EDITOR'S NOTE: In October 2021 I began a new venture writing a newspaper column titled "Finding Faith" for the Forum Communications Co. network of newspapers and websites. I was asked to contribute to the company's ongoing conversation about faith, lending a Lutheran and fairly ecumenical approach to the discussion. The column was published in several of the company's papers and websites, including The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. This column originally appeared as a "Finding Faith" column on Oct. 27, 2023.
By The Rev. Devlyn Brooks
The week’s gospel text in the Revised Common Lectionary serendipitously comes from Matthew, and contains Jesus’ directives to love God and to love our neighbor as yourself. In fact, Jesus says the first is the “greatest and first” commandment, and the second is “like it.”
Seems crystal clear. So, I struggle with all of my heart, mind and soul to understand our lack of willingness to do anything about America’s gun epidemic. How, if we are to love our neighbors as much as ourselves, do we idly sit by and watch mass shooting after mass shooting take place? … And we do nothing?
This week’s mass killing in Lewiston, Maine, which killed at least 16 people in a bowling alley and bar, is the 36th mass killing event so far this year in our country. According to a running list of mass gun killings kept by the Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University, at least 188 people have died from those killings.
The news doesn’t get better either: We are on pace for a potentially record-setting year, as at this point in the year, the number of mass killings trails only one other year on record. And since the list was started in 2006, we have witnessed 560 mass killings, in which 2,900 people died and 2,000 more were injured.
More than a dozen people lost their lives this week because a man who seemingly suffers mental health issues got his hands on a rapid-firing gun. The thought of it is staggering because this isn’t an invisible enemy slaughtering our fellow countrymen.
If we truly consider ourselves people of faith, we have to stop looking for excuses to prevent us from action. Jesus’ directive doesn’t allow us to. We are commanded to love our neighbor. And loving our neighbor doesn’t allow us to get mired down in silly philosophical arguments or allow the buying of our nation’s elected leaders to ensure nothing gets done.
Should we improve our mental health system to ensure people like the shooter are cared for? Yes, let’s get it done. Should we improve our nation’s gun laws so that they are unified and prevent military style weapons from getting into the hands of civilians. Yes, let’s get it done.
But, let’s also do the myriad of other reasonable things on the spectrum that lead us toward fewer gun deaths.
No other nation suffers this level of gun violence. So throwing up our hands and pretending there is nothing we can do is simple cowardice.
Changing America's obsession with guns will take more factions than just those who consider themselves faithful, but the binding together of tens of millions of faithful people in pursuit of sensible action would give us a powerful cohort that would have to be listened to. … Even by elected leaders who line their pockets with blood money. Amen.
Devlyn Brooks is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and serves Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. He also works for Forum Communications Co. He can be reached at devlynbrooks@gmail.com for comments and story ideas.
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