A statement from the Bishop Suffragan-elect regarding recent events in Ferguson, Missouri

‘We are called to learn from and follow the example of Jesus’

Our nation has been gripped by the events in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting death by a police officer of an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, on August 9. The shooting, and the violence that has ensued, are the inevitable consequences when people regard each other with fear and mistrust, and see only labels that define differences, rather than see the human person made in the image and likeness of God. Sadly, there are far too many of these occurrences in our own country and in the world today.

As Christians, we are called to learn from and follow the example of Jesus, who looked past every exterior that separates, straight into the individual human heart. As Episcopalians, we are called to live into our baptismal covenant, resisting evil wherever we find it, respecting the dignity of every person, and striving for justice and peace in our homes, our neighborhoods, and in the systems that constrict and oppress, whether they be based on race, creed, or any other form of prejudice.

The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland embraces in prayer the soul of Michael Brown, his family, police officer Darren Wilson, and all those whose lives are being directly impacted by the continuing violence and confusion. Let these events call us to conscience and self-examination so that we renew our commitment to be agents of peace and reconciliation in our own particular context.

– Bishop Suffragan-elect Heather Elizabeth Cook