ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 8, 2013  

ELCA bishops say addressing violence begins by listening
13-11-CHB/MRC

     ITASCA, Ill (ELCA) -- Expressing grief over the tragedy of gun
violence in the United States, the 65 synod bishops of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) offered a pastoral letter on violence
to the 4-million-member church. In their letter, the bishops invite
members to address together the cause and effect of violence, engage in
prayer and respectful conversation, and care for one another and the
communities impacted by violence.
     "We recognize that we serve in different contexts and have different
perspectives regarding what can and should be done," they wrote. "But as
we live out our common vocations, knowing that the work will take many
forms, we are committed to the work of reducing and restraining violence.
In this time of public attention to gun violence, local communities of
faith have a unique opportunity to engage this work. We begin by
listening: listening to God, to Scripture, and to each other. Providing a
safe place for people to share their own stories, together we discern
courses of action. Together we act."
     "While the church grapples with this call to reduce violence and
make our communities safer, we recognize that before God we are neither
more righteous because we have guns nor are we more righteous when we
favor significant restrictions. Brokenness and sin are not somehow
outside of us. Even the best of us are capable of great evil. As people
of God we begin by confessing our own brokenness -- revealed in both our
actions and our failure to act. We trust that God will set us free and
renew us in our life's work to love our neighbors. This shared work is a
sign of our unity in Christ," the letter states.
      The bishops discussed the content of their letter during the ELCA
Conference of Bishops, which met here Feb. 28-March 5. The conference is
an advisory body of this church that includes the 65 synod bishops, the
presiding bishop and secretary.
      "I was very pleased that the Conference of Bishops adopted a
pastoral letter on violence during our meeting," said the Rev. Jessica R.
Crist, bishop of the ELCA Montana Synod. Crist is chair of the conference.
      "The ELCA has already made significant statements on violence, and
we wanted to call attention to what our church has already said. But we
also wanted to be able to make a statement as a Conference of Bishops in
response to a culture of violence. The letter was carefully crafted and
re-crafted, debated and prayed about. We commend it to the church," she
said.
     The Rev. Jon V. Anderson, bishop of the ELCA Southwestern Minnesota
Synod added, "At our meeting, the Conference of Bishops sought to lift up
our shared vocation to work to reduce and restrain violence through a
pastoral letter. The letter invites Christians to go deeper in lamenting,
listening, sharing, discerning, deciding and acting to make this world a
safer place for all. We invite leaders and congregations to imagine who
they might invite into conversation."
     During their discussion, the bishops talked about the impact of
violence on their own communities and acknowledged they each bring a
different perspective to the conversation.
      The Rev. Stephen S. Talmage, bishop of the ELCA Grand Canyon Synod,
spoke about the 2011 shooting of Gabrielle Giffords, who at the time was
a member of Congress from Arizona. "The Gabby Giffords shooting began the
debate and we all hear it in our territories.  Inside that gun debate is
the debate on mental illness. You will all not agree with me on the
response, but we need to have a response on a safe community and care for
mental illness."
     The Rev. David B. Zellmer, bishop of the ELCA South Dakota Synod,
said "I've been a pastor for 32 years and have worked with 11 families
who have been touched by murder." He added that "violence is incredibly
localized" in his state.
     Calling for ELCA members to join in the work of reducing and
restraining violence, the letter also acknowledges resources produced by
the church on peace, community violence and mental illness.
     "As we worked on the letter we were reminded of the helpful
resources that have been created," said Anderson. "As Christians and
congregations we are called to deep reflection and conversation about
reducing violence. With humility we are called to discern, decide, act
and evaluate our strategies."
     In a pastoral video message soon after the school shooting in
Newtown, Conn., ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson said that as "long
as a culture of violence is holding us captive -- our spirits, our
imagination, our debates, our actions -- we have work to do."
     ELCA leaders and members across the country have participated in
inter-faith and ecumenical prayer vigils and services. In February, the
Rev. James Hazelwood, bishop of the ELCA New England Synod, took part in
an ecumenical prayer service with other Lutheran and Episcopal clergy,
deacons and rostered leaders. Commenting in his blog he said, "The intent
is to reflect on the challenges of doing ministry in a culture of
violence."
      Other ELCA social messages and statements include:  "The Body of
Christ and Mental Illness" and "Peace: God's Gift, Our Calling." The
Conference of Bishops' letter is available at www.ELCA.org/bishopsletter.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United
States, with more than 4 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations
across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church
of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God
through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the
world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church
reformer, Martin Luther.

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