A pastoral message from Bishop Cedrick amid violence in Portland, Minneapolis
How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
or cry out to you “Violence!”
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence before me?
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
- Habakkuk 1: 2-4
Beloveds,
This message comes to you tonight amid news that federal agents shot two individuals in our community of Portland this afternoon. We don’t know many details of today’s incident, but we know anger and sadness pour out of us as this comes merely 24 hours after the death of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis at the hands of ICE.
This scripture speaks to us tonight in our own moment of tension in this country, having been written at a moment when political power was unstable, violence was increasing and people no longer trusted institutions meant to protect them.
We cry out: “How long, Lord?” How long must we tolerate this never-ending violence that pits neighbor against neighbor? How long must we watch the vulnerable made targets of our ignorance? How long will we live paralyzed without justice made real?
It is easy in these moments of tension and trouble to seek quick answers and swift solutions. But we must remain steadfast in our knowledge that the Lord leads us through the darkness toward the light. We must heed the message of Habakkuk while we honor the knowledge that our story continues.
“ For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Isaiah 60: 2-3.
As people of faith called United Methodists, we are to be practitioners of peace while actively resisting acts of evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms the present themselves.
Tonight, I urge you to pray. For Portland. For Minneapolis. For Washington D.C., Venezuela, Gaza and everywhere in between. For all of God’s children. Let the salutation of your prayer be evident on the other side of the action you take to address the policies and practices that incite violence and condone silence.
For the love of all of God’s children.
With you in lament,
Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth
Greater Northwest Episcopal Area
Juddie Thorpe
We can’t be silent, we need to let our voices be heard loud and clear
junehiza
Thank you for this message, as so many grieve the actions of our government which destroys the faith values which respect and care about the other.
Jeffery L. Hess
Dear Bishop,
It has been some time since we spoke in person. I am troubled by the recent past events in my state, country, world and universe. Your use of the verses Habakkuk 1: 2-4 do describe our times and raise a question that has been on my heart for many years since President Trump entered power with many “Christians” following his words. It has been how we as United Methodists can read our bibles and come to virtually opposite interpretations of the same passages that the Christian followers of Trump come to. Or look at world events and see the passages of the scripture in a totally different meaning of them.
What I mean by this question is, the verse you use in your text, Isaiah 60: 2-3, is looked at by the “Christian Nationalists” as supporting their view of the world being dark. For instance many of that group honestly believe that the United States has been covered in darkness by policy decisions of folks of the liberal persuasion in their believe that things like marriage between a woman and woman is a sin, or “illegal immigrants” are to be rounded up like cattle and thrown out, or giving away food to people is a waste of money. These types of “true” belief in a religion are what has caused schisms in our Christian faith for at least 2000 and religion in general since the beginning of mankind.
My question is, not ignoring Revelations, how do we coexist with better harmony with out the dissonance in our neighborhoods. For are not the Maga folks our neighbors. If we are truly on the path of Christ, as I believe your message is on then how is that practically to be done. Are we not called to share the “good news” to all mankind? Yes, and therefore Christ’s example of how he approached every sin he met is the teaching. It is hard work to love those that are not dressed like us or act like us or believe like us but planting the seed of Christ’s simple love is a start. But we must first look at ourselves and our actions toward those who are “not like us” and love them. Again the paradox is that the “Christian Nationalist” (which include a lot of named groupings of “conservative” believers) read the same passage totally opposite,
Just my question of how we can believe so strongly in convictions and others theirs and still live together and communicate.
Jeff Hess
NFUMC
Diana Nielsen
Thank you for this comforting balm when it feels injustice and hate are all around us.