Statement on Interfaith Advocacy

Published in the Oklahoman, April 26, 2026

As president of the Oklahoma Faith Network, I had the honor this week of standing alongside people from many different faith traditions at our inaugural Interfaith Advocacy Day. We gathered not because we agree on everything, but because we share a conviction: faith means more than this.

In a time when religion is too often wielded as a political weapon, I am reminded of the recent words of Pope Leo XIV: “Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.” Whether spoken centuries ago or echoed in our present moment, that warning feels urgently relevant here in Oklahoma today.

We are living through a rise in Christian nationalism that distorts both faith and democracy. It wraps political ambition in the language of religion, demanding loyalty not to the sacred, but to power. It reduces a living, breathing faith tradition into slogans, memes, and, yes, even AI-generated “truth” blasphemous images shared for clicks and influence. In doing so, it doesn’t strengthen faith - it cheapens it.

But what we saw at the Capitol tells a different story.

There is a quiet, determined majority of people of faith in Oklahoma who are tired of seeing their beliefs misrepresented and exploited. They are tired of watching their sacred traditions turned into political props. They are tired of a version of Christianity - and of religion more broadly - that bears little resemblance to the values they hold dear: compassion, humility, justice, and love of neighbor.

At Interfaith Advocacy Day, clergy and lay leaders, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and others stood together to remind our elected officials that faith calls us to something deeper. It calls us to protect the vulnerable, to seek justice, and to build communities rooted in dignity and respect for all people.

This is not about pushing faith out of the public square. It is about refusing to let it be hijacked within it.

If our lawmakers truly wish to honor the role of faith in Oklahoma, they should listen not to the loudest voices seeking power, but to the many faithful Oklahomans who are quietly doing the work of love, service, and justice every day.

Faith means more than this. And the people of faith across our state are ready to reclaim it.

-Tim Atkins

President of the Oklahoma Faith Network

Religious Educator at First Unitarian Church, OKC

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OFN Statement on Islamophobia in Broken Arrow

The Oklahoma Faith Network is deeply troubled by the Broken Arrow City Council’s decision to deny the establishment of an Islamic center and mosque in their community. This vote represents a failure to uphold one of our most foundational American values: the freedom of religion and belief, a principle that protects all faiths or none at all.

For people of faith, religious freedom is not an abstract ideal - it is a lived promise that our neighbors may gather, worship, pray, and build sacred community without fear or obstruction. When one faith community is singled out or excluded, every faith community is put at risk. An action that restricts the religious expression of Muslims today weakens the protections that Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists, and others rely upon tomorrow.

We believe people of faith are called to stand together, especially when fear or prejudice threatens to divide us. At our best, faith inspires hospitality, courage, and solidarity - not exclusion. We urge the leaders of Broken Arrow to reconsider this decision and to affirm the dignity, rights, and religious freedom of their Muslim neighbors.

The Oklahoma Faith Network stands united with Muslim communities across our state. An attack on one faith is an attack on the sacred right of all people to live and practice their beliefs freely. We will continue to advocate for a future where Oklahoma is a place of welcome, pluralism, and shared commitment to justice for all.

OFN Statement on Nicole Renee Good and ICE

As people of faith from many traditions, the Oklahoma Faith Network is bound together by a shared commitment to the inherent worth of every human being, the call to love our neighbors, and the moral responsibility to protect those who are most vulnerable.

We grieve and condemn the killing of Renee Nicole Good. Her death is a devastating loss and reflects a profound moral failure. No policy, practice, or government agency is justified when its actions result in the loss of human life and the spread of fear within already-marginalized communities. We mourn with her loved ones and honor her memory by speaking plainly about what has occurred.

We also reject and stand in opposition to the actions and practices of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that rely on intimidation, dehumanization, and violence. Our faith traditions teach us that every person possesses inherent dignity. Systems that treat people as disposable or expendable violate the ethical commitments shared across our religious communities.

Even in our grief and anger, we affirm that our response must be grounded in peaceful and nonviolent action. We call on people of faith and conscience to engage in prayerful witness, public accountability, and sustained advocacy that seeks justice without perpetuating harm. Silence is not an option, but neither is violence.

We urge communities across Oklahoma to stand together - to protect immigrant families, to demand transparency and accountability, and to work toward policies rooted in dignity, compassion, and justice. Our faith traditions call us not only to believe these values, but to live them in public and courageous ways.

With deep gratitude for your service and solidarity,
Tim Atkins
President, Oklahoma Faith Network