When the NRA Writes Your Theology

Author Carolyn Davis argues that the influence of the gun lobby and the National Rifle Association on not only U.S. public policy but the theology of Christian Americans puts the lives of women and families at grave risk.

Jesus was not the only holy man on the scene in first-century Palestine.

There were others who wandered the countryside, performing “miracles,” proclaiming new ideas about God, collecting disciples, and even baptizing others. Within this context, the author of 2 Timothy offers a critical warning to Christ-followers. Competing ideas abound when it comes to who or what demands our loyalty as Christians. We must weigh carefully whether the ideas grounding our faith actually reflect the truth of the gospel—that God wants for us life and life abundant.

When it comes to the facts surrounding domestic violence (or intimate partner violence), the challenge presented in the fourth chapter of 2 Timothy remains as relevant today as it was more than 2000 years ago. In the U.S., “abundant life” competes regularly with the false prophets of violence. The terrifying rate at which women are dying at the hands of their intimate partners intersects with an entrenched American gun culture that has sold believers on the idea that more guns means more safety. In reality, women in the U.S. are 11 times more likely to be murdered with a gun than women in other high-income countries.

The above excerpt was originally published in Sojourners. Click here to view the full article.

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.