Rev. Dr. Serene Jones

We give thanks for his life, his witness, and his unwavering belief that God’s dream is larger than our fear.

May he rest in power and rise in glory.

He stood in the great tradition of faith-rooted public leadership, insisting that the work of justice is sacred work.

His ministry reminded us that hope is not naïve optimism — it is disciplined courage. It is the refusal to accept that the world as it is must remain so...

For decades, Rev. Jackson called this nation to its highest moral commitments: to expand the promise of democracy, to defend the dignity of working people, to confront racism and poverty not as abstract problems but as urgent moral crises...

Today we mourn the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson — pastor, prophet, and tireless champion for justice...

We stand with you in outrage, grief, in righteous resolve, and in prayer — trusting that the God of liberation continues to move in history, calling us always toward justice, dignity, and expansive love.

To our LGBTQ+ students, alumni, faculty, and neighbors: you are beloved of God. You are wonderfully made. Your existence is a blessing...

At Union Theological Seminary, we proclaim a Gospel that affirms that truth without hesitation: every life reflects the divine. Every love that bears the fruits of justice and compassion reflects God’s own love. Nothing can erase that holy imprint...

Stonewall is hallowed ground. It is a place where LGBTQ+ people stood in the face of violence and bore witness to their God-given dignity. It is a testimony to courage rooted in the unshakable truth that every human being is created in the image of God...

The removal of the Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument is not just symbolic — it is an attempt to obscure sacred history...

Our sacred traditions call us to truth-telling, and solidarity with those targeted by hatred. We stand with the Obamas, and with all who are harmed by white supremacy and racial contempt. Love of neighbor leaves no room for this cruelty. Justice demands more of us.

I am outraged by the racist social media posts targeting Michelle and Barack Obama, shared by Donald Trump. Racism is not only a political sin—it is a moral and spiritual one. It desecrates the divine image in our neighbors and corrodes the soul of our common life...

Graphic titled “Union in the News” featuring two portraits side by side. On the left, Rev. Dr. Serene Jones smiles with her arms crossed, standing outdoors in front of a stone building and greenery. On the right, Rev. Frederick Davie, wearing glasses, a gray suit jacket, a white shirt, and a patterned tie, smiles in a softly lit indoor setting. The Union Theological Seminary logo appears at the top right, and the amNY logo is centered above the red banner reading “Union in the News.”

Closing Rikers isn’t enough. Without addressing poverty, trauma, housing, and mental health, we’ll just repeat the same harms in smaller buildings...

To all who are fearful or carrying pain tonight: we see you, we are with you, and we are holding you in prayer.

I pray for Congresswoman Omar’s safety and well-being, and for the people of Minneapolis. All forms of violence must end—especially against elected leaders standing with their communities and peaceful protesters living out our highest faith-rooted values to protect the most vulnerable...

I am shocked and horrified by the attack on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar during her town hall with her community in Minneapolis. This violence—and the climate of hatred fueling it—grieves me deeply. It is terrifying to witness how our nation is devolving...

Graphic titled “Union in the News” featuring two portraits: on the left, Dr. Jorge Juan Rodriguez V wearing glasses and a light-colored sweater; on the right, Rev. Dr. Serene Jones smiling with her arms crossed, standing outdoors in front of a stone building and greenery. The Union Theological Seminary logo appears at the top right, and a logo for The Left Hook with Wajahat Ali appears near the bottom.

Far-right forces are attacking higher education, and it’s no surprise. Union President @serenejones.bsky.social and Faculty Member Dr. Jorge Juan Rodríguez V joined @wajali.bsky.social’s “The Left Hook” to discuss the long history of corrupt leaders undermining higher ed, and how higher ed...

To Alex’s family and to the people of Minneapolis: you are not alone. We hold you in prayer, grief, and solidarity. We cry out for truth, accountability, and an end to this deadly cruelty.

May Alex Pretti’s memory be a blessing — and a summons to conscience.

These operations are not about safety. They are designed to terrorize communities, to sow fear and dread, and to dehumanize people in the name of policy. That violence is now claiming yet another life...

My heart is breaking for Minneapolis. Amid escalating ICE operations, Alex Pretti — a U.S. nurse who devoted his life to caring for veterans — has been killed. This is a moral outrage...

#Faith #Justice #PastoralCare

To those who are hurting, afraid, or separated from loved ones: you are seen, you are held in prayer, and your pain compels us toward compassion and justice. May love and solidarity guide our response as we work for healing, accountability, and policies that honor the sacred worth of all people...

As people of faith called to welcome the stranger and uphold the dignity of every person, we cannot remain silent in the face of policies and practices that terrorize families and traumatize children. This is not a partisan critique — this is a moral imperative...

The painful human cost of these operations — including heavy-armed raids and the detention of young children — lays bare a moral crisis in our nation...

This week, I heard from a Union alum in Minnesota who is on the ground—describing every day a growing atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and heartbreak as federal immigration enforcement sweeps through neighborhoods and schools...

Everyone deserves to gather, pray, and celebrate their faith in safety and peace. We stand with our Jewish neighbors, holding all who are shaken or grieving in care, solidarity, and love.

My heart is with the Jewish community in Jackson, Mississippi, and with Beth Israel Congregation synagogue after this antisemitic arson attack. An act of violence against a house of worship wounds the soul of a community...

My heart is broken and my conscience outraged by the killing of Renee Nicole Good and others by ICE. Every human life is sacred. State violence that tears families apart and extinguishes life demands our moral reckoning. I hold her loved ones—and all living in fear—in prayer, grief, and solidarity.

I am holding the wounded, their loved ones, and all who are grieving in prayer, and I hold close all communities impacted by hate and religious violence. May we continue to stand together in compassion and resolve, committed to protecting one another’s dignity, safety, and sacred joy.

This attack comes amid a deeply troubling rise in antisemitism globally, leaving many Jewish communities feeling vulnerable and targeted. We name this violence clearly and stand in solidarity with those who are hurting.

My heart breaks for the Jewish community in Australia—and for Jewish communities across the world—that something so horrific would happen during Hanukkah, a sacred time of celebration. Everyone should be able to observe their faith traditions in peace and safety.