
On the streets of New York and cities across the country, chants of "I can't breathe" have rung out to protest a Staten Island grand jury's decision not to bring charges in the chokehold death of Eric Garner. This weekend, ministers of many faiths are taking up the Garner case — and the long-troubled history of police-community relations in New York — in the sermons they are preaching to congregations across the region.
WNYC asked religious leaders to share the texts of the talks they're delivering. The sermons they've prepared talk about race, the criminal justice system and people's moral obligation to grapple with the issues raised in the wake of the Garner case. We've excerpted highlights, and linked to the full texts below.
Hear excerpts from Pastor Ted Hickman's sermon in WNYC's report, "Myriad Views from the Pews on Garner Case"
You can read the full text of Dr. Butler's sermon here.
You can read the full text of Eva Suarez's sermon here.
You can read the full text of Pastor Jenny McLellan's sermon here.
Read the full text of Donna Schaper's sermon here.
Read the full text of Rev. Paulikas' sermon here.
You can read the full text of Cantor Gordon's sermon here.
You can read the full text of Pastor Joseph Mantovani's sermon here.
You can read the full text of Roni Tabick's sermon here.
You can read the full text of Rabbi Olitzky's sermon here.