Faith Leaders Unite to Protect Arizona’s Public Lands - Op-Ed
Faith Leaders: Defend the Sacred Heart of Arizona
There are places in Arizona where the desert becomes a prayer in itself. Where ancient stories echo still in canyons, where sacred songs rise with the wind, and where the earth bears witness to generations of resilience and faith. Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon and Ironwood Forest National Monuments are such places. They are more than landscapes. They are living sanctuaries of spirit, history, and creation itself.
Today, these sanctuaries are under threat. The current Administration is considering rolling back their protections, opening the door to industrial exploitation. To diminish these lands for profit would be more than a policy; it would be an act of desecration against what countless generations hold sacred.
As faith leaders, we call on other Arizonans of faith to join us in affirming creation is not ours to exploit carelessly. It is entrusted to us by God to be cherished, tended, and handed down whole to our children. Scripture and sacred texts across traditions call us to this stewardship: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). The Qur’an teaches that we are entrusted as caretakers of the earth (Qur’an 35:39). Indigenous traditions remind us that the earth is a living relative to whom we owe gratitude and respect. Across our diverse faiths, the truth resounds: to protect these lands is to honor the sacred.
Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni was established in 2023 to shield nearly one million acres around the Grand Canyon from uranium mining, protects a vital source of drinking water and safeguards sacred Tribal sites. Ironwood Forest protects the rare Sonoran Desert ecosystem and millennia of cultural history. These protections are not obstacles to progress—they are expressions of justice, reverence, and wisdom.
We stand at a crossroads. Will we choose the path of exploitation, stripping away the sacred for fleeting gain? Or will we walk the path of stewardship, ensuring that future generations inherit these lands alive with spirit and meaning?
We are grateful for Rep. Juan Ciscomani’s support of faith leaders and his backing of H.R. 718, the Public Lands in Public Hands Act. His leadership shows that protecting sacred places can unite people across traditions and politics. Now we urge him and all of Arizona’s leaders to continue this work by standing boldly for the sacred heart of Arizona: safeguard these monuments and reject dangerous efforts that would undo their protections.
Already, H.R. 5392, seeks to nullify the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni–Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, and H.R. 5393, aims to dismantle the Ironwood Forest National Monument. Choosing stewardship over these rollbacks is not just sound policy; it is an act of justice, faith, and reverence for creation. Moreover, polling shows broad public support for these protections: 80 percent of Arizonans support safeguarding the Baaj National Monument, and 88 percent support the Antiquities Act, the century-old law that enables presidents to establish national monuments.
We urge Arizona’s congressional delegation and national leaders: stand firm. Do not let these monuments be diminished. Protect Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni. Safeguard Ironwood Forest. Defend what is sacred.
When we protect these lands, we do more than preserve history, we honor the Creator, uplift Indigenous voices, and safeguard the soul of our shared future.
Rev. ellie hutchison, Pastor, Shepherd of the Hills UCC, Sahuarita
About the author:
Rev. hutchison currently serves as National Minister for Church and Community Engagement for the United Church of Christ, the Southern Arizona Community Organizer with Arizona Faith Network, and Minister for Pastoral Care and Spiritual Development with The Good Shepherd UCC.