Religion continues to be central to life in Puerto Rico and in much of the United States, so it should come as no surprise that faith-based organizations have weighed in on the question of Puerto Rico’s political status. We share several statements from major religious organizations below.
The Central Conference of American Rabbis
The Central Conference of American Rabbis published a resolution on Puerto Rico Statehood saying, “As Reform Jews, we affirm democracy is strongest when everyone participates, and democracy suffers when citizens are shut out from the democratic process. Our nation was founded on the value, not always realized, of every citizen having a voice in government through elected officials.”
Referencing scripture and rabbinical teachings, the statement continues, “We seek the welfare of our country and its citizens, including the 3.1 million citizens who live in Puerto Rico, roughly 2,000 of whom are Jewish, and their right to equal representation in both houses of the U.S. Congress and full participation in our democracy as a State.”
The resolution goes on to recognize that the 2020 plebiscite provided a clear result in favor of statehood as the democratically chosen status option for the voters of Puerto Rico.
“Now, therefore, be it Resolved,” the statement concludes, “that the Central Conference of American Rabbis:
- Congratulates the people of Puerto Rico on their plebiscite of November 3, 2020 in support of statehood.
- Urges Congress and the President to act expeditiously to grant statehood to Puerto Rico.
- Reaffirms its 1993 resolution in support of statehood for the District of Columbia.”
The Catholic Puerto Rican Bishops’ Conference
The Catholic Puerto Rican Bishops’ Conference prepared a pastoral message ahead of the November 5th ballot. In the message, the bishops call on Puerto Rico voters to “Discern to Decide,” specifying that “The debate should be about ideas that arise from reality and not about liking a particular person.” Voters are enjoined to prioritize a list of issues including a “definitive solution of the political status of Puerto Rico.”
The message also states that “the Church does not prefer one party over another.” In Puerto Rico, the major political parties are associated with different status options, so no direction is offered for which status option believers should choose. However, continued territorial status cannot be “a definitive solution,” since it would always offer the option of becoming a state or an independent nation in the future.
The ballot for the 2024 status vote includes statehood, independence, and independence with free association. Statehood and independence would both provide a solution to the current colonial status.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The ELCA included Puerto Rico in its list of resolutions along with other regions lacking voting rights. “WHEREAS, this church acknowledges a shameful history in which so many, such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinx Peoples, Native Peoples, and women, have been denied the right to vote, and so were governed without consent,” the document says. “Even today many people cannot vote on matters that affect them directly. Each case is complex and varied, but examples include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.”
The ECLA specifically called for statehood for the District of Columbia, and emphasized self determination and complete voting rights for Puerto Rico:
“To direct the ELCA Witness in Society team in the Service and Justice home area to promote opportunities for education and advocacy regarding statehood for Washington, D.C.;
To direct the ELCA Witness in Society team to listen to and support calls for self-determination for American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other U.S. territories and to act on requests related to these matters from the Caribbean Synod and the ELCA director for Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations; and
To encourage all ELCA synods, congregations, and members to inform and educate themselves about ELCA social teaching and witness in society on voting access and voting rights.”
