At a vigil for Renee Good, who was shot to death by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis last week, an Episcopal bishop called on clergy in his diocese to be willing to follow the example of other “martyrs” like Good and Oscar Romero, who died standing up to injustice in El Salvador.
“I have told the clergy of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire that we may be entering into that same witness,” Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld, bishop of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, said on Friday. And I’ve asked them to get their affairs in order—to make sure they have their wills written, because it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.”
You may unsubscribe from any of our newsletters at any time.
The video of his statement has gone viral and is generating a great deal of conversation among clergy both in the United States and in Canada. It marks a shift in the rhetoric of non-violent Christian resistance to the Trump administration and ICE’s arrests and detentions. Hirschfeld goes on to say:
“And it may mean that we are going to have to act in a new way that we have never seen perhaps in our lifetime, except for these remote stories that I’ve just cited, to put our faith in the God of life, of resurrection, of a love that is stronger than death itself.”
You can read his full remarks here.
What are your thoughts on his words? Let us know in the comments.
***
Rev. Christopher White is a United Church minister in Hamilton.
Thanks for reading
Independent journalism rooted
in faith and justice is under threat
Broadview is the only media organization in Canada offering thoughtful, values-driven journalism from an inclusive, progressive Christian perspective. But our work depends on your support. If you value what you've just read, please act now.
A gift today helps keep this journalism alive tomorrow.
With gratitude,
