Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who does not usually speak about her faith on the campaign trail, talked at length on Saturday morning at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition’s annual convention in Chicago about the role her faith plays in the decisions she’s made in her life.
After being introduced by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who founded the coalition, Warren told a story to the audience about teaching Bible study to fifth graders and read a passage that she said has led many of the decisions and policies she’s crafted since entering office.
The Massachusetts senator, who has said she practices the Methodist faith, read the King James version of passage Matthew 25 to cheers and applause from the crowd.
“For me there are three lessons in that passage,” she said. “The first is there is God in every one of us. There is God in every one of us. Not God just in those who look like the Lord, God in every one of us. There is God in the children, there is God in the hungry, there is God in those who are in prison.”
She continued: “As I traveled this country and I hear from the American people they share their struggles, they share their fears, they share their concerns but the people know what is right and they are ready to act. They know that they have been called for such a time as this. And they are willing to step up, I am here today to say that none of us is alone in this fight. When I am president, we will answer this call together.”
She pointed to her policies she’s introduced since entering the presidential race that she says would level out the inequities between black and white communities.
“This is a call for real plans to make real changes in our lives and in our communities,” she said. “And yes, I have a plan for that.”
When asked by CNN after her speech why she spoke about her faith, she responded, “My faith animates all that I do.”
“I could not come to the house of God without speaking about my faith because my faith animates all that I do,” she told reporters at a press conference with Jackson after her speech. “I truly do believe in the worth of every single human being.”
