Church of the Brethren joins Christian leaders in prayer vigil to protect Oak Flat, a sacred Apache site – Church of the Brethren

Dr. Mary Abraham of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy represented the denomination at a prayer vigil held by ecumenical Christian leaders affiliated with Creation Justice Ministries in Phoenix, Ariz. The vigil was organized to express solidarity with the San Carlos Apache Tribe in their ongoing effort to protect Chí’chil Biłdagoteel—known in English as Oak Flat—a site sacred to the Apache people.
The event coincided with a pivotal federal court hearing that could determine the future of Oak Flat. Fourteen Christian leaders from ten denominations and communions participated in the vigil, continuing years of Christian solidarity with Apache spiritual leaders in defense of the sacred site.
Oak Flat faces an immediate threat due to efforts initiated under the Trump administration to transfer the land to Resolution Copper, a foreign-owned mining corporation, before the courts resolve ongoing legal challenges. These lawsuits argue that the destruction of Oak Flat would violate federal protections for religious freedom.
“People of faith have a responsibility to bear witness in this moment, and the government has an obligation to listen,” said Avery Davis Lamb, executive director of Creation Justice Ministries, a partner organization for the Church of the Brethren. “Protecting Oak Flat is about honoring Indigenous sovereignty, upholding religious freedom, and defending God’s creation from destruction.”

Speakers at the vigil urged the administration to delay any land transfer until the legal process is complete. Christian communities are encouraged to take action by contacting elected officials, educating their congregations, and amplifying Apache voices.
May 9: A day after the vigil, a federal judge in Phoenix issued an emergency injunction halting the transfer of 2,400 acres—including Oak Flat—to Resolution Copper. The injunction will remain in effect while the Supreme Court considers a related appeal grounded in religious freedom claims. US District Judge Steven Logan granted the injunction at the request of Western Apache communities and their allies, including Apache Stronghold, who have long fought to preserve the site. Oak Flat is described by its defenders as a sacred religious landscape, comparable in spiritual significance to Mount Sinai, St. Peter’s Basilica, or the Western Wall.
May 27: The Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Apaches, reported the Associate Press among other media outlets. “The justices left in place lower court decisions allowing the transfer of the Tonto National Forest land, known as Oak Flat, to Resolution Copper, which plans to mine what it says is the second-largest known copper deposit in the world. The Trump administration has said it will push to complete the transfer.” Read the full report from the AP at https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-arizona-oak-flat-copper-mining-apache-64bb0d7c2bbf544f707ce3a421b67209
— Mary Abraham contributed this report to Newsline, on behalf of the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy.
#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving
———-
Find more Church of the Brethren news:
The official website of the Church of the Brethren
© 2025 Church of the Brethren, Inc. 1451 Dundee Ave, Elgin, IL 60120

source