Addressing Violence as People of Faith

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Many of us will hear these words of the prophet Amos in worship this Sunday, a timely prayer as we mourn yet another senseless act of violence. Last Sunday, 26 innocent lives were lost as unsuspecting parishioners were gunned down during worship at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. As Christ’s Church, we gather to mourn and to pray. As Christ’s Church, we ask why and recognize there are no easy answers.

Our 1994 ELCA Social Message on Community Violence states: Violence between humans is an age-old mark of sin. Cain slew Abel; Shechem raped Dinah; David plotted the death of Uriah. Massacres, raids, and widespread abuse of peoples have been a part of our history. Those in power have often extended their racial, sexual, economic, and/or political domination through violent means. Violence is woven in and through the distinctive stories that have shaped us as Americans.

As Christ’s Church, we lament the reality of violence and the rumors of violence that continue to spread — yet our fear is coupled with a sense of resignation at this all-too-familiar reality in daily life.

In our 1995 ELCA Social Statement For Peace in God's World, our church affirms: God’s steadfast resolve for peace encompasses our time as it does all times. In creation and redemption, through Law and Gospel, God’s faithful love acts for peace.  In this statement, we commit ourselves to counter and transform attitudes that encourage violence:A significant cause of violent conflict, domestically and internationally, are attitudes that view violence as a readily acceptable way of dealing with differences and disputes. Fear of others, disregard for people’s dignity, personal experiences of violence, and images in movies, television, videos, and music that glorify violence and war help form these attitudes. The Gospel strikes at the heart of what promotes such attitudes, freeing us from fear to see others as brothers and sisters for whom Christ died and lives.

In the face of violence and rumors of violence that continue to spread, what are we as Christ’s Church called to do?  Certainly, we gather to pray for all impacted by acts of violence even as we pray for the perpetrators themselves. But there must be more. If we are to let justice role down like waters we must grapple with the deeper issues related to our culture of violence. As a first step, I am asking every Rocky Mountain Synod community of faith to read and discuss our ELCA Social Statement on Peace and our Social Message on Community Violence. As we study, let us confess and acknowledge the ways we are complicit in allowing violence to be perpetrated in our midst. I then encourage you to explore concrete action steps that can be taken – individually and collectively – to serve as Christ’s agents of peace and reconciliation in your local community, in our nation and in our world.

As Christ’s Church, Better Together we can and must address the reality of violence in our midst. Indeed, the Holy Spirit calls and equips us for nothing less.

Yours in Faith,

Bishop Jim Gonia