FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
UNITARIANS MOURN SENSELESS VIOLENCE,
AND CALL ON ALL COMMUNITIES OF FAITH TO RE-AFFIRM THE RIGHT
TO WORSHIP
Canadian Unitarians respond to the
tragic violence on Sunday, July 27, when a stranger opened
fire during a children’s program at Tennessee Valley
Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, killing two
adults and wounding seven more:
We mourn with our brothers and
sisters at Tennessee Valley the senseless and tragic
violence and loss of life that occurred in their community
last Sunday morning. We hold them in our hearts, and
remember with them that Love is the spirit of this church. .
.
"Such specific, targeted violence in
a single community affects all people of faith," said Jean
Pfleiderer, President of the Canadian Unitarian Council.
Our outrage at this violence is
first for the people of the community in Knoxville, the
families who have lost loved ones, and the adults and
children whose personal suffering cannot be measured.
But also, we as faith communities
everywhere, must be outraged for the violation to all who
gather in worship anywhere, whose trust in the time-honoured
tradition of a church as a religious sanctuary is violated
anew.
"Collectively, we as religious
communities must affirm together that acts of hatred and
fear can never be tolerated as commentaries on religious
beliefs or social justice policies," said Rev Carole
Martignacco, President of the Unitarian Universalist
Ministers of Canada.
Rev. Chris Buice, the minister at
Tennessee Valley, was quoted in an op-ed column printed last
March in the Knoxville paper as saying:
"In the midst of political and
religious controversy, I choose to love my neighbors as
myself...Ultimately, I believe that tolerance, compassion
and respect are the qualities we need to keep Knoxville and
East Tennessee beautiful."
Compassion, respect and tolerance –
are not those the very qualities needed to keep the world
beautiful in every corner? Published months before the
violent events in his congregation that tragically disrupted
last Sunday's worship service, Rev. Buice's words
nonetheless represent the stance taken by Unitarians and
Universalists everywhere to injustice anywhere.
We stand in solidarity with him and
his words. We applaud his faithful defense of human rights
and his commitment to social justice. We invite other faith
communities to stand with us.
We grieve with him now and offer our
prayers for his congregation, that they may feel our loving
support as they begin the long road toward recovery and
healing.
Statement issued jointly by:
Rev. Carole Martignacco (cell:
819-577-5533), President of the Unitarian Universalist
Ministers of Canada, and
Jean Pfleiderer, Ph.D. (cell:
613-484-6182), President of the Canadian Unitarian Council.
The Canadian Unitarian Council/Conseil
unitarien du Canada (CUC), is an association of forty-five
congregations located across Canada with 5,400 individual
members. Arising out of the work of outspoken reformers and
dissenters within the Christian tradition five centuries
ago, the Unitarian movement today includes Universalists and
flows in a broad religious stream augmented by Humanist,
earth-centred, Buddhist and other progressive beliefs.
Canadian Unitarian Council,
018-1179A King Street West (at Dufferin) Toronto ON M6K 3C5
416-489-4121. Toll-free: 1-888-568-5723
Vancouver office: 604 -264-0088
|
