Faith leaders implore Lancaster County community to act with respect and humanity toward each other in this election [column]

On Feb. 1, 1933, just two days after Adolf Hitler became German chancellor, 26-year-old theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer gave a radio address in which he said: "If the leader tries to become the idol the led are looking for — something the led always hope from their leader — then the image of the leader shifts to one of a mis-leader, then the leader is acting improperly toward the led as well as toward himself. The true leader must always be able to disappoint. This, especially, is part of the leaders' responsibility and objectivity."

The broadcast was abruptly cut off. Bonhoeffer was compelled by his faith to warn the German people against the "fuhrer idolatry" that had taken hold; an idolatry rooted in economic despair and deeply held antisemitism; an idolatry that allowed a fascist dictator to gain political power, with the endorsed support of German Christians, to begin enacting nationalist policies of ethnic and religious exclusion and German military expansionism that led to the Second World War and the extermination of 6 million Jews and millions of other people deemed by the fuhrer as inferior.

Bonhoeffer exhibited courage in his vocal, public resistance to Hitler and the Nazis. His faith compelled him to speak against both the state and the church that overlooked or even endorsed its violence.

His courage cost him his life.

The undersigned clergy of POWER Interfaith Lancaster County are compelled by our shared commitment to social justice and the freedoms afforded to all Americans in the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, to implore the Lancaster County community to act with respect and with humanity toward one another in this election.

Voting is a right freely exercised by a democratic society to choose the kind of government the people want for themselves. We are aware of the political divisions and strife that exist in society at this time. Much of this strife has been caused by ultra-right-wing nationalist or fascist demagogues seeking to undermine democratic norms to attain power at the highest levels. Degrading and demonizing speech are not mere words to dismiss, but carry with them both threat and deception.

We are committed to an inclusive democracy that protects religious liberty from the threat of Christian nationalism.

We are concerned about the days ahead. We want to believe that the Lancaster County elections office is acting in good faith to ensure a free, safe, and fair election. We respect the work of many volunteers who oversee the elections in every Lancaster County precinct.

We are concerned about the issues with student voter registrations raised recently by F&M Votes. We are concerned about the response to those concerns from the Lancaster County commissioners, and by the county's own investigations into suspicions of voter registration fraud.

We are concerned that these issues damage credibility and create uncertainty in the days before this most important election.

We want to offer our supportive assurance to the public that nonpartisan faith leaders in this county will be observers, poll chaplains and even protectors of every person's right to vote on Election Day and on the days that follow. We will help to ensure that all the votes are counted and that the vote is certified, regardless of the outcome.

Trust is essential in democracy. Trustworthiness demands truthfulness. We denounce dishonest and deceptive actors seeking to undermine the will of the electorate by sowing doubt and distrust.

We must have faith in the election process and in those who are operating in good faith to protect and defend the right to vote.

Voting is a powerful act. Your vote is your voice and is a kind of prayer of aspiration or hope for the world we want to live in together. It is a sacred act that our ancestors enshrined in the founding documents of this country, and amended to include people of color and women.

Our democracy is imperfect and too many people are still disenfranchised by acts of voter suppression. That there is only one drop box in Lancaster County may be an unnecessary barrier to voter access.

The undersigned faith leaders intend to bear honest witness during this election as nonviolent, nonpartisan election observers and truth-tellers.

May we witness a respectful and democratic election.

The Rev. Matthew Lenahan is pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Akron and an organizer with the grassroots organization POWER Interfaith Lancaster.

This column is co-signed by the following local faith leaders:

— Rev. Jesse North, Grandview Church, York, and Wrightsville Presbyterian Church

— Rev. Dr. Patricia S. McAllister, leader in POWER Interfaith and pastor, Mount Zion AME Church, Columbia

— Rev. Jennifer Mattson, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Lancaster

— Greg Carey, Lancaster Theological Seminary and Life Church Lancaster (This co-sign represents Carey's views, not those of either institution.)