A church in the heart of the city, with a heart for the city

National Council of Churches adopts 4 statements on range of pressing issues

October 16, 2026

[National Council of Churches] The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) Governing Board convened for the 2026 Christian Unity Gathering, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oct. 12-16 to discuss pressing concerns facing churches, communities and public life in the United States and around the world. Following these deliberations, the Governing Board approved four statements affirming the NCC’s commitment to Christian unity, human dignity, religious liberty and civic responsibility. Reflecting the central theme of this year’s Christian Unity Gathering, the Governing Board emphasized the importance of protecting the constitutional right of all Americans to freely practice their faith. The NCC, of which The Episcopal Church is a member, rejects efforts to privilege one religion over others and calls on Christians to model humility, respect and civic responsibility in public life, affirming that authentic religious freedom must be safeguarded for everyone, not only for one’s own faith community. These principles are expressed in “An Ecumenical Christian Statement on Safeguarding Religious Freedom.” The Governing Board reaffirmed the NCC’s longstanding opposition to the death penalty, and condemned proposals to publicly broadcast executions as a spectacle that diminishes the human dignity inherent in the Imago Dei and undermines the values of justice, mercy and respect for human life. These concerns are outlined in the statement, “A Call to Choose Mercy Over Spectacle: Opposing the Livestreamed Execution at Fort Hood.”  In response to ongoing suffering and economic hardship in Cuba, the Governing Board expressed concern for the well-being of the Cuban people and encouraged NCC member communions to deepen humanitarian assistance, strengthen church partnerships, engage in advocacy efforts and remain steadfast in prayerful solidarity with Cuban churches and communities. This call is detailed in “Humanitarian Situation in Cuba: A Call to Ecumenical Solidarity, Compassion, and Action.” The Governing Board also addressed the importance of protecting democratic participation and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. Condemning political violence, voter intimidation, election mis- and disinformation and efforts to suppress or overturn lawful votes, “NCC Calls on People of Faith to Vote and Protect the Voting Rights of Others” urges people of faith to uphold truth, support free and fair elections and defend the right of every eligible person to vote and have their vote counted. It further encourages congregations to engage in prayer, civic education, voter assistance and nonpartisan efforts to promote peaceful participation in the democratic process. In addition to addressing matters of public witness and advocacy, the Christian Unity Gathering convened faith leaders, advocates, technology experts and academicians for a breakfast roundtable to discuss faith and artificial intelligence. The session explored how NCC member denominations can responsibly engage their communities on the moral and theological implications of emerging technologies. Plans are underway for a more in-depth gathering early in 2027 to decide on ways to collaborate and provide guidance and guardrails on emerging technologies’ impacts. Founded in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA is the leading ecumenical body in the U.S., bringing together 37 member denominations and about 30 million people in 100,000 congregations. The Christian Unity Gathering is NCC’s signature annual event in which denominational and other faith leaders come together to collaborate, discuss and engage the issues of the day to find ways to meaningfully and faithfully respond to the challenges facing our communities.