Shane Claiborne 'turns guns into plowshares' in Boulder
Plus QAnon, a new bishop, a controversial monument and more
Happy Friday, Colorado! We hope everyone is looking forward to the upcoming long weekend. This past Sunday, Liam and Carina both attended a service at Boulder Mennonite Church where Christian activist Shane Claiborne preached and gave a demonstration of turning gun parts into garden tools, a ministry he and Michael Martin have been engaged in for the past 10 years based off several references in the Old Testament to beating swords into plowshares.
Boulder Mennonite is just across the street from the Table Mesa King Soopers, the site of the March 22 mass shooting where 10 people were killed by a gunman. During the demonstration Claiborne invited anyone affected by gun violence — which he noted was just about everyone in attendance — to step up and take a turn swinging the hammer.
Gun violence and what to do (or not do) about it has become an increasingly divisive issue in the U.S., and approaching the topic from a faith angle can help cut through some of the polarization, Claiborne said.
“Especially in Colorado, faith is the lens through which a lot of people see these issues,” he told us. We couldn’t agree more! And that’s exactly why we decided to start Have Faith, Colorado.
Here’s what else happened this week in religion:
A new bishop for Colorado Springs
On Tuesday, the Most Rev. James R. Golka became the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs. Golka is the diocese’s third bishop after his predecessor, the Most Rev. Michael J. Sheridan, who was bishop there for 18 years. Sheridan will stick around to help as needed at the 39 parishes and missions in the diocese, according to a Colorado Springs Gazette story that also includes a brief history of Golka’s life.
Golka became a priest 27 years ago and he was most recently the rector and pastor of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Grand Island, Nebraska. Golka learned of his election to bishop through a personal phone call with the apostolic nuncio to the Holy See in April. Debbie Kelley at the Gazette reported about that call, “Golka didn’t respond to the unknown number the first time, and the second time had to check to make sure the voice on the other end was authentic.”
After Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila installed Golka on Tuesday, a mass was held to celebrate the new bishop’s appointment on Thursday. Golka gave a short homily during the mass, in which he compared his new role to a marriage. He said, “I will say to you, the people of Colorado Springs, I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”
Divisive monument in Monument
Several organizations have called for the removal of a memorial honoring veterans in the Colorado Springs suburb of Monument for violating the separation of church and state. Created by a local Boy Scout, the memorial contains copyrighted logos of the U.S. Armed Forces and the phrase “Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you: Jesus Christ and the American Soldier; one died for your soul, the other died for your freedom.” Religion News Service, which has the story, notes that the town does not own the land the memorial is on. Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, says that “the issue is that a sectarian and Christian supremacist perspective is being promoted” and that his organization is exploring legal action. The city itself declined to comment.
Qalorado
Colorado gets several mentions in journalist Mike Rothschild’s new book The Storm is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything. The book details the creation and evolution of QAnon, culminating in the role it played in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Along with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, he describes a famous Colorado QAnon-adjacent figure in this way:
“The other was the pistol-packin’ Colorado restaurant owner Lauren Boebert, who had made the rounds on conspiracy theorist media after having public confrontations over COVID-19 restrictions and guns. Her Q allegiance came out soon after, with Boebert explaining on hardcore Q believer Ann Vandersteele’s YouTube show Steel Truth, ‘Everything that I’ve heard of Q, I hope that this is real, because it only means America is getting stronger and better, and people are returning to conservative values.’ Boebert and Greene were inexperienced newcomers who ran on a more local version of Donald Trump’s outsider populism. They won with small vote totals in their primaries, running campaigns based on conspiracy theories and fear of an onslaught of socialism. They even both attempted to disavow QAnon at one point — though not convincingly. But their districts were solidly conservative, with Greene’s so deeply red that a Republican pudding cup would win an election there. With onlookers shocked that two devotees of a crazy conspiracy cult could join Congress, that’s exactly what they did. Nobody should have been shocked at this point.”
Boebert has defended to media outlets that she is not a QAnon follower.
Rothschild also mentions Parker resident Cynthia Abcug in a section about crimes driven by QAnon beliefs. Abcug has been accused of working with QAnon supporters to have her son kidnapped from foster care and is now facing second-degree kidnapping charges.
What exactly is QAnon? Rothschild speaks to researchers and experts to determine how best to define the movement. They told Rothschild that while it contains elements of a cult, new religious movement, scam and political group, it doesn’t fall neatly into any category. Its Biblical allusions and language of spiritual warfare pulls from previous Christian conspiracy movements, but it’s also made inroads in the New Age sphere.
“The driving force of a cult is fear, and Q is full of fear,” psychologist Dr. Andrea Stein said.
Whatever QAnon is, Rothschild argues that the reason it grew so quickly is because it can make people feel like they aren’t passive observers of the world but part of something powerful. That desire is deeply intertwined with faith.
Briefly noted
Northglenn City Council approved a resolution on first reading to establish a “religious buffer zone” in town, following years of protests at a local mosque.
Colorado Springs pastor Ted Haggard was mentioned in the first episode of Christianity Today’s new podcast "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill" about the downfall of controversial megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll. The whole season promises to be interesting listening.
The Craig Daily Press’ new editor Cuyler Meade introduces himself by discussing his religious faith and what the story of Cain and Abel can teach us about our obligations to our neighbors.
On Monday, Gov. Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 280 into law, which broadens the state’s definition of what can be considered a bias-motivated crime. ADL Mountain States was one of the bill’s supporters.
Also on Monday, advocacy groups Colorado Immigrants Rights Coalition, Together Colorado, the Interfaith Immigration Network, and Immigration Consciousness held a prayer vigil in Aurora in support of a creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
“Have Faith, Colorado” is a weekly roundup and analysis of local religion articles in the Centennial State. It’s by Liam Adams and Carina Julig. Liam covers local news for Colorado Community Media and religion news as a freelancer. Carina covers education and other Aurora news at the Sentinel Colorado. To connect with us about the newsletter please email liamadams.journalism@gmail.com and carina.julig@colorado.edu, and follow us on twitter at @liamsadams and @CarinaJulig.