By the Baptist and Reflector
Baptist leaders were quick to respond in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 13.
Trump, who was injured in the attempt, was rushed off the stage quickly by Secret Service agents and reportedly is safe and under protective measures. As events unfolded, news outlets reported that the gunman and at least one person in attendance at the rally was killed and another injured.
The gunman believed to have been behind the assassination attempt was reportedly shot and killed by the Secret Service.
Brent Leatherwood, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, released the following statement through the ERLC.
“While reports show that President Trump is ‘doing fine,’ this is a horrific moment,” Leatherwood said. “The reality that this has taken place tonight should bring us to our knees.
“We should all stop to pray for President Trump and that those responsible will be swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. We should pray for anyone else injured by this despicable incident.
“In a democracy like ours, we voice our opinions, we passionately press our case, we bravely dissent and we loudly campaign for our cause. But we must never cross the line to harm those we disagree with. Political violence has hurt too many individuals and taken too many lives in our history. Now is the moment for all of us to unite and bring a swift and universal condemnation to this vile act that has no place whatsoever in America.
“While it will be easy to use this moment as an opportunity to dig in our heels, I urge Americans to pause, lament this violence and realize how far we have strayed from our nation’s ideals. Let’s commit to praying for our leaders, those who are willing to serve in public office, and appeal to our Lord that His reconciling work would be poured out on this nation to overcome the hatred that is so prevalent in our culture.”
Tennessee Baptist Mission Board president and executive director Randy C. Davis said, “We are praying for President Trump and the other victims of this senseless shooting.”
Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, wrote in a Facebook post that this “is a time for all of us to reconsider our political discourse and remember who we are as Americans.”
“Christians need to fervently pray for our country and its leaders,” he wrote. “We need to turn to the Lord like never before in our history.”
