LITTLE ROCK — The enactment of Act 67, which lifted the ban on concealed weapons in churches, has congregations around the state debating what to do. Some see the law as a way to protect their flocks, while others see no place for guns in a house of worship.

The Church Protection Act, effective as of Monday, allows individuals with concealed handgun permits to bring their guns to worship services if the church allows it. That means houses of worship now have to decide whether to allow guns or ban them.

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock said Catholics should already know the answer - no guns in church.

“It’s not a matter of advising [our parishes],” he said. “Guns are forbidden in church.”

The only weapons allowed in Catholic parishes, Taylor said, are the blunt ceremonial swords worn by members of the Knights of Columbus. For Taylor, allowing guns in a place of worship is at odds with the Christian faith.

“The idea of bringing weapons into church flies completely in the face of all we stand for as Christians,” he said.

William Lawrence, dean of Perkins School of Theology in Dallas and an expert in church history, said churches have traditionally been seen as places of refuge.

“A church or a house of worship is place of sanctuary,” Lawrence said. “That meant you did not bring into the place of sanctuary any device that would threaten another person - a gun, knife - you don’t bring those things into a house of worship because the sanctuary is a place of refuge, of prayer.”

Throughout the centuries, violence has found its way into the church. One of the most infamous examples is that of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century. He was murdered near the high altar of Canterbury Cathedral by sword-wielding knights of King Henry II of England.

“That had such an impact on England at the time, because people realized it was a heinous event,” said the Rt. Rev. Larry Benfield, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas. “When the church is violated, it lessens all of us.”

The event is tied to the history of the Anglican Church, which includes the Episcopal Church. He said the Episcopal Church has passed resolutions encouraging gun control and to declare churches as “Gun Free Zones” but there is no church law requiring parishes to be gun free.

Benfield said he is opposed to the new Arkansas law.

“Churches should be places of sanctuary where people feel free from outside dangers and this legislation reduces the church to another place that simply mimics the dangers that people face in the outside world every day,” he said.

DIOCESE DISCUSSION

Benfield said the executive council of the diocese will meet in March and discuss the law and decide on a policy.

“I hope, personally as bishop, that there will not be guns in Episcopal churches in Arkansas,” he said. “I’m not against guns. I own a shotgun myself but the level of gun violence in this country is unbelievably bad. We need to find ways where guns are seen less in our streets, in places of business and in places of worship.”

Lawrence said the incidence of church violence that stands out for him is the 2009 murder of Dr. George Tiller, who was shot to death while serving as usher in a Kansas church. Tiller performed late term abortions and was killed by anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder.

“The thought that somebody could come into the sanctuary of his church ... and could kill him in that space, it was not only an outrageous act of murder, it was the very idea that a weapon would be brought into a house of worship. It was appalling,” he said.

Lawrence said the new Arkansas law leaves churches with many issues to consider, such as liability and the safety of children in churches that also house preschools or daycare centers.

“Think about a situation where a disgruntled parent is fighting over custody and somebody goes berserk and shows up,” he said. “The church is going to have to take precautions and I hate to think it will come to this but some may have to install metal detectors.”

In Siloam Springs, Pastor Tim Sallee at the nondenominational Christian Life Church said he has no problem with responsible handgun owners who have the proper permits bringing their guns to church. Sallee said he is more concerned with labeling his church as a gun-free zone.

“Having a sign up that says this is a firearm free zone would give someone that might have the wrong intentions evidence that there would be nothing here to deter him,” he said.

SECOND AMENDMENT

Sallee is the founder of the Christian Waterfowlers Association and his church hosts a yearly International Waterfowl Festival and Outdoor Expo. He said his congregation supports the Second Amendment and the right to defend themselves. Even so, he doesn’t expect many to bring their guns to church.

“We’re not going to wake up Sunday morning and everyone in the congregation has a gun,” he said.

United Methodists addressed the guns in church issue in 2000, when the denomination passed a resolution that states in part, “every United Methodist church is officially declared a weapon free zone.” The resolution, which focused on gun violence, was readopted in 2008 but it doesn’t carry the same weight as church law, said the Rev. Gary Mueller, bishop of the Arkansas Conference of the denomination.

“The Book of Resolutions is for edification and teaching,” he said. “It carries educational weight.”

Since the denomination doesn’t have a resolution banning guns in the Book of Discipline, Mueller said the conference staff is discussing the issue, including the legal ramifications, and devising a plan for advising churches.

“Quite honestly, I regret that the Legislature passed it,” Mueller said. “It’s a complicated faith issue and on all issues good people, faithful people often disagree and when you add to that First and Second Amendment issues, it’s increasingly complex and complicated.”

Mueller said the United Methodist Church believes in “the notion of church as an ancient place of sanctuary.”

AUTONOMOUS BAPTISTS

Unlike hierarchical churches like the Catholic Church or United Methodists, Baptist churches are autonomous. Even those that belong to the Southern Baptist Convention or other Baptist groups may share common ideals but they make their own rules and each will have to decide what to do with Act 67.

The Rev. Randy Hyde, senior pastor at Pulaski Heights Baptist Church in Little Rock, said the church council discussed the issue Monday night but they are delaying action until the legislative session is over.

“But we will probably adopt a policy, that I would imagine, would read that we will not allow concealed weapons in our church,” Hyde said. “But, we’ll wait.”

The church will not, however, post signs declaring no weapons are allowed or put an announcement in the worship bulletins.

“We don’t want guns to be the issue around here at all,” he said.

Rabbi David Lipper at Congregation B’nai Israel in Little Rock said the synagogue’s board will meet next week and will likely discuss the law. Lipper said he’s saddened that it passed.

“The last time guns were brought into a synagogue it did not go well for the Jewish people,” he said, referring to the Holocaust. “I’m very concerned that they’ve created a situation where we either have to allow them or declare that we are unarmed.”

Lipper said the opinion of the congregation is that synagogues and churches should be places of peace free from weapons.

“Isaiah said, ‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks,’” Lipper said, quoting from Isaiah 2:4, which goes on to say, “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

“The idea of an armed population in worship is counter to every value we promote,” he said.

Religion, Pages 12 on 02/16/2013