The parishioners of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC have received a great honor. It was announced that the church has been nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize. The move comes after the horrific mass shooting in 2015 by White supremacist Dylan Roof. During a prayer meeting, Roof opened fire on the unsuspecting parishioners killing eight. The event sparked national mourning and outrage that included President Barack Obama speaking at a funeral service for SC State Senator and pastor Clementa Carlos Pinckney.
But the reaction of the church after what is known as the “Charleston Massacre” is what caused many to take pause. The church as a whole forgave Roof for his crime in a move of Christian love and faith. Because of this, a group of local and national politicians that included U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C led an effort to push for the Nobel Peace Prize nomination. The group turned in all necessary information by this week’s deadline for the Nobel Committee in Oslo, Norway. This year’s nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize include Pope Francis, Wikkileaks informant Edward Snowden and human rights advocate Nadia Mural. Past winners include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Obama.
