Baptist leaders were quick to respond in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. A focus on prayer and unity continued throughout the weekend as leaders shared their thoughts on Saturday’s tragic events.
Trump, who was injured in the attempt, was rushed off the stage quickly by Secret Service agents and taken to a safe location. As events unfolded, news outlets reported that the gunman and one person in attendance at the rally were killed, and at least two others were injured but reported in stable condition on Sunday. The man who lost his life while attending the rally has been identified as 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, who had a wife and two daughters.
The gunman, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by the Secret Service.
‘TONIGHT SHOULD BRING US TO OUR KNEES’
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.”
‘CHRISTIANS NEED TO FERVENTLY PRAY’
Tony Wolfe, executive director-treasurer of SCBaptists, said, “The depravity of man knows no boundaries apart from Christ. The recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump sent shock waves through the American public, and those waves reverberate with the weight of eternity in every Christian’s heart.
“Let Christ’s people call upon the mercy of God for our country, and let them overflow with the light of the gospel on this dark day in our nation’s history,” Wolfe said.
Tennessee Baptist Mission Board president and executive director Randy 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.”
On Sunday morning, July 14, Baptist General Convention of Texas executive director Julio Guarneri tweeted a prayer on X: “As we prepare to gather in our houses of worship, we grieve. Our country, and the world, has been shaken by the tragedy that occurred yesterday.
“The violent attack on former President Trump and the senseless loss of lives reminds us of our divisions and our brokenness. Regardless of political persuasion, Your people hold human life sacred because You do. Any attack on those made in Your image is a transgression against You.
“Today may Your gathered people pray in humility. May we grieve before You for the state of our world. May we repent of bitterness, hatred, malicious talk and pettiness. May we seek Your forgiveness, experience Your grace, and desire to be like You. May we learn to pray for and talk to those who disagree with us. May Your people be peacemakers so that we can truly be called the children of God.”
Bart Barber, immediate past president of the Southern Baptist Convention, posted a message on his blog for members of his congregation, First Baptist Church Farmersville, asking them to “pray for our nation.”
“Let us make it clear that this kind of behavior is unacceptable. Unlike people in many other places around the world, we get to speak by way of our votes,” Barber wrote.
“We live in a nation where our votes are not coerced, we are not threatened or intimidated in our voting, our votes are fairly counted every time, and our country transfers power every time in accord with the expressed wishes of the people.”
He urged prayer for Trump “no matter how you plan to vote in November.”
“Let us all speak with one voice saying that this kind of behavior is WRONG. Let us not contribute to making things worse but let us be the ones summoning what Lincoln called ‘the better angels of our nature’ in all of those around us,” Barber wrote.
“Let us do all of those things around our family tables, in our Sunday school classrooms, and in our presence online.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector, newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. With reporting from The Baptist Paper, Baptist Standard, and The Baptist Courier.