Faculty support passage of the DREAM Act

The following statement on the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act has been issued by the faculty of MTSO.

As an expression of our institutional heritage of standing for justice and hospitality, the faculty at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio support the immediate passage of the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act would allow young adults who were brought to the U.S. as children by their undocumented parents a path to U.S. citizenship in exchange for two years of college or military service. The DREAM Act would permit undocumented young adults whose home is the U.S. to continue to live and work here without fear of deportation during their service and/or education. Because we believe that education is a critical component of the common good both for the church and the broader society, we support the immediate passage of the DREAM Act.

In our mission as a theological school training leaders for the church and world, we understand that a statement is inadequate without action. On Dec. 5, we will hold a teaching session on the DREAM Act and how to offer a DREAM Sabbath in local congregations as a response to the Jan. 6 reading at the beginning of the liturgical season of Epiphany.

Additional resources regarding the DREAM Act Sabbath are available from the Interfaith Immigration Coalition and the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.

Methodist Theological School in Ohio prepares transformational leaders of many faith traditions for service to the church and the world. MTSO offers master's degrees in divinity, counseling ministries, theological studies and practical theology, as well as a Doctor of Ministry degree. For more information, visit www.mtso.edu.

CONTACT:
Danny Russell, director of communications
drussell@mtso.edu, 740-362-3322