“We are not doing the will of God if we sit in quietude, doing nothing to preserve liberty of conscience. . . . Let there be more earnest prayer; and then let us work in harmony with our prayers.”—Ellen G. White.[*]
These words framed the spirit of the seventh annual North American Division (NAD) of Seventh-day Adventists’ Religious Freedom Prayer Breakfast, held on January 14 at the NAD headquarters, in honor of National Religious Freedom Day. The gathering was not simply a ceremonial observance—it was a living response to the call to move beyond “quietude” and actively defend the right of conscience.
The spirit of the morning was captured through music, including the timeless anthem “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” sung by alto Sharon Hodges. Its lyrics—“Let it begin with me” and “Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony”—echoed through every prayer, every reflection, and every moment of the event.
In his welcome, Orlan Johnson, NAD director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, reminded the audience that Thomas Jefferson considered religious liberty so central that he chose it as part of his legacy, inscribed on his tombstone. Johnson reflected that religious freedom is not just a historical principle, but a “living promise” that protects “those who actually are of faith and those who have no faith at all.”
That promise has deep roots within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1906 the church founded Liberty magazine, now celebrating its 120th anniversary as the oldest continuously published journal on religious liberty in the United States—a testament to a century of advocacy for freedom of conscience.
Among the distinguished guests was Maryland lieutenant governor Aruna Miller, who chairs the state’s first Interfaith Outreach Council. Raised in a home shaped by Hindu and Catholic traditions, Miller spoke personally about the importance of faith in public life.
Despite the opening session of the Maryland General Assembly, she made time to attend. She shared one of her favorite reflections from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “We are not human beings having this spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Speaking to the emotional weight many people are carrying today, she added, “It’s faith that [is] gonna give them hope about the next day . . . and that’s why your voices, your leadership, and the present matter so much.”
Prayer Time
One of the most moving aspects of the breakfast was the series of interfaith prayers—each one a sacred plea for dignity, justice, peace, and freedom.
Andy Im, from the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department of the General Conference, offered the prayer for religious freedom: “True devotion cannot be manufactured. You seek no forced tribute, only the unforced response of a heart that is free. Remind us, please, Lord, that a yes has no meaning without the freedom to say no. Make us tireless defenders of our neighbor’s conscience, recognizing that the liberty we claim for ourselves is only as sacred as the liberty we ensure for others.”
Mel Portula, from the St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, prayed for communities: “We pray for our communities in a time of stress. Our immigrant families cry out for help. Rain down Your mercy, O Lord, and hear us [so] we can form new bonds of community and a deeper sense of Your compassionate sense of justice.”
Yorlondo Wortham, state chaplain of the Maryland Military Department, lifted the nation before God: “We pray for all of those that You have placed in position for such a time as this. If You’ve called America to a time of reprimand, we say thank You. If you’ve called us to a time of judgment, we say thank You. . . . Maybe we are in a season of correction. We lift up our country to You, and we ask, dear Lord, that You would rule and reign supreme.”
Luis Landaverde, of the Hagerstown Spanish church, prayed for elected leaders: “We thank You for the gift of this nation and for the men and women who have answered the call to public service. Remind all who live that true power is found in service, and that leadership is best exercised with humility, compassion, and justice.”
Hasan Hammad, president of the Islamic Society of Baltimore, reflected on the urgency of peace: “Unfortunately, we are in times where [sic] the people that we serve are losing their lives because they are standing up for their neighbors. The factions that are being created, the division that’s happening. . . . There is no faith that wants anything but peace. We need peace.”
His Imam, Yaseen Shaikh, prayed: “Guide us all to the correct path, the path of justice, the path of peace. Allow us to see each other as neighbors, as fellow human beings.”
A Call to Defend Religious Liberty for All
The keynote address was delivered by Ivan Williams, NAD vice president of strategy and leadership. He opened with Patrick Henry’s bold challenge: “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Williams asked, “Does this statement equal or reflect the determination of your own faith? Or are you willing to die for your faith?”
He reminded the audience that religious freedom, though God-given, has not always been government-protected. “As long as one’s religious freedom is not free, then my religious freedom is not free,” he said, continuing, “As long as a postal worker cannot take Sabbath off . . . a Buddhist is forced to walk on the picket line . . . a Muslim is denied a place to pray . . . then we are not free.”
Williams quoted Martin Niemöller’s haunting statement to demonstrate what happens when we don’t speak up for others: “First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
He reinforced his call to responsibility by invoking Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (NIV).
Reflecting on the morning, Dontae Phillips, Maryland Military Department chaplain, captured what many experienced: “I truly enjoyed the prayers and reflections on religious freedom. You could feel the authenticity in the room.”
Nelu Burcea, director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty at the General Conference, summed it up: “Taking part in the Religious [Freedom] Prayer Breakfast reminded us of the power of prayer in protecting religious freedom . . . so everyone can live out their faith freely and with respect.”
In these unique times it is becoming increasingly clear that there is no neutral ground when it comes to protecting freedom of conscience. The Religious Freedom Prayer Breakfast served as a powerful reminder that we must collaborate to safeguard liberty for people of all faiths, as well as those who do not embrace faith, in this country.
The original version of this story was posted on the North American Division news site.
[*] Christian Service (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1925), p. 162.
