The ENGAGE Workgroup proposes the following resolution:
Gun Violence Prevention
WHEREAS, The ELCA Bishop’s Pastoral Letter of March 4, 2013 begins: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”;
WHEREAS, mass shootings (3 or 4 shot or killed) occur in our homes, communities, businesses, schools and places of work at the rate of more than one per day;
WHEREAS, police officials and studies emphasize the effectiveness of criminal background checks for all gun sales in significantly lowering gun violence frequency;
WHEREAS, background checks are not currently required for private gun sales;
WHEREAS, nearly 800,000 people are on the American Terrorist Watch List and over 2,000 have been allowed to purchase weapons;
WHEREAS, the ELCA has since 1989 urged synods and congregations to address gun violence;
BE IT RESOLVED, that the St. Paul Area Synod (SPAS) in Assembly urge that our elected officials in Washington and St. Paul require background checks for all gun sales, including private sales;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the SPAS in Assembly urge that our elected officials in Washington and St. Paul NOT allow those persons on the United States’ Terrorist Watch List to purchase guns, while providing the right to appeal the justice of their exclusion;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the SPAS in Assembly urge congregations to ENGAGE in meditation, education and advocacy to address gun violence prevention;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the SPAS Memorialize the ELCA CHURCH WIDE ASSEMBLY to address the need for criminal background checks on all gun sales, the prevention of those on the Terrorist Watch List from purchasing guns, and the need for congregations to meditate, educate and advocate for gun violence prevention. And that our national church leadership communicate these gun safety actions to appropriate elected officials;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the SPAS memorialize the ELCA CHURCH WIDE ASSEMBLY to establish a task force to organize actions to address gun violence prevention;
AND BE IT RESOLVED, that the SPAS communicate the intentions within this resolution to appropriate elected officials in Washington and St. Paul.
SUBMITTED BY: SPAS-ENGAGE Work Team for Gun Violence Prevention