Ending Gun Violence

Over the past half-century, faith communities in the U.S. and Texas have published statements, studies, community resources, and legislative challenges calling for an end to gun violence. These public statements sometimes have been in response to mass shootings, but the faith community’s experience with gun violence goes far beyond shock and dismay at high-profile incidents.

Congregations are located in communities impacted by gun violence. Church volunteers serve in communities with high gun violence rates; chaplains comfort families who lose loved ones to gun violence; clergy members perform funerals for victims of gun violence; and increasingly, faith communities of all types are finding themselves targets for gun violence including mass shootings. Now, Texas Impact is extending mainline faith traditions’ role in addressing gun violence to the Legislature.

Recommendations Toward Ending Gun Violence

• Establish standards for responsible gun ownership, including licensing requirements
• Regulate gun purchasing, including establishing regulations related to age and regulations related to evidence that the purchaser poses a threat to themselves or others
• Enhance safety and support for congregations and other local groups that are particularly vulnerable to gun violence
• Fund research to identify efficacious strategies for peacemaking in local communities