A View from Above: Peace on a Beautiful Planet
I love the pictures of the Earth that Artemis II sent back on the way to the moon. Looking at that fragile, blue marble suspended in the void, who would ever guess that violence exists on such a beautiful planet?
But there is violence. In Minnesota alone, nearly 580 neighbors were lost to gun violence last year. This reality stands in stark contrast to the foundational nonviolent ethic of Jesus Christ and the theology that calls us to protect the sanctity of life.
The task of ENGAGE: Lutherans for Gun Violence Prevention is to help reduce this violence in America. It sounds simple, but it isn’t. No single person or organization can do it alone. As the famous saying goes, “it takes a village to raise a child”—and it will take a “village” (our entire country) to protect our children from the tragedy of gun violence.
We advocate for a “trifecta of engagement” rooted in:
- Theology and Values: Meditating on the nonviolent Spirit of Christ.
- Data: Educating ourselves on the realities of gun safety and the rate of violence in our communities.
- Action: Moving toward meaningful prevention and advocacy.
I invite you to tune in as we mutually try to achieve this goal. Expect to see new reflections here at least once a week—and perhaps more if the Spirit moves. Because the Spirit grows impatient with gun violence, and our mission to educate and advocate is more urgent than ever.
Forward in Peace
Jon Nils Fogelberg
ENGAGE Leadership Team
