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Deans' Note | May 29, 2022

The murder of 19 students and 2 teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas this week is one expression of the culture of death and violence in our nation. A mass shooting is defined as one in which four or more persons are killed. By that definition there have been 213 mass shootings so far this year. There have been 27 shootings at schools resulting in injury or death so far in 2022.

This isn't just an issue of lone wolf gunmen or troubled teens who go off the rails. This is a systemic issue .While gun control is something for which we should advocate, focusing only on that issue is treating the symptom not the disease. We may think that this is a social political issue alone, but St. Paul reminds us of the cosmic and spiritual nature of the struggle: 

"We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. So stand with the belt of truth around your waist, justice as your breastplate, and put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to spread the good news of peace. Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word." (Ephesians 6:12-17)

St. Paul encourages us not to jump in for the quick fix and the fleeting protest that will make us feel good in the moment, or at least will make us feel like we did something. Much more effective, is to prepare ourselves and use the spiritual armor we have been given, first and foremost grounding ourselves in prayer. St. Paul continues in the very next verse: "Offer prayers and petitions in the Spirit all the time. Stay alert by hanging in there and praying for all believers." 

Our society tries to assuage its guilt by the trite offering of "thoughts and prayers" -- a meaningless meme that so often allows us to do nothing and stop thinking about it. We need to reclaim the power of prayer individually and communally. Prayer connects us to one another and to the Holy Spirit forging a powerful spiritual network to combat the forces of evil. Actual prayer and solidarity with our siblings in faith will give us the imagination and courage for effective action in the long haul. We have the truth of the Gospel of love and light. We have the vision of God's justice, we have faith in the one who is Prince of peace, we have the wisdom of God's word. Let's reclaim the practice of prayer to stand against the forces of death and violence and having done everything possible to still stand.

The days between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost are traditionally days of prayer for the Holy Spirit to empower our lives. This year, as we engage in a struggle against violence, hatred, and death, especially in the face of mass shootings, we encourage you to use the attached series of daily prayers so we might receive the gifts of the Sprit to strengthen us to proclaim the Gospel of peace.

Fr. Bertie Pearson serves as Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, a large, multi-campus parish in Georgetown, Texas, and as Dean of the Austin Area Convocation of Clergy. He teaches Church History at the Iona School for Ministry and the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest, and produces the popular podcast The History of Christianity with Bertie Pearson. This podcast is an exploration of the ideas and themes which continue to shape the Christian faith, and is available on Spotify, iTunes, and wherever fine podcasts are distributed. Before his current parish, Fr. Bertie served both Spanish and English-language Episcopal churches in Austin and San Francisco, played drums in the Los Angeles-based band Poolside, and toured as a DJ. He now lives a much more sedate life with his wife, Dr. Rahel Pearson, their two children, and a very goodhearted Australian shepherd named Ida.

June 5

Fr. Mark concludes the series with a class titled "The End of the Beginning; The Challenges of Official Christianity and the Wisdom of St. Augustine."

"If you feel called to embrace non-violence and peace-making as a core commitment in your spiritual life, please consider becoming an Episcopal Peace Fellowship member. Their goal is to develop conceptual clarity, spiritual resilience, practical knowledge and skills, and effective action networks for their members, chapters, and affiliates. They envision a world in which non-violence and peace-making are valued, practiced, and expanded as a viable alternative to violence, coercion, and retribution. Learn more on their website: https://epfnational.org/