After the Sandy Hook shootings, I made a promise to my son that I have not been able to keep.
He was in elementary school, heard rumors of a mass shooting at a school and rationally concluded his school was not a safe haven. I told him he did not have to be scared because people would come together to change the laws to make our children safer. The gun lobby and our politicians made a liar out of me so far.
Did you know there are currently 68 semi-automatic assault weapons for sale online in Chattanooga by private owners? With a quick Web search you could acquire a weapon for mass violence this afternoon - with no background checks.
I have been a part of efforts at two churches to increase the safety of children by locking down the church during preschool. But this response fails to address the root problem. Meanwhile, gun regulations have been loosened by statehouses.
In 2013, President Obama signed executive orders to increase gun education, research on gun violence and mental health, and measures to enforce current laws. However, the executive orders fail to address the most important gun reforms: universal background checks and assault weapons. The stalemate on universal background checks is insensible given that the super-majority of Americans and faith communities support some degree of gun reform.
Our common ground is threefold: We all make promises to our children to do everything in our power to keep them safe; we agree that something must be done to reduce gun violence; and we sign a social contract ensuring life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (in that order). Yes, there is disagreement about which methods to employ to reduce gun violence, but the status quo has few champions.
Granted, many Americans believe more guns are the answer. Responding to the Oregon shooting, Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey invented an offensive Christian binary and encouraged his "fellow Christians who are serious about their faith to think about getting a handgun carry permit." He continued, "Our enemies are armed. We must do likewise."
Yes, you read that correctly, and I guess that makes me a foolish Christian (see the Apostle Paul on foolishness). While I am an avid hunter, it is inconceivable to me to wed faithfulness to open carry of handguns. I do not question whether Ramsey is a Christian; I just know on this issue he has strayed unrecognizably far from the Prince of Peace, who commanded us to pray for our enemies.
Besides failing spiritually, the myth of "more guns will make us safer" fails pragmatically. I cringe at the efficacy of a vigilante shootout. And the "more guns" viewpoint is shortsighted. Consider, by the time the good guy with a gun responds, people are already being slaughtered.
We have to do better. To not work for prevention is to shirk our responsibility to be peacemakers (reference: Sermon on the Mount). Even some of the "more guns" camp and members of the National Rifle Association recognize that the benefits of common-sense gun laws outweigh any inconvenience incurred in the purchase of a firearm.
Returning to Sandy Hook, if our elected leaders did nothing, then why am I hopeful now? For one, since the Oregon shooting there has been a surge on social media advocating for change at a volume not seen since 2012. More importantly, many evangelicals are beginning to lend their voices to the call for common-sense gun laws.
In a letter to President Obama, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention advocated for "mandatory criminal background checks for all gun sales," making gun trafficking a federal crime and addressing the epidemic of desensitization to violence. More recently, the Rev. Rob Schenck, president of Faith and Action, an anti-abortion lobby, has widened his "pro-life" campaign to reduce gun violence and advocate for common-sense gun laws.
Evangelicals are completing the spectrum of Christian and Abrahamic traditions in their support of gun reform. To date, religious national leadership on gun reform includes the three main streams of American Judaism, the Islamic Society of North America, the Roman Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church, the historic peace churches and an alphabet soup of Protestants: AME, ELCA, NCC, PCUSA, SBC, UCC and UMC.
My hope is conservative Christians will be the tipping point for sensible gun reform. In the meantime, we can keep our promise by joining the chorus of witnesses. So I invite Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke to expand the Violence Reduction Initiative and join Everytown for Gun Safety. Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger should also commit to Everytown for Gun Safety.
I invite Christians to pray about, study Scripture and talk with their faith leaders about gun violence; for clergy to preach and teach about gun violence; for everyone to advocate for common-sense gun laws at the state and national level; for gun retailers to follow Walmart's lead and disregard the three-day loophole; and for the Times Free Press to follow the lead of Craigslist and discontinue classified ads for weapons.
Liberals do not have a corner on the market for gun reform; rather, gun reform is common ground for the majority of people of faith and goodwill. Let's work together to make good on our promises.
The Rev. Clay Thomas is pastor at Rivermont Presbyterian Church.