Nebraska Synod ELCA

Sept. 24, 2024

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
–The Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 5–

Earlier this summer, there was a tragic shooting at a presidential campaign rally in Pennsylvania. We still do not know the motive, but we do know that it was an example of our country’s political unrest. Recent events have shown that the level of anxiety and fear continues to increase. Violence is a language of despair which has no place in the civil discourse of a mature democratic republic.

There are six weeks remaining in this election season. As leaders of faith communities across the state of Nebraska, we believe in the transformative power of a commitment to treat one another with kindness, respect, and human dignity. We do not stand together today to align ourselves with a particular political party or viewpoint. We stand together today because we want to speak in the language of hope and peace.

We acknowledge that we, as people of various churches and worldviews, are not immune to division or disagreement. We confess that our histories are scarred with political, religious, and societal violence – acts of omission, commission, compliance and collaboration. We have struggled, and we will continue to struggle, to walk the way of dignity and respect in the midst of our disagreements and divisions. Even so, we choose to recommit ourselves to that way, and we invite others to do the same.

Today, we commit ourselves again to dialogue over division. We commit ourselves to speak with a hope that is faithful to our traditions, recognizing that peace is an active pursuit, one that requires courage and resilience.

Today, we call on our civic leaders to exercise responsibility in their rhetoric. We call on our civic leaders to reject the rhetoric of fear, envy, despair, and violence; to forge a brighter vision of what is possible rather than nightmarish warnings about an opponent’s envisioned future.

Today, we call on followers of our faith traditions to join us in seeking understanding over assumption. We call on one another to reach out to those with whom we disagree, to sit down together, to listen with an open heart and mind. We call on each other to prioritize compassion over vindication.

Most importantly, knowing the very real and sometimes deadly harm that comes from spreading falsehoods, we call on all citizens of Nebraska to be honest and trustworthy in all that we say and share in our public and private discourse.

Today, we encourage our fellow Nebraskans to choose hope over hate, to build bridges of understanding that reach toward reconciliation, to work together to create communities of peace where all can thrive. We come from different places and different traditions, but we stand together in hope – today, tomorrow, and always.

The Right Rev. J. Scott Barker, Bishop
Diocese of Nebraska
The Episcopal Church-USA

The Rev. Robin Blakemore, Regional Minister
Christian Church in Nebraska
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Most Rev. James D. Conley, Bishop
Diocese of Lincoln
Roman Catholic Church

The Rev. Polly Deppen-Williams, Executive Presbyter & Stated Clerk
Presbytery of Central Nebraska
Presbyterian Church (USA)

The Rev. Philip Hart, Interim Conference Minister
Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota Conferences
United Church of Christ

The Rev. Nancy Ross-Hullinger, Interim Stated Clerk
Missouri River Valley Presbytery
Presbyterian Church (USA)

The Rev. Scott Alan Johnson, Bishop
Nebraska Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Most Rev. George J. Lucas, Archbishop
Archdiocese of Omaha
Roman Catholic Church

The Rev. Erica Nelson, Stated Clerk
Homestead Presbytery
Presbyterian Church (USA)

The Rev. Dr. Nancy Tomlinson, District Superintendent
Southeast Nebraska District – Great Plains Conference
United Methodist Church