Kingdom Dreams Violent Realities

48 Pages·2017·0.23 MB·English

FAITHJ
Kingdom Dreams
Violent Realities
USTICE
Reflections on gun violence
from Micah 4:1-4
PEACE
FAITHJ
USTICE

“In days to come…they shall beat their swords
into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more…for the
mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.”
Micah 4:1-4
Kingdom Dreams, Violent Realities is a three-week Bible study produced by
the General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church. First
created in 2014, this edition has been revised and updated by Jeania Ree V.
Moore, Director of Civil and Human Rights.
Washington, D. C.
2016
Kingdom Dreams Violent Realities
Table of Contents
Foreword by Bishop Sally Dyck ....................................................... 6
Introduction ............................................................................... 8
Week 1 ..................................................................................... 10
The Common Good • Micah 4:1-2
Week 2 ............................................................................... 17
Transformation • Micah 4:3
Week 3 .................................................................................... 27
Flourishing • Micah 4:4
Conclusion ............................................................................... 37
Resolution #3428 “Our Call to End Gun Violence” .............................. 39
Resources ................................................................................ 44
Kingdom Dreams Violent Realities
A message from Bishop Sally Dyck
Dear Friends:
Recently in the Chicago Tribune, there was an article about “one gun’s
journey” (October 7, 2016). A woman’s South Shore apartment had been
broken into and a gang member stole her .40-caliber Glock handgun. The
woman purchased the gun for her personal safety. But in the hands of a
gang member who stole it, it left a trail of 42 bullet casings, two people dead
and five wounded.
The “journey of guns” is a reality across our nation and our world. In
Chicago, the police seize one illegal gun about every 75 minutes, so imagine
the multiple journeys of these guns alone in one city. The “journey of guns”
happens between states where guns are trafficked into states with stricter
laws. The “journey of guns” happens globally, for instance between the
US and the Philippines, where there is a major gun violence problem after
recent elections.
Chicago is known throughout the world for its gun violence. As I write this,
there have been over 600 deaths and over 3500 shootings in 2016. Only
cooler weather seems to deter the shootings.
If 3500 people have directly experienced gun violence in one year alone,
and they each have 2 family members (they probably have more), that’s
7000 people that have been traumatized. If they have 5 friends (probably
more) that’s another 17,500 people impacted with trauma. If they belong to
any group, like a church, club or school, another 50 people (probably more)
are traumatized in their circle, totaling 175,000 people.
All told that’s about 200,000 people who have been traumatized in some
way in one year’s worth of gun violence so far! Gun violence is a public
health issue for many reasons, including major trauma for individuals and
communities.
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Kingdom Dreams Violent Realities
Most residents in the United States—9 out of 10—would prefer stricter gun
laws (New York Times, Editorial Board, 10/10/16). Even gun owners prefer that
there be stricter laws, such as sensible laws including background checks
and bans on gun ownership by domestic abusers or the mentally ill. Yet, year
after year our elected officials in Congress and in statehouses reject even
mild, gradual changes and continue to pass legislation that allows people
to carry concealed weapons in public places with no permit, no background
check, and no training. Many good Christians own guns and use them for
appropriate purposes. However, without stricter gun laws—nationally and
internationally—we actually place ourselves and others in greater jeopardy.
This Bible study, Kingdom Dreams, Violent Realities, is important in helping
us identify and articulate the common good that is essential in our policies
and attitudes toward guns. We need biblically-based and faith-filled
conversations about this public health epidemic. Lives are at stake!
Sally Dyck
Resident Bishop
Chicago Area
October 2016
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Kingdom Dreams Violent Realities
Introduction
Micah 4:1-4
1 In days to come
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised up above the hills.
Peoples shall stream to it,
2 and many nations shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3 He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more;
4 but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,
and no one shall make them afraid;
for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
At the 2016 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, the
resolution “Our Call to End Gun Violence” was passed, becoming an
official church statement and part of the Book of Resolutions. “Our Call
to End Gun Violence” draws on Micah 4:1-4 for its biblical inspiration,
applying Micah’s prophetic dream of peace to our violent reality. This
study deepens the connection between gun violence and Micah 4:1-4 by
providing an opportunity to delve into the text thematically while exploring
the multifaceted issue of gun violence. Over the course of the three
weeks, we engage Micah 4:1-4 through the themes of the common good,
transformation, and flourishing. These themes draw out the theological
meaning of the passage, provide a window into the causes and implications
of gun violence, and suggest faith-filled responses to this scourge.
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Kingdom Dreams Violent Realities
At the end of the study is the text of Resolution #3428 “Our Call to End Gun
Violence” and a list of advocacy issues and resources.
As “Our Call to End Gun Violence” states, “Whether it happens in the
towns of northeastern Nigeria, a suburb in the United States, the streets of
Australia, or an office in France, gun violence has become an all-too-often
frightening phenomenon. We need the reality of Micah’s vision more than
ever.” Gun violence is a tragic reality the world over. In light of this global
context, this study provides particular focus on the United States. Gun
violence in the United States of America is staggering, with 91 people killed
by guns each day. The U.S., which has less than 5 percent of the world’s
population, has 30-50 percent of the world’s civilian-owned guns. This has
a tremendous impact both on the United States and on other nations. If gun
violence is not a significant reality in your community or country, there are
several ways you can engage this study. Use the points of connection and
juxtaposition with the picture presented here to probe how your community
might engage the issue of gun violence. Consider what issues of violence
are a reality and what lessons may apply from this study. Pray for your fellow
Christians where gun violence is a reality.
As suggested in the title of this study, there is a gap between prophesied
dreams of the Kingdom and the present violent reality. What do future visions
of peace mean for a very violent present? How are we to understand this and
other prophetic scriptures? Is prophecy of the Kingdom only about a far-off
time yet to come, or does prophecy about the future have some bearing on
the present? This tension is, in many ways, at the heart of this study. Read
on to learn how prophetic dreams of the future Kingdom can infuse and
transform the reality of the present.
1 Everytown Research, “Gun Violence by the Numbers,” https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-
numbers/, accessed 1 November 2016. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
2 D’Vera Cohn, Paul Taylor, et al, “Gun Homicide Rate Down 49% Since 1993 Peak; Public Unaware: Chapter 5:
Context,” Pew Research Center, 7 May 2013, http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/05/07/chapter-5-context,
accessed 1 November 2016.
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Kingdom Dreams Violent Realities
Week 1
The Common Good
Micah 4:1-2
1 In days to come
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised up above the hills.
Peoples shall stream to it,
2 and many nations shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
The Passage
Little is known about the eight-century BCE prophet Micah, yet his words
and imagery are some of the most memorable in the Bible. Throughout the
book of Micah, prophecy alternates between condemnation for injustice and
opportunities for repentance. Micah 4:1-2 begins a message of repentance.
To grasp its meaning, we must recall the condemnation in chapter 3 and the
broader context of the book.
The political situation within and without ancient Israel sets the backdrop
for Micah’s words. Micah lives at a worrisome time for Israel. Powerful
nations like Assyria lurk in the shadows, ready to invade the Kingdom of
Judah.3 These external threats mirror the rockiness of the internal situation.
Previous years of economic development, coupled with corrupt leaders, have
sprouted grave inequality and violent injustice within the nation
3 Klaus Koch. The Prophets: The Assyrian Period. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, p. 104.
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