Evangelical activist Shane Claiborne joins the podcast to talk about America's epidemic of gun violence.  We recorded this episode on March 24th - a few days after mass shootings in Atlanta and Boulder, and the 3rd anniversary of the March For Our Lives. The conversation includes why gun violence is both a heart problem and a law/legislation problem, why Americans make idols of guns and rugged individualism, and Virginia becoming the 23rd state to outlaw the death penalty.  The problem of gun violence can certainly look bleak, but Shane has an infectious hope that meaningful change is possible, and we felt more hopeful after talking with him.

"He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.  They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.  Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." Isaiah 2:4, NIV

Find Shane Claiborne online:

Twitter:  @shaneclaiborne

Facebook:  ShaneClaiborne

Instagram:  ShaneClaiborne

Books by Shane Claiborne:

Beating Guns: Hope for People Who are Weary of Violence by Shane Claiborne and Michael Martin. Order here:  https://thesimpleway.myshopify.com/collections/books/products/beating-guns-hope-for-people-who-are-weary-of-violence

Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why Its Killing us by Shane Claiborne.  Order here:  https://thesimpleway.myshopify.com/collections/books/products/beating-guns-hope-for-people-who-are-weary-of-violence

Other books by Shane you can view and order here:  https://thesimpleway.myshopify.com/collections/books

Article on Shane Claiborne's activism:  https://www.newyorker.com/news/on-religion/god-guns-and-country-the-evangelical-fight-over-firearms

Mentioned on the Pod:

Article:  Virginia bans the death penalty.  https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/24/politics/virginia-governor-signs-law-death-penalty/index.html

Article:  8 million people have left the church between 2016-2020.  https://newrepublic.com/article/161772/can-religion-give-ptsd

Article:  Seeing Gun Violence as Pro-Life Issue by Shane Claiborne.  https://baptistnews.com/article/seeing-gun-violence-as-a-pro-life-issue/#.YGOmJ0hKiSM

Article:  Rethinking the Second Amendment by Shane Claiborne.  https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2021/3/24/22347346/maybe-its-time-to-rethink-the-second-amendment-christians

-Check out Zach's music by going to:  https://muzach.bandcamp.com

-Read Dave's occasional blogging at:  www.dangeroushope.wordpress.com.

Twitter:

@vcwpod

Zach- @muzach

Dave- @Davejlester

Podcast music by Zach Malm

Logo by Zach Malm