(RNS) — With the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” our federal government has failed American families, particularly those with young children. Thanks to the bill, children and their families will feel an immediate impact from the loss of essential funding for programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. What this new reality means for our nation is that a young child’s opportunity to thrive cannot be left to the whims and cruelty of Washington.
Clergy leadership, therefore, matters now more than ever. Now is the time for clergy to become fierce advocates for the families in the communities we know and love by concentrating our efforts on state and local advocacy, where we can make a direct impact.
As president of the social-justice organization Sojourners and a reverend myself, I have seen firsthand the impact that church-based programs have on our communities. Our churches host food pantries, collect diapers and host preschools, and so much more; all providing families with essential services they need day to day. But our work cannot end there. Faith leaders are also called to champion the very policies that make healthy food, affordable diapers and high-quality preschools accessible to every family in our community.
Clergy are playing an increasingly significant advocacy role, voicing their opposition to policies that hurt their communities. Religious groups have banded together to sue the Trump administration over its immigration policies. Faith leaders came out against the recently passed federal budget bill and its harmful spending cuts.
Our communities are calling for this leadership. A recent survey of clergy, parents and caregivers reveals that early childhood development is a top advocacy priority for clergy. Results from a report called “Flourishing Futures: Early Childhood Development in Black and Latine Churches and Faith Communities” show that while parents value the tangible services our churches provide, they also want us to be advocates. While church-based day-to-day programs are a lifeline for many families, children need the entire system to work together to truly set them up for success.
The survey also found that clergy and community members believe the No. 1 policy priority for the church is securing high-quality, affordable child care. They also prioritize early learning opportunities for every family. The Flourishing Futures report indicated that nearly half of the clergy its authors surveyed support policies guaranteeing every primary caregiver the resources and support they need to raise their children.
Our role as faith leaders is to bring our personal understanding of what communities and families need directly to policymakers. Now is the time to fully embrace that responsibility: to fight against harmful policies while lifting up policies that build a better community and better reflect our faith values. Let’s ground our advocacy in our communities’ experience and focus our advocacy where it’s needed most.
Thankfully, as the federal government continues to devise divisive, harmful policies, many state and local governments are offering themselves as partners in undoing the harm. In 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey proposed a “whole government approach to child care,” echoing the many issues that help young children develop and thrive. California leaders are working to roll out a statewide universal prekindergarten program.
This is what leadership looks like: reinforcing the critical safety nets that keep parents from having to make devastating decisions like choosing between paying for a doctor’s appointment or affording monthly groceries.
One powerful passage from the New Testament’s Gospel of Matthew feels especially relevant in light of the recently passed budget legislation: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
The Rev. Adam Russell Taylor. (Photo courtesy of Sojourners)
By voting to cut lifelines like SNAP and Medicaid, the federal government failed this basic test by passing a truly immoral reconciliation bill. That failure creates a moral vacuum that we, as clergy and community leaders, must now fill. Our focus must shift to changing the hearts and minds of states and local governments so they prioritize support to our communities, because investing in young children isn’t just policy; it’s a reflection of our shared values and who our faith calls us to be as a society.
(The Rev. Adam Taylor is the president of Sojourners. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)
