The House of
Bishops, meeting in retreat in Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville,
NC, has offered a Word to the Church, "Godly Leadership in the Face of
Violence."
"Our time together
has brought us to a new place of recognition with respect to how
violence infects, and affects, our lives. We have considered how the
reality of violence in our world, our society, our churches, our homes,
and ourselves alienate us from God and each other. And we repent that we
have too often neglected to challenge violence of every kind and pursue
peace and reconciliation."
"As bishops of The
Episcopal Church we embody a wide variety of experiences and
perspectives with respect to firearms. Many among us are hunters and
sport-shooters, former members of the military and law-enforcement
officers. We respect and honor that we are not of one mind regarding
matters related to gun legislation. Yet we are convinced that there
needs to be a new conversation in the United States that challenges gun
violence. Because of the wide variety of contexts in which we live and
our commitment to reasoned and respectful discourse that holds together
significant differences in creative tension, we believe that The
Episcopal Church can and must lead in this effort."
Click here to read the Bishops' message.
