Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I

25 Feb Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I

canada goose black friday sale Lutheran Clergy Statement Against White Supremacy canada goose black friday sale

Canada Goose Parka Like so many canada goose outlet usa of you, I have been shocked canada goose outlet vancouver and saddened, grief stricken and outraged, by the violence in Charlottesville and, increasingly, around canada goose outlet niagara falls our canada goose uk country and globe; the “normalization” of hate filled and bigotted rhetoric; and the rise of neo Nazism and white supremacy. Again like many of you, I have wondered how, beyond prayer and lament, to respond. Toward answering that question, I’ve put below a statement written with Prof. Rolf Jacobson, my former colleague at Luther Seminary and good friend. You can access and sign the actual petition by clicking on this link. It is addressed to Lutheran clergy not to exclude others canada goose outlet michigan but to acknowledge that Lutherans canada goose outlet have a particular obligation to history because of our legacy from WWII and, indeed, canada goose outlet las vegas because of Luther’s own conflicting and painful testimony as one canada goose jacket outlet toronto who apprehended God’s expansive grace and love but canada goose outlet eu failed grievously at times to apply it to all persons, especially his Jewish neighbors. Canada Goose Parka

cheap Canada Goose Truthfully, I sometimes worry that in our media saturated world, public statements often either get lost in the cacophony of cyberspace or, while well intentioned, too often become a substitute for concrete action. canada goose outlet 80 off Yet in the aftermath of last weekend’s horrific events, I was reminded of Martin Niemoller’s stark assessment of the failure of the church to speak canada goose outlet kokemuksia out against Nazism canada goose outlet buffalo in its early days, and so felt called to say something. It is not perfect. More can and should be said. More can and should be done. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,”Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9 10. cheap Canada Goose

canadian goose jacket We the undersigned, as Lutheran pastors and leaders who believe that God’s grace is for “all tribes and peoples and languages,” publicly condemn white supremacy as well as terrorism of every kind. canadian goose jacket

canada goose deals Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemller was imprisoned by the Nazis in 1938 because of his opposition to their platform and only released when the concentration camps were liberated by the Allies in 1945. Initially a supporter of Hitler and in the years preceding the war often indifferent towards, and at times intolerant of, his Jewish neighbors, Niemller was by no means a canada goose outlet locations in toronto perfect witness. Yet he nevertheless eloquently expressed the guilt and grief he felt at his lack of empathy and action and offered a warning to future generations in his widely quoted poem: canada goose deals

canada goose First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out canada goose outlet online uk because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to buy canada goose uk speak for me.1 canada goose

canada goose coats on sale As Lutheran clergy, we recognize our tradition’s difficult history regarding racism and bigotry. Some, such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, were canada goose outlet hong kong https://www.pick-canadagoose.com quick to respond to and oppose the rise of Nazism in mid twentieth century Germany. Others, such as Niemller, responded over time. Still others sacrificed their faith to nationalistic fervor and betrayed the inclusive nature of the Gospel and became complicit with oppression and violence. Similarly, we are poignantly aware of Martin Luther’s vision of the expansive nature of God’s love for the world and his contradictory and painful failure canada goose outlet vip to apply that vision to all people, resulting in hateful and destructive attacks against his Jewish neighbors. In North America, some Lutherans supported slavery of African Americans, white supremacy, and oppression of Native Americans. canada goose coats on sale

Canada Goose Jackets For this reason, we canada goose outlet price recognize that we are not perfect witnesses against white supremacy and terrorism. Nevertheless, in light of the recent violence in Charlottesville and the ominous rise of white supremacy nationally, we feel called to state as clearly and forcibly as possible our unequivocal opposition to racism and bigotry, our condemnation of hate based violence, and our commitment to work strenuously for greater acceptance and equality in our congregations and communities. As leaders of Christian communities whose Lord has commanded that we care always for “the least of these” (Matt 25:40), we pledge our support to those who are oppressed because of their faith, race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexuality. When God declares God’s love for the world (John 3:16), it is for thewholeworld. Canada Goose Jackets

Canada Goose sale It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it canada goose outlet toronto location were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent canada goose outlet online store natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should canada goose outlet store uk demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.2 Canada Goose sale

Canada Goose Outlet A slave owner to his death, Washington also was not a perfect witness, yet he managed to offer eloquent testimony to his vision for a country where bigotry and persecution would find no refuge and tolerance would not be the exception but the norm. Canada Goose Outlet

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