Pax Christi USA recently signed on to partner with a new interfaith initiative focused on equipping faith leaders to respond to rising authoritarianism and democratic backsliding through nonviolent civil resistance.
The Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University, together with Sojourners, the Interfaith Alliance, and the Horizons Project, is launching a national effort to build local and regional interfaith cohorts of clergy, lay, and community leaders committed to moral, faith-rooted, and strategic action. Pax Christi USA is one of several faith organizations that have signed on as partners for this project.
>>The initiative begins with a virtual “Interfaith Nonviolent Civil Resistance 101” training this Wednesday, October 22, 8:00–9:30pm Eastern. This online session will ground participants in the legacy and practice of faith-led nonviolence and introduce how local cohorts can form and connect across communities.
One of the panelists for this Wednesday’s opening session is Dr. Maria Stephan, who was one of the keynote speakers at Pax Christi USA’s July 2025 national conference in Detroit.
After this session, interested participants will be invited to join or help form a local cohort in their region. Cohorts will:
- Participate in an in-person Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop to equip members to train others in their own communities.
- Receive ongoing support and resources, including follow-up trainings, connections to experienced organizers and trainers, and opportunities to share learning with cohorts in other regions.
- Shape their work based on their own local context, relationships, and priorities, within a shared moral and strategic framework.
If you or others in your community are interested, please register for the October 22 training here.
This is a decentralized, locally led initiative—not a top-down program—and its strength will come from the creativity and leadership of those on the ground. We hope you’ll consider taking part in this important effort to ensure that the faith community continues to stand as a moral force for peace, justice, and democracy.