The North American Division held its 19th annual Religious Liberty Dinner on April 22, 2026, at the James Madison Memorial Building at the Library of Congress. Hosted by NAD Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) and Liberty Magazine, the event gathered approximately 90 attendees from various backgrounds.
Orlan Johnson, NAD Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Director, stated, “For nearly two decades, this event has served as a space where people of diverse beliefs, backgrounds, and perspectives can come together in unity. . . . Let tonight be more than a dinner. ”
The keynote address was delivered by Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Representative for the 8th District of New York, and Democratic Leader of the House. Jeffries will become the Speaker of the House in January, should the Democrats win control of the House this fall.
Jeffries began by thanking the Seventh-day Adventist Church for its “tremendous tradition of protecting religious freedom and liberty for people of every faith and for the secular community.” The NAD did not report the substance of Jeffries talk, if it had any substance, and Fulcrum7 was unable to find a transcript or video recording.
Another Democratic U.S. Representative, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, recognized the 120-year anniversary of Liberty. The magazine was founded in Takoma Park, which is Raskin’s hometown and within his congressional district. Raskin praised Liberty for helping keep alive “the founding and most revolutionary principle of our Constitution” — the separation of church and state.
Raskin presented editor Bettina Krause with a certificate honoring the magazine’s “120 years of zealously championing the separation of church and state, the precondition for freedom and progress in American life.” “We are proud to continue the legacy” Krause said, “as together, we defend and promote religious freedom for all people, no matter what they believe or don’t believe.”
Melissa Reid, PARL associate director, presented Lance Walker, director of the Washington, D.C., Office of Public and International Affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), with the “Religious Freedom Advocacy Award,” for his policy work with other faith groups, including his work on the 2019 “Fairness for All” act and the 2022 “Respect for Marriage Act.”
(We at Fulcrum7 were not impressed with the “Fairness for All” act, nor with the “Respect for Marriage Act,” and did not think Adventists should be supporting those bills.)
Reid presented the same award to Galen Carey, vice president of government relations for the National Association of Evangelicals. Carey is noted for his work and advocacy for refugee resettlement into the United States.
NAD President G. Alexander Bryant praised the PARL team for organizing “an inspiring evening” and a “tremendous night for our church.” He added that religious liberty is “not only important to our church” but also “important for humanity,” noting that God created human beings with freedom of choice. “We have to stand on the wall to protect those rights.”