“There are political dimensions whenever guns are discussed,” James Atwood writes, “but what happens in society because of guns makes them a profound spiritual concern that must be dealt with by people of faith. In spite of the metaphysical rhetoric to the contrary, guns actually do kill. That is their purpose. Although one cannot dismiss the political implications of guns, the spiritual implications, in my mind, far outweigh the purely political.”

A Presbyterian pastor (and a gun owner), Atwood wrote America and Its Guns: A Theological Exposé (Cascade Books, 2012) in memory of a member of his congregation who was killed by an assailant wielding a handgun. Atwood challenges the idea of security that guns provide, using theology, the Bible and his own practical experiences as a guide.

Tonight Outreach Ministries convenes an online discussion of Atwood’s provocative book. We advise you to read the text in advance. It is available in libraries and from online booksellers, including Amazon.

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