Keeping Safe Places Safe: The Church and Gun Policies

Keeping Safe Places Safe: The Church and Gun Policies

Keeping Safe Places Safe: The Church and Gun Policies

Keeping safe places safe is of growing concern as the number of mass shootings continues to rise. I believe the church has a role to play in creating effective gun policies. While churches are meant to be havens of safety, even they are no longer immune to gun violence. It’s time for the church to take a more hands on approach to reducing gun violence. I’m going to name four ways you can do that. I’ll also share additional resources you can use to spark greater discussion.

First, let’s address one myth.

 

The Myth that Mental Health is a Clear Indicator of Gun Violence

By now, we’re all far too familiar with the aftermath of gun violence. We delve into the shooter’s background, finding every detail we can about their mental health, and analyze it deeply. While this is necessary for us to be able to learn from these events, I think it’s important to distinguish that not everyone who is dealing with poor mental health is dangerous. Clearly people who perpetrate this sort of gun violence are not well, but that is not necessarily the same as being mentally ill. The truth is that people with mental health issues are more likely to have violence perpetrated against them, than for them to perpetrate against others.

As the church, we can benefit our communities by advocating for increased access to mental health services. But will that solve the problem of proliferating gun violence?

 

Coupling

In the book Talking to Strangers, Malcolm Gladwell writes about coupling theory. Coupling is the notion that certain behaviors are linked or coupled to specific contexts. For instance, suicide is positively correlated with the existence of the Golden Gate Bridge. In other words, people jump because the bridge is there. This is contrary to the assumption that if people want to kill themselves, they will find a way to do it, even if jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge is made much less accessible.

Similarly, access to handguns is shown to increase the incidence of suicide.

Might the same be true of AR-57s, AK-47s, and other military-grade weapons that are often used in mass shootings?

Just as suicide rates decline as certain environmental factors are made inaccessible, it’s reasonable to hypothesize that gun-related homicide rates could also decline if access to military-grade weapons was more regulated. This needs to be studied and discussed calmly and carefully.

But there is more that the church can do to keep safe places safe.

 

The Church and Gun Policies

Just as churches offer seminars on lifestyle topics such as parenting, finances, and end of life decisions, why not add safe gun ownership to the list? Consider offering a seminar, led by local gun safety specialists, that is open to the public. Here are some of the potential issues that could be addressed.

 

Gun Policies in the Home

Cover best practices for firearm owners including safe storage. Best practices include storing guns unloaded and using separate safes to store guns and ammunition. In homes with children or other high-risk individuals, it’s sometimes best to store guns and ammunition at a location away from the home. Educating the gun-owning public is a way that churches can reinforce the idea of keeping safe places safe.

 

Gun Policies in the Community

Churches can educate their people about how to create safer neighborhoods. Organizations such as Project Safe Neighborhoods “identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.” Partnering with organizations like this that care about the common good help to keep safe places safe. And to help turn unsafe places into safer places.

 

Gun Policies in the Nation

Churches have the right and the responsibility to help educate their community in ethical matters of peace and justice. And to do it in a way that is both civil and respectful. Churches can offer nonpartisan seminars on the issues that impact the community and beyond and how to address them. When churches lead the way in addressing ethical issues for the common good, it encourages others to do so as well. Stay engaged with what is happening at the state and national levels. Speak up when you do or do not agree with what you’re seeing. What you say and do matters. Lastly, thank your legislators for passing this recent bipartisan bill aimed at reducing gun violence, which is a step in the right direction.

 

Gun Policies in the Church

Finally, turn your attention to your own congregation. Discuss the pros and cons of having a designated safety team in your congregation. Appointing clearly defined individuals who know what to do in a chaotic situation can help keep everyone safer.

 

Next Steps

I give thanks for my friend and colleague, James–Pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a recent mass shooting took place–who said: “Prayers are appreciated, but the best thing we can do is to put pressure on politicians to get real about addressing the root problems. Mental health, common sense gun policies, the pervasive culture of hate and violence, and the deflection of responsibility. As a clergy leader, I am preaching, leading, and encouraging members of my community to take action.” James and I spoke at length about this when he joined me for a livestreamed session of Leadership Mojo.

Listening to James, I introduced this series on the role of the church in gun violence, I have addressed the deflection of responsibility, disarming the culture of hate and violence, and the role of the church in creating solutions to gun violence. Now is the time to begin creating a culture of safety and responsibility by using your voice to promote peace and safety.

Let’s do our part, and draw strength from the scriptures: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” -Galatians 6:9

 

Copyright © 2022 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.

Disarming the Culture of Hate and Violence

Disarming the Culture of Hate and Violence

Add parades to the list of once safe spaces that gun violence has now punctured. As July 4 celebrations took place across the nation, a shooter killed six people and injured at least thirty more in a wealthy suburb outside Chicago at a holiday parade. Why so much gun violence in our nation? Many factors contribute to gun violence including the deflection of personal responsibility, untreated mental health issues, lax gun policies, and easy access to firearms. Add to the list one more critical factor that requires disarming: the culture of hate and violence. In this blog, I am going to share with you specific ways that the church in particular is overcoming this toxic culture, and what positive things you can do in your particular setting.

 

Our Culture of Hate and Violence

I do believe that the church can play a positive role in reducing gun violence. Yet we have to understand the problem that we are up against. As I write in Forging a New Path: Moving the Church Forward in a Post-Pandemic World:

We are living in a time of deep political, economic, religious, social, racial, and generational polarization. This polarization is undergirded by what Arthur Brooks calls the “culture of contempt.” In the culture of contempt, differences are framed as fatal which deepens distrust of the other and encourages a gleeful sense of superiority over others. Most of all, this culture of contempt fuels an ever-ready sense of outrage, draining us before we even get to the issues that ought to cause real outrage: human trafficking, homelessness, hunger, poverty, and hierarchies based on color, money, or privilege.

This culture is pervasive.

The Myth that the Church is Immune to Hate and Violence

While it’s easy to see polarization “out there” in society, please don’t fall prey to the myth that it’s only “out there.” Whatever is going on in the echo chambers of social media, or toxic pseudo-news casts, or video games makes its way into the church. So we have to deal with the imported culture of contempt. But churches also need to look to see if they are responsible in some way for fanning the flames of contempt. If we use the Bible or the love of God as a  weapon against each other then we are contributing to the problem. If we sow mistrust of each other we are part of the problem. It’s important to preach in a way that builds up others, rather than tears them down.

 

Disarming the Culture of Hate and Violence

It is possible for people to get along even when they disagree greatly? Recently, the Dallas/Fort Worth Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church demonstrated that they could disagree on faith and ethics yet still work together. They voted on an amicable separation plan for their conference. It lacked the usual winners and losers and had a notable sense of humility and unity even as they sought to separate from one another. Similarly, the Mountain Sky Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church highlighted a plan for supporting churches who would be hurt by disaffiliation. This initiative, “A Table for All” was likened to a Thanksgiving table. Whenever family gathers, like at a holiday table, you don’t need to agree to share in fellowship, love and civility. With this as a model, a positive future is possible.

 

The Pervasive Culture of Hate and Violence

The American culture of hate and violence is undergirded by everything from violent video games and movies to conspiracy theories such as QAnon, to a stolen election, to toxic distrust of the other. Exacerbated by the stresses of the pandemic, this culture has stealthily taken root in some congregations.

I am grateful for the work of colleague Rev. Derek Kubilus. He has successfully used motivational interviewing to bring people aligned with conspiracy theories such as QAnon that disrupt the life of the church back into community. He cautions people to stay away from debate or ridicule as that only exacerbates differences. Instead, he suggests these three questions:

  • Why do you believe what you believe?
  • What led you to these ideas?
  • What makes these ideas so convincing for you?

While Derek suggests this process for de-escalating and re-integrating conspiracy theorists into the life of the church, I think motivational interviewing can work for any kind of polarization. Because it does not dehumanize the other, rather, it deepens a sense of belonging by creating curiosity and connection.

 

Next Steps

None of this is easy. It requires time and intentionality and practice. But there is no more pertinent time than now, and as the church, we can make an impressionable difference. If you’re willing to give it a try, here are a few places you can start:

  1. Practice motivational interviewing with your people. Engage them in discussion about the things you disagree with instead of avoiding them.
  2. Check out my books Forging a New Path or Dream Like Jesus. I go into great detail about the Platinum Rule in these books and how you can apply it in your setting.
  3. Join me for Leadership Mojo Wednesday, July 6 at 5pm MT/7pm ET for a live discussion with Derek Kubilus. We’ll talk about the culture of hate and violence and how we can disarm it to make way for productive and compassionate conversation.

One last thing you can do is join in a cohort of Creating a Culture of Renewal® starting this fall. This life-giving experience supports you in making sustainable shifts in your congregational culture while growing in your own leadership smarts. 

 

Copyright © 2022 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.

Machetes, Guns and the Hidden Message of Epiphany

Machetes, Guns and the Hidden Message of Epiphany

When a machete-bearing assailant broke into a private Hasidic home to “get” the Jews who were celebrating Chanukah there, his move was both horrific and ironic.  That the safety and merriment of a home could be violated by such hate is unthinkable. That it happened at Chanukah is incongruous.  Chanukah is at its core a holiday of religious freedom whose eight nights of light commemorate Jews’ ability to worship God in their own way—free and unfettered.  This terrorist served to heighten the awareness of our need for Chanukah.

In the Jewish pantheon of holidays, the Festival of Lights is relatively minor.  Yet it has taken on even greater importance in a Christmas-centric culture.  In light of this year’s increasing number of anti-Semitic incidents, it is sure to take on even greater significance.

When an armed assailant drew a gun at West Freeway Church and shot down two people on the Sunday after Christmas, his move was also horrific and ironic.  That the safety of sacred worship might be interrupted by gunfire is reprehensible.  That it took place directly after Communion is absurd. His violence reinforced our need of the Gospel, of the Kingdom.

Both acts of violence meant to snuff out something: a sense of belonging, safety, connection.  Undoubtedly, lives are forever shattered.  At the same time, something equally sacred, equally unshakable, is also taking hold.

Instead of highlighting the “otherness” of the victims, these horrific acts reinforced a further irony:  the inhumanity of the perpetrators. Their destructive, life-denying actions do not mirror who we strive to be.

The forces of darkness these men harnessed are the very ones that Advent laments and which Epiphany fully addresses. Rise of Skywalker (the latest Star Wars movie—which I swore I wouldn’t see but am ever so glad I did) shows the value of focused and intentional resistance to the forces of darkness.  Victory comes not from matching outrage with outrage, but by matching the calculated and cunning desire for power with a focused insistence on using The Force and its light. Rise of Skywalker showed that even the strongest proponents of light have seeds of darkness within them, and even the strongest proponents of evil can break free of its grip.

This Epiphany, we celebrate the Incarnation.  This ancient holiday celebrates that even in the midst of machetes, guns, and hate–God breaks through into our human experience.  All that is good and holy and divine are borne in the life, body, and witness of Jesus of Nazareth.

This year, Epiphany has a deeper, more surprising message for us. Just as God breaks through into human experience through Jesus, so too through us.  Made in the image of God, called to be Christ-like in every way, we too are designed to bear both humanity and divinity. To have a body is to have a soul.  To have a soul is to bear the incarnation of God, to be a hidden slice of the divine.

In the face of increasing public violence, and the inhumanity it reveals—it’s common to respond with either seething outrage or frozen immobilization.  I get it.  I have felt both.  I’m just not sure either of those ways moves us sustainably toward the kingdom.

But there is a third way.  It comes by tapping into the promise of Epiphany.  Together with Jesus, following his lead and direction, we can tap into our inner divinity.  We can dare to co-create miracles with God.  We can transform seething outrage into focused action and let frozen immobilization melt into collaboration and community.

I invite you to bring your Epiphany dreams for a new decade to our January course:  DARE to Dream Like Jesus.  Let your dreams take hold as you explore your authority, your agency and your ability to bring the impossible to life. Click here for more information.

 

 

5 Ways Your Church Can Address Violence

Violent conflict is all around us. Not only are we honoring Domestic Violence Prevention month, we have also lived through much recent public conflict. This includes a contentious Supreme Court nominee proceeding further tainted by sexual abuse allegations, a terrifying mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh and eleven pipe bombs sent to high-profile national leaders and philanthropists. Our country—publicly and privately—is beset by violent conflict. How are congregations to respond? Click To Tweet I’d like to name five kinds of congregational approaches. And to offer a bonus webinar on “Productive Conflict.”
As congregations do church in the midst of violence, we have a range of options.
1)  Insular congregations avoid naming conflict. Instead of acknowledging violent acts in the private or public sphere, they opt to focus on local activities and local concerns. These insular congregations preserve a sense of safety. But miss the opportunity to connect with larger movements of love, prayer, grief, and solidarity. They also impose an emotional cut-off for congregants impacted by these seemingly removed acts of violence.
2)  Harmony-at-all-costs congregations affirm love and forgiveness. But never name people, places or situations that cry out for either love or forgiveness. These congregations preserve a pseudo-harmony by not broaching topics that could divide. However, they miss the opportunity to model effective ways of dealing with conflict.
3)  Pastoral congregations name violent offenses while offering prayer and affirmation. As they bind up wounds, they connect the Gospel with our everyday lives.   These congregations run the risk of becoming Eeyore-ish, since acts of violence may always be found. Grief may eventually outweigh rejoicing.
4)  Prophetic congregations reflect theologically about acts that destroy domestic harmony or public civility. These congregations actively equip us with biblical language, metaphors, and approaches to the world around us. The risk here is that not everyone will agree with any given reflection. Pastors need to be prepared to lay out a biblical case for their reflections. And to offer pastoral care to those who feel slighted.
5)  Doomsday congregations encourage, or at least do not discourage, violence. These apocalyptic groups play into hopelessness and fear by proclaiming that the end is near. This approach denies God the power of resurrection.
As a Jewish Christian whose extended family is deeply involved in cultivating and preserving Jewish life, fear and anger gripped me when I heard about the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. The shooting offered cold affirmation of recent pronouncements that anti-Semitism is on the rise throughout Europe and the US. I dreaded going to church. Click To Tweet Will my pastor think it important to mention this? At times, this congregation has been very insular, and sought to preserve harmony at all costs. My expectations were as low as my heart. Yet, I was deeply gratified when the senior pastor took a moment to intentionally stand by the flag and offer a heartfelt prayer for the Jewish community and the victims of the synagogue shooting. “This is not who we are as a country,” she said. “It is not who Christ calls us to be.” It was a poignant moment. One this Jewish Christian needed to bring some healing to my soul, and to feel part of my congregation once again. In less than 5 minutes, she was both pastoral and prophetic; it was brilliant pastoring.
Conflict will always be with us. It doesn’t have to get violent. In fact, it can be productive. To help us navigate these times, please join me for a special one-hour bonus webinar on Productive Conflict: Making the Most of Bad Situations on Friday, November 9, 10-11am MT.  Send your email address, name, phone number and congregation/location to rebekah@rebekahsimonpeter.com to join in.