In American culture, freedom is our most celebrated ideal.
We were founded around the idea of freedom, indeed fought a revolution to be
free from a king. The American fabric includes a free press, freedom to worship as
we please, and living in a free society. At times, our foreign policy is driven
by a notion to “export freedom.”
Freedom is also a celebrated ideal within Christian
faith. Here is what the Apostle Paul wrote to new Christians in Galatia:
For you were called
to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an
opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.
For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.” If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care
that you are not consumed by one another.
(Galatians 5: 13-15)
My journey is understanding guns and gun violence from a
Christian perspective. More and more I believe the meaning of “freedom” is
where we must ponder our differences. There is often a difference in the way many
Americans understand freedom and what Christians believe about freedom.
From Paul’s words we (Christians) understand freedom as the
freedom to love others in community; that Christian freedom is not about me, or
my rights, or self-indulgence. No, we are slaves/servants of one another. In
essence, freedom is centered in what Jesus said was THE most important
commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Christian freedom is best understood within the context
of what we can do for another. I wonder if Paul’s cautionary words connecting
freedom to devouring one another can be understood as our gun freedoms
devouring nearly 30,000 Americans every year? Perhaps at the center of our Christian
pondering is whether we believe that it is necessary to sacrifice a personal
right or the freedom to buy and carry ANY gun, so that we acknowledge the
community’s need for public safety?
