Music has played a significant role in uniting people of different faiths in the United States. From the Civil Rights era to the years following 9/11, Americans have used music to bridge religious divides and affirm their shared humanity. Interfaith music extends beyond worship and remains a lasting way for Americans to remember their common bonds. St. Augustine expressed the power of music in faith when he said “When I sing, I pray twice.”
In this spirit, The Fulcrum highlights stories during the holiday season that reflect universal themes. Messages of love, kindness, hope, and generosity resonate across cultures and traditions, reminding us that shared values are stronger than our divisions.
This year, we turn our attention to Faith in Peace Concerts, an initiative that encourages people of all faiths to unite American communities
In early 2025, Faith in Peace Concerts will launch a new project that uses music to reimagine what January 6 can mean for the nation. The Lutheran Church of the Reformation on Capitol Hill will host the first‑ever Faith in Democracy Interfaith Concert, a free event supported by a wide array of local nonprofit organizations. The program will feature choir, folk, and hip‑hop, featuring musicians from Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Baha’i, and Christian communities. Lead sponsors Faith in Public Life and Faith in Peace Concerts hope the event will help counter rising partisan polarization by lifting up shared values through music.
Featured Artists
The concert brings together a diverse group of acclaimed performers:
- Anthony “Wordsmith” Parker, award‑winning hip‑hop artist, partner of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and leader of the nonprofit Rise with a Purpose.
- Elena “La Fulana” Lacayo, a folk singer performing her interdenominational song “Let’s Stand Together” and a piece reflecting on the immigrant experience in America.
- Muath Edriss, is an oud specialist who has performed at the White House, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, and Blair House. Edriss will perform the U.S. National Anthem in Arabic and another song accompanied by a Sufi dancer performing the traditional Whirling Dervish.
- Sonny Singh, from Brooklyn is celebrated for bold and joyous musical innovation. Introspective and urgent, spiritual and rebellious, Sonny Singh’s music channels ancestral Sikh wisdom for our time—a clarion call on his trumpet to love, devotion, and courage in dark times.
- Yusha Assad, a hip‑hop artist who has collaborated with the Nation’s Mosque.
Jeanné Lewis, Executive Director of Faith in Public Life, said, “Our concert will get you on your feet with inspirational music. The music will also reflect common themes across the sacred scriptures of different faith traditions, such as the need to care for society’s most vulnerable populations.”
David Searby, Project Director of Faith in Peace Concerts, added, “We believe the concert will help recreate a new vision for January 6. Beyond the great musicians, that’s why we’re receiving support from both faith‑based and secular nonprofits. We were particularly happy to get the vote of cosponsor confidence from the Braver Angels DC Alliance and Rotary District 7620 (Central MD and DC). No matter your political party or your faith tradition, most people agree that we need to lower the political temperature in America. We hope people will join us in reclaiming January 6 as a day of hope, light, and unity.”
The concert builds on four consecutive, nonpartisan Faith in Democracy interfaith vigils held from 2022 to 2025. The list of about 20 cosponsors this year includes the Braver Angels DC Alliance; the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington; the Nation’s Mosque; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; the Georgetown University Center for Faith and Justice; Interfaith Alliance; Pax Christi USA; Rotary District 7620; the Franciscan Action Network; and the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, with remarks from Episcopal Minister Rev. Melanie Mullen.
Throughout 2026, Faith in Peace Concerts will host additional events rooted in sacred scripture and faith traditions, using music to unite people of all backgrounds and counter polarization. The organization believes January 6 should be reclaimed as a day of unity rather than division, serving as a reminder of what Americans can achieve together.
“We believe that people of faith can be uniters, not dividers. We are relieved that the 2024 elections have been accepted as free and fair. But we have real concerns about democracy, justice, and freedom in America at this moment. For our country to heal and unite, we must never forget what happened here four years ago and work together to prevent another January 6 in the future,” Searby said.
The January 6, 2026, Faith in Democracy Interfaith Concert will take place at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol Street NE, from 5:00–6:30 p.m. Free tickets are available through Eventbrite.
More information:
Faith in Peace Concerts — https://faithinpeaceconcerts.org/
Livestream — https://www.youtube.com/@faithinpeaceconcerts
Free Tickets: Eventbrite
David Nevins is the publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.
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