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As students prepared for finals yesterday at Brown University, they found themselves a part of the ever-increasing epidemic of gun violence in the U.S. and globally. We grieve the shooting that ended two lives, injuring many others and traumatizing a community dedicated to learning, inquiry and shared life.
Let us hold in prayer those who were injured, those who witnessed this violence and all who now live with fear and uncertainty. Let us lament the loss of safety and trust that follows such acts, especially for those who have encountered this before and are forced to relive this nightmare. Let us also name this violence as a symptom of deeper brokenness in our common life.
Consistent with our social message on gun violence, the ELCA affirms that this crisis demands faithful response beyond prayer alone. We reject the normalization of gun violence and call for evidence-based, life-saving measures that reduce the risk of harm, address root causes and prioritize the well-being of communities.
In Christ, God meets us in suffering and calls us into public, hopeful action. As church, we commit ourselves to accompaniment, advocacy and sustained engagement—working toward a future shaped by justice, compassion and peace, where life is honored and violence no longer has the final word. In this time of Advent, we await the coming Christ and pray to be a part of the solution to the brokenness that continues to exist in our communities.
Please join me in prayer:
Gracious and merciful God, we come before you in grief. We name before you the fear, anger and confusion that follow such tragedies, trusting that you receive our lament and hold those suffering from loss or injury in your care. In a world fractured by sin and brokenness, remind us that you are not distant from suffering but present in it.
Hold close all who are afraid and whose sense of safety has been torn open. Strengthen first responders, caregivers and campus leaders called to serve in this moment. Where despair threatens to take root, plant courage. Where violence seeks the last word, remind us that death does not have the final claim. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
The Rev. Yehiel Curry
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
