NEW YORK (RNS) — New York City’s religious leaders gave mayoral candidates a platform to discuss their visions for the city at a forum on Thursday (June 5), at St. John the Divine Cathedral in Morningside Heights.
The event, hosted ahead of the June 24 primary election, was co-sponsored by a coalition of faith-based organizations, including Union Theological Seminary, Jewish Theological Seminary, Hindus for Human Rights and the Interfaith Center of New York.
Though all mayoral candidates were invited, only four attended: former federal prosecutor Jim Walden, New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, former New York State Assembly member Michael Blake, and former New York City comptroller Scott Stringer.
The idea for the forum came out of weekly faith leader meetings titled “Witness to Democracy,” held at Columbus Circle in Manhattan. Since March, they have gathered every Monday evening to pray, sing and reflect on the country’s political situation.
“Faith is an important part of the civic fabric of New York, and it’s a critical time in the life of the city, so we want to be part of the conversation about the future of the city and about who’s elected mayor,” the Rt. Rev. Matthew F. Heyd, bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of New York (a sponsor of the event), told Religion News Service.
The forum aimed to asses the candidates’ commitment to protect the city’s most vulnerable, said the Rev. Adriene Thorne, senior minister at Riverside Church in New York City, a sponsor of the event.
“It was important for us to show up tonight an …