To Heal This Land: A Word From Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

I’m very concerned about a country that I do love,
and about us potentially being on the verge of living out
the opposite of unselfish, sacrificial love.
And I don’t mean that as rhetoric:
I mean that as the only way that we will live together
and have life together because the opposite is self-destruction.

I say that as a follower of Jesus and as a human being.
How can we help this country—
and help our people to help this country—
to bind up our wounds, to learn to live democracy,
and to truly be a country where there is liberty and justice for all. 
That’s at stake.

I never thought I would think this in my life.
As a child of the Civil Rights movement—
those who fought for equal rights and justice,
and freedom for all,
never questioned the fact that the democracy itself would hold.
We have been forced to ask the question:
Is e pluribus unum really possible?
Is democracy possible?
Is human equality possible?

And I just believe that if we can help our people—
and this is not partisan—
if we can help our people to find their voice
and claim the values and the ideals that most people probably believe,
then maybe we can help find their voice
and they can help others,
and we can help to heal this land,
and help this country join with others and heal God’s creation.

That is the calling of the God who called us into being in the first place.

Words from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, spoken to the House of Bishops on July 9, 2022 at the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church.