Reprinted from United Church News
Nine rural Alabama churches have been hit by a rash of suspected arsons over the past week. Responding to the tragedies, the Rev. John H. Thomas, United Church of Christ general minister and president, released the following statement:
Our hearts go out to all who have experienced the violation of watching their cherished house of worship burned by arsonists. We also know that many others now live in fear, wondering whether their churches will be next.
Scripture reminds us all to weep with those who weep, so our tears are joined to millions across this land who mourn the loss of sacred spaces that have witnessed the faith of many generations. As law enforcement officials bring perpetrators to justice, we call on all in the United Church of Christ to pray for those who have lost so much, knowing that God's spirit will sustain them.
All of the burned Alabama churches are Baptist and all were off rural roads not far from highways. The fires were in two clusters: the first five all in Bibb County, south of Birmingham, and the latest four in western Alabama 10 to 20 miles apart.
"Obviously somebody or somebodies are interested in burning down churches. Whether it's hate against a race or religion in general, we don't know," said Ragan Ingram, a spokesman for the state insurance agency that oversees fire investigations.
Ingram said the first rash of fires early Friday — at four predominantly white churches and one predominantly black church — are believed to be linked. All nine churches that burned included both predominantly black and predominantly white congregations.
The FBI is looking into whether fires are a civil rights violation under laws covering attacks on religious property. State and federal rewards totaling $10,000 have been offered in the probe. FBI acting assistant director Chip Burrus said investigators are working on the assumption that all nine fires are connected.
The federal Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency (ATF) reports that more than 50 agents are now assigned to the church fire investigation and it is its No. 1 priority nationally.
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