More Than 700 Minnesota Faith Leaders Call on Governor Walz and Lawmakers to Ban Assault Weapons and High-Capacity Magazines

A Delegation Of 50 Clergy Members Delivered The Letter To The Governor's Office Today, Representing Faith Leaders From Over 60 Of Minnesota's 87 Counties And Kicking Off "Seven Days Of Prayer And Action" At The Capitol

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Today, a delegation of 50 clergy members delivered a letter to Governor Tim Walz and members of the Minnesota Legislature on behalf of more than 700 faith leaders from across Minnesota, calling for the passage of an assault weapons and high-capacity magazine ban.

The clergy signatories, representing over 60 of the state's 87 counties and a broad coalition of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and interfaith leaders, are urging state lawmakers to act with moral courage in the wake of the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, which left multiple children dead and wounded.

The letter delivery marks the start of "Seven Days of Prayer and Action", a weeklong series of daily public prayer services led by clergy and congregations across denominations. Each day through October 14, faith leaders will gather at 12:00 PM CT on the Upper Mall steps of the Minnesota State Capitol to pray for victims, survivors, and community healing - and to call on lawmakers to take action.

The Right Reverend Craig Loya, Bishop, Episcopal Church in Minnesota: "While there are many factors driving the epidemic of gun violence in our nation, and long term solutions will require a variety of approaches, we have before us in this moment a very clear moral choice between banning weapons whose only purpose is to kill large numbers of people, and the safety of our children in schools, our houses of worship, and other public assemblies. Any refusal to enact simple and sensible gun control now is accepting the murder of innocent children as a normal part of our society. Such an acceptance would be a moral failure of the greatest magnitude."

The Rev. Jen Nagel, Bishop, Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA: "As Christians, we practice Jesus' call for love of neighbor by working together to build and support communities that are safe, healthy, and connected. A ban on assault weapons is a step toward our neighbor, a step toward the flourishing of our communities, and a step toward healing from the continued trauma of gun violence. Along with many of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America bishops from across Minnesota, and echoing the words of our social message, I welcome a ban on assault weapons in Minnesota."

In the letter, clergy write:

"Our job, as people of faith, is to offer thoughts and prayers. Your job, as elected officials, is to make policy changes. It is time for courage."

The full clergy letter to Governor Walz and the Minnesota Legislature can be viewed here.

Assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are weapons of war designed for maximum lethality on the battlefield - not for use in classrooms, churches, or communities. From 2015 to 2022, mass shootings involving assault weapons resulted in nearly six times as many people shot and more than twice as many people killed per incident, on average.

In an average year, 527 Minnesotans are killed by guns and 1,174 more are wounded, including 39 children and teens. Research shows that states with assault weapons bans experience lower rates of active shooter incidents and mass shootings.

About "Seven Days of Prayer and Action"

Each day from October 8 through October 14, congregations will lead a short public prayer gathering at 12:00 PM CT on the Upper Mall steps of the Minnesota State Capitol. On Saturday, October 11, the event will be held virtually to allow statewide participation.

The gatherings are open to the public and expected to draw dozens of participants daily, including clergy, survivors, and community members praying for victims, survivors, and courageous leadership from lawmakers.