Response to July 13

To the Auburn Community:

Auburn Theological Seminary condemns all political violence and demands that the U.S. government investigate and hold all involved accountable.

Violence does not bring us closer to the healed future on which we have set our sights. Violence, harassment, and intimidation, regardless of motivation, has no place in our elections. Abiding it, from anyone, only ensures the failure of our already fragile democracy and poisons our shared future.

As the country sits with the fear of an unknown future, we are reminded of the words of the theologian Howard Thurman who wrote: “Fear is one of the persistent hounds of Hell…Our homes, institutions, prisons, churches, are crowded with people who are hounded by day and harrowed by night because of some fear that lurks ready to spring into action as soon as one is alone, or as soon as the lights go out, or as soon as one’s social defenses are temporarily removed.”

Like many of you, we are finding ways to talk about the distressing events of July 13th with our constituents, our communities, and all of the children who are witnessing the rising vitriol in our nation.

We pray that the country finds a way to lead not from fear, but from an unwavering commitment to spiritual nonviolence. May we all commit to finding ways to heal our society—beginning now.