womack, House representative-elect NC-14, is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and a graduate of Vanderbilt University.

Rev. Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III is the House representative-elect in TX-30. Is a Baptist Christian, serving as a senior pastor and faith-rooted social justice advocate.

Rev. Lindsay James, the House representative-elect in IA-2, is an ordained PCUSA pastor who earned a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott, the House representative-elect from IA-3, Ordained Lutheran pastor and minister since 2008, who has served as a hospital chaplain, a parish pastor in Virginia and Iowa, and a coordinator of interfaith engagement.

Roy Cooper, senator-elect of NC, is a Presbyterian Christian. He has served as a church elder and taught Sunday school at his local congregation. In May 2023, he received the Faith Active In Public Life Award from the North Carolina Council of Churches for his public service and advocacy.

Dr. Jasmine Clark, who was elected to the House from Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, holds a PhD in microbiology from Emory University and is a Missionary Baptist Christian and an active member of her church.

Peggy Flanagan, who is the first indigenous woman to ever be elected to the Senate, is a Roman Catholic, and she frequently talks about how her dual heritage as both a Catholic and the Ojibwe people.

Melat Asfawossen Kiros, the first Gen Z elected to Congress, identifies as an Eastern Orthodox Christian. Her faith is heavily rooted in her background as an Ethiopian-American immigrant from the Tigray region. Within Denver's Ethiopian and broader Horn of Africa diaspora, the Eastern Orthodox church serves as a central pillar for community organizing, youth programs, and mutual aid networks.

Dr. Adam Hamawy, who won election to the U.S. House of Representatives for New Jersey's 12th Congressional District, is a practicing Muslim. He is well known for volunteering in Gaza as a surgeon to help people there who are suffering.

Julianna Stratton, the Senator-elect from Illinois, is a Christian and has an active background in church life, having served as a former Sunday school teacher and youth department superintendent.

Nabeela Syed, also a Senate elect from Illinois, is the youngest senator at 27. She is a Muslim, and her website says, “No one should face discrimination because of who they are, what they believe, the color of their skin, or who they love. Equality, dignity, and safety must be the foundation of how our government serves its people. As a hijab-wearing Muslim woman, Nabeela knows firsthand what it means to be judged based on appearance or faith. She has dedicated her life to pushing back against hate and lifting up those who have been marginalized.’

If I missed anyone you know, please let me know

Now I'd like to hear from you! Did you find this helpful? What thoughts came to your mind as you read? Feel free to respond to this email and share your thoughts with me. I look forward to reading them. A 30 Day Day Devotional: I wrote a daily devotional for the season of Advent, which begins on November 29th this year. I wrote it in hopes to provide a companion for people seeking to follow Jesus through the season of we are currently navigating together. You can find out more below: $20.00 Solace: The Birth of Hope in a Time of Longing This devotional is an ebook, crafted as a daily scripture readings and reflections that begin on the First Sunday of... Read more Get it now! ​ Ways to support: If you'd like to support this project, you can do so through one-time-gift of any amount you feel is right. You can also subscribe through a $5/mo, $15/mo, or $25/mo. Several others have also asked for a recurring gift option that is different from the ones offered here, like this one. If you'd like me to set up a different option for you, please just send me an email with the word "support" in the subject line. As always, I really want to thank all of you for reading and for all the ways you support me and this project every single week. I'm thankful for the ways we are building this together and hope it creates a lasting, positive change in our world along the way! I sincerely appreciate you all, Ben Remember, you can now view this and all previous newsletters as well as invite friends to join through this link: https://benjamin-cremer.ck.page/profile.

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