More than 1,000 religious leaders endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris before she appeared Sunday at a Philadelphia church where the pastor called her the "voice of the future" who will "deal with these divided United States."
Those publicly backing Harris include the Rev. William Barber II, president of Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, who said he felt compelled to oppose former President Donald Trump's "dangerous politics," CNN reported.
"There's no middle ground when it comes to fascism," Barber told CNN. "There just comes a point that you have to say, 'I've got to be clear as an individual and hope that other moral and religious leaders will do the same.'"
Endorsements also came from the Rev. Kevin R. Johnson of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City; the Rev. Teresa L. Smallwood, vice president and dean of academic affairs at United Lutheran Seminary in North Carolina; and the Rev. Andrea C. White, associate professor of theology and culture at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, CNN said.
In Philadelphia, W. Lonnie Herndon, senior pastor of the Church of Christian Compassion, introduced Harris as "the voice of the future," local public radio station WHYY reported.
In her speech to the predominantly Black congregation, Harris said the U.S. was "determined to turn the page on hatred and division" and referenced the biblical apostle Paul, a key figure in the development and spread of of Christianity.
"In hard times when we may grow weary in doing good, we must remember the power that works within us, the divine power that transformed Paul's life, guided him through shipwreck and sustained him through trials," she said.
During the sermon that followed, Herndon said that "strong people never put others down, they lift them up" and pantomimed turning turn a page in a book as he said, "In nine days, we'll be able to do this."
Worshippers responded by shouting, "Turn the page!" according to WHYY.
"And let me be crystal clear: We are not electing a pastor. We are electing a president that will deal with these divided United States, bring us back together," Herndon said.
