Safety in Sanctuaries


On Wednesday, June 17, nine people were shot to death during a prayer meeting at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. According to CNN, Dylan Roof, who is the alleged shooter, sat for about an hour with the nine victims—the Rev. Clementa Pickney, Tywanza Sanders, the Rev. Sharonda Singleton, Cynthia Hurd, the Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Myra Thompson, and the Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr.—as they prayed and talked about Scripture. On Friday, June 19, Roof was charged with nine counts of murder and firearms charges in the racially motivated shooting. Joining us to talk about the shooting and how they are addressing safety concerns from their congregations are the Rev. Marshall Hatch of New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church; Tabassum Haleem, executive director of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago; and Rabbi Michael Balinsky, executive vice president of the Chicago Board of Rabbis

View a timeline highlighting some of the most significant church shootings in American history.

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