Dear brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Christ Our Hope,
On Friday, June 24, 2022 the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade. We praise God for this decision because we uphold the sanctity of life from conception to natural death and recognize the inherent value and worth of all people so lovingly created by God in his own image.
We also recognize that while many rejoice in this decision, others are fearful, angry, or confused. Emotions and reactions from pro-abortion supporters have revealed profound, startling divisions within our communities. The disagreements over beliefs and values concerning human identity, human autonomy, and human value are real.
As the church, we must be prepared to respond faithfully to the upheaval around us. We must be prepared to engage with the actual beliefs and values operative within this tense atmosphere with wisdom and confidence. But we must also be a faithful people of hospitality and welcome, a gracious and compassionate community. The church must be a place where people have space to ask and wrestle with difficult questions and find answers in the unshakable truth and love of Jesus Christ. Always remember that love and truth is embodied most tangibly through real people, the members of the Body of Christ: us.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul reminds us what this looks like:
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor. 13:4-7)
As the divisions and chaos around us reach a fever pitch, our call is to be humble, respectful, patient, kind, not insisting on our own way, not irritable or resentful, but bearing the broken and lost to Jesus. We are sinners, saved by grace and called to embody God’s generous grace, even to those bitterly opposed to that which we cherish. How we act and interact will bring light and life to our world to the degree our character reflects our Lord.
The Supreme Court’s decision does not put an end to the many other issues that continue to violate the sanctity of life. Poverty, injustice, prejudice, hunger, and exploitation of all types remain. In the midst of those issues, the church is called to be a beacon of hope. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus, doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly before our God. Practically speaking, we must embrace and support mothers and families facing unexpected pregnancies. We must offer God’s healing and forgiveness for those suffering from an abortion experience. We must care for the poor and afflicted and feed the hungry. In all this, we live as citizens of the new heavens and new earth, proclaiming in word and deed the hope offered in the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us thank God for this decision, and let us actively support one another in relying on his grace and wisdom to live as faithful witnesses in our world.
In the name of Jesus,
Bp. Steve
