Well, after a long hiatus, my blog is back under a new name (the former name was In My Theological Opinion). I stopped blogging due to a change in my pastoral call and a move for my family. Back in January my family and I moved to Cedar Rapids, IA and I began my new call as pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church ELCA in northeast Cedar Rapids. Before that, I was busy into the call process and didn't have time to blog. Since moving to Cedar Rapids, life has been crazy with selling our house; moving from a temporary apartment into our new home; my daughter starting child care (and potty training!), my wife starting nursing school, and the adjustment to my new call. Now, after nine months of getting used to our new surroundings, I am ready to blog again!
So, in light of (but not taken lightly!) the 294th mass shooting(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/01/2015-274-days-294-mass-shootings-hundreds-dead/) this year in the United States alone, happening yesterday in Roseburg, OR at Umpqua Community College, here is my first post back.
Many people in the country (including myself) are asking the question: "Why?" Why haven't we pursued further gun regulations? Why haven't we addressed better means for treating mental health? Why do politicians just pray and not act? Why have we allowed another act of gun violence to happen in our country? And the questions go on and on.
I'm sure there are many different reasons why things haven't changed in our country in regards to gun control, but I believe one of the biggest reasons is the fear of being vulnerable. In her book The Power and Vulnerability of Love: A Theological Anthropology,
Elizabeth O'Donnell Gandolfo writes about how we as humans have an anxiety of being vulnerable, for being vulnerable places us in a place of weakness and danger. Because of this fear, many of us try to do everything we can to pursue invulnerability (which she mentions can never be achieved by us for vulnerability is very much a part of our human nature). Our pursuit of invulnerability leads us to create systems of oppression (i.e. not sharing resources with others) in order that we and our immediate families will survive and carry on. The pursuit of invulnerability also leads us to deny the humanity in others, for other humans can be a threat to us.
It is my opinion that, for many Americans who carry guns, they fear the loss of power they have; they fear becoming vulnerable by not being able to defend themselves with a weapon. But I also wonder if some of these people who carry guns also fail to recognize the person in other people. That they see other people as potential dangerous objects instead of just another person.
Now, I can tell you that not everyone who owns a gun has this fear, this attitude of needing to carry a weapon for self-defense. When I was serving in northwestern Minnesota, I had several hunters in my congregation. These people never frightened me because they knew that their shotgun was a hunting tool and nothing more. They made sure to educate their children and/or grandchildren on proper gun safety, and they did not carry semi-automatic weapons. Also, these hunters valued human life and taught their children to value life.
It is not the deer hunters of this country that causes me concern; rather, it is the attitude of those who want to carry guns for self-defense that causes me to worry. It is also disconcerting to me that people can get access to military grade weapons. Further gun control is needed in this country for sure!
However, I do wonder if, in addition to gun control, there might be a way for us to do a better job at uplifting the humanity in each other; to recognize each person as created in God's image and therefore a beloved child of God. This can only happen if we are willing to connect to each other's person, and we do that by a willingness to be vulnerable with each other. When we share in each other's hardships, fears, anxieties, and joys, we connect to each other and we begin to empathize and develop compassion for each other. In those moments of connection, Christ Jesus becomes manifest in the relationship. In other words, as we connect to each other, we proclaim the love of Christ to each other. That love has the power to transform our fears and worries into life.
When we are willing to connect to each other's person, we no longer see each other as objects or as dangerous; instead, we see each other as human and as God's good creation. Remember, God created us good (Genesis 1:31). Yes, evil is a reality in our world that can corrupt us, but we were originally created to be good. If we recognize the divinity in each other through being vulnerable with each other, then the fear will be replaced with love, and that gives us hope.
See you in the conversation!
Zach
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