by Rev. Dr. Jim Warnock
Recently I preached on Herod’s killing of John the Baptist, an act of political violence that remains with us 2,000 years later. That same Sunday we were reminded that political violence continues to be an issue here with the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and the murder of at least one person attending the rally. The implications of this act continue to resonate through our society as I write this.
Political violence has long been a part of our national life. I remember sitting in a seventh-grade science class when we got the news that John F. Kennedy had been shot. In short order Martin Luther King was murdered, with Bobby Kennedy following shortly thereafter. Among presidents, Gerald Ford survived two attempts on his life, Ronald Reagan one. If we go back prior to my lifetime, an attempt was made on Harry Truman. Three other presidents died by assassination: Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield and William McKinley. It’s not a pleasant topic.
How do we react as followers of Jesus? I think Presiding Bishop Michael Curry set the proper tone. I quoted this in my sermon on Herod, and I want to repeat it here. “The way of love—not the way of violence—is the way we bind up our nation’s wounds. We condemn political violence in any form, and our call as followers of Jesus of Nazareth is always to love. We pray for the families of those who were killed. We pray for former President Trump and his family and for all who were harmed or impacted by this incident. I pray that we as a nation and a world may see each other as the beloved children of God.”
It’s not a long statement but I’m not sure that more needs to be said. Our role as Christians is to follow the way of love. We pray for those killed, injured, those who survived, and we work in whatever way we can to break down the walls of hostility that are all too evident in our nation. Our task is defined in the Prayer Book.
“Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (BCP, p. 820)
We’re facing, as a nation, a difficult election season. We need to be those who renounce the use of force and calls for violent action. We need to be those working for reconciliation, always a difficult task, but one to which we are called as followers of Jesus. I want to mention as well that the House of Bishops at General Convention elected a successor to Michael Curry. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Sean Rowe, currently Bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Bishop Provisional of Bethlehem (Pennsylvania, not the West Bank),
was elected on the first ballot. I met him briefly when he spoke to a clergy conference in Northern Indiana and my friends who do know him have been impressed with his commitment to follow Jesus’ teachings. He was the youngest bishop in the Church when first elected. He has therefore gained a lot of experience, fortified by his education: a degree in history from Grove City College, an M.Div from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in organizational learning and leadership from Gannon College. I think he is well prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century, and I’m looking forward to the work he’ll do.