Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, has issued a pastoral letter regarding teenager Kyle Rittenhouse’s acquittal Friday of first-degree intentional homicide and four other felony charges. The ELCA’s “social message on Community Violence urges us to become more involved in countering the reality and fear of violence in our communities and our neighbors’ communities, pursuing justice and seeking peace no matter how long the journey or complex the challenge,” the letter read, in part.
“When a child is allowed to become a vigilante in our society without recourse, we are forced to confront the idols of our society: guns, violence and white supremacy,” the letter continued. “To be sure, this is not about one person, but indeed about all of us, together.
“Today’s acquittal is an injustice. It points to the disorder in which we all live. As we seek to restore justice, so also will we restore God to God’s rightful place at the center of our life together.”
