In February during the horrors taking place in Minneapolis, a political leader who touts his Christian faith said that he and his colleagues “respect the dignity of all Americans.” On the surface, his words seem to send a message that resonates with many. Yet, when we think about it, it’s obvious how many people this leader excludes from his call for respect. In contrast, we, as Episcopalians, promise at baptism to respect the dignity of every human being, not just that of our fellow Americans.
And even when he and his colleagues profess to respect the dignity of all Americans, what about the Americans Renee Good and Alex Pretti, not to mention countless other American citizens who have been arrested, beaten, or murdered for exercising their First Amendment rights?
Jesus taught about unconditional love, and unconditional love is inclusive rather than exclusive. Consider those whom Jesus loved: outcasts; the hungry and the poor; the rich young man who couldn’t bear to give up his possessions to follow Jesus; the woman alone at mid-day at the well – a foreigner at that; the sinner; the ritually unclean; the disciple who betrayed him; those who brutalized him and taunted him as he hung upon on the cross.
Martin Hogan, SJ, writes in The Word of God is Living and Active:
As Jesus declares in Luke’s Gospel, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?” Jesus gives expression to a much more self-emptying kind of love. He calls us to live in the same way and gives us the Holy Spirit to help us to love as he loves. (quoted in Sacred Space, 03.09.26)
As St. Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 14:26, “let all things be done for building up,” that is, not for dividing.
And we begin to live into that all-inclusive love when we seek to see all others as we see ourselves and to respect their dignity. Put simply: When we respect the dignity of every human being.
Editor’s Note: The events of the past week have elicited comment from numerous faith leaders. “Living God’s Mission” blog has chosen to post the following news story from Episcopal News Service in addition to our usual weekly posting. Please be sure to scroll down to see Pam Tinsley’s “On eagles’ wings” blog, posted June 10.
Partners for Baptismal Living blogger Brandon Beck writes, “Heading into the weekend, we amplify the voice of the collected California bishops:”
Seals of the Episcopal Dioceses of (l to r) California, El Camino Real, Los Angeles, Northern California, San Diego, and San Joaquin
[Episcopal News Service] The diocesan bishops of the six Episcopal dioceses in California issued a statement on June 10 responding to the federal immigration raids in Los Angeles and subsequent clashes between protesters and law enforcement, as well as the Trump administration’s decision to send soldiers to the area against the wishes of California leaders.
The following is the text of the bishops’ letter.
A Letter from the Episcopal Bishops in the State of California
Beloved in Christ,
Like all Californians, we are watching with great concern the events unfolding around immigration protests in Los Angeles. We are deeply concerned about the ICE raids and about the potential for violence arising from the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to the Los Angeles area. We are concerned that military deployments will escalate the confrontations unnecessarily, and worry that all of our regions in California may be subject to future deployments that heighten tensions rather than resolving them.
Bishop John Harvey Taylor, the Episcopal Bishop of Los Angeles, has posted on social media this past weekend about what is happening in Los Angeles and his interpretation of the ways in which local officials, law enforcement, federal agencies, and protesters are all interacting. He expressed deep pain and anger as fourteen people in one single Episcopal congregation in that diocese were detained by ICE on Friday. Certainly, we as Episcopalians are shocked and saddened when any of our own are removed from our beloved community.
In all six of our dioceses, people are concerned and fearful about the denial of due process for those detained and the potential for ICE raids targeting beloved community institutions and people working to support their families. People feel angry and threatened that the haven they sought in our communities is no longer safe. U.S. citizens and legal residents feel deep grief at losing beloved friends and family members. Children whose parents are deported face uncertain futures. In our churches, we strive to protect our members who are at risk.
Our Baptismal Covenant asks us, “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being (BCP p. 417)?” This question is a direct and ongoing call to us as persons who follow Christ to live out our calling opposed to injustice, to violence of any kind, and to stand up where human beings are not treated as we would treat a child of God. This question needs to be foremost in our thoughts as we consider our response to the situation in Los Angeles.
In The Episcopal Church, we uphold a proud tradition of advocating for civil rights and supporting the vulnerable in our society. We stand for fierce love and for justice that leads to peace, as well as societal practices that preserve human dignity. With God’s help, we will speak and pray on behalf of all in this situation.
Bishop Taylor has asked for our prayers for Los Angeles, and we invite all our dioceses to pray for the unfolding situation there as well as for peace and justice in all our communities. We ask that you join us in praying:
“Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (BCP p. 823).
In Christ, The Rt. Rev. Lucinda Ashby, Episcopal Bishop of El Camino Real The Rt. Rev. David Rice, Episcopal Bishop of San Joaquin The Rt. Rev. Austin K. Rios, Episcopal Bishop of California The Rt. Rev. Susan Brown Snook, Episcopal Bishop of San Diego The Rt. Rev. John Harvey Taylor, Episcopal Bishop of Los Angeles The Rt. Rev. Megan Traquair, Episcopal Bishop of Northern California
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