With an increase in both the frequency and severity of mass shootings—coupled with daily reminders of domestic violence, accidental shootings, and suicide by firearms—gun violence is a challenge that Americans cannot ignore. As the topic continues to take center stage in political arenas, in conversations about our schools, and in community town halls, the Church often remains silent, choosing not to engage in the polarizing discussions. But as the number of gun deaths escalate and the impact of gun violence is felt widely within our communities, we must be willing to engage the conversation.

What drives gun violence in our society, and how can Christians be a part of the conversation and a bigger part of the solution? Where do legal rights and moral challenges collide? Why is the political framing around guns presented as a partisan divide with “protecting the second amendment” on one hand and “preventing violence” on the other, and must Christians choose one political side over the other? What does the data reveal about the correlation between gun control and the incidence of violent crime across different U.S. communities? Join us as we explore relevant data and challenging questions as we engage the issue of gun violence to enhance our witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Conference Speakers

Dr. Jennifer Carlson

Dr. Jennifer Carlson is a Professor of Sociology at Arizona State University, and a MacArthur Fellow (Class of 2022). Her award-winning work examines the politics of guns in American life, including those who survive gun violence’s harrowing aftermath, police who enforce the country’s complex gun laws, gun sellers and retailers who are on the front lines of surges in gun purchasing, and the people who choose to own and carry guns. She is the author of Citizen-Protectors: The Everyday Politics of Guns in an Age of Decline (2015, Oxford University Press), Policing the Second Amendment: Guns, Public Law Enforcement and the Politics of Race (2020, Princeton University Press), and Merchants of the Right: Gun Sellers and the Crisis of Democracy (2023, Princeton University Press). Her academic articles have appeared in the leading sociology and law & society journals, including the American Journal of Sociology, Social Problems, Social Forces, and Law & Society Review. Beyond academia, Carlson has contributed to the public conversation on guns in a variety of platforms, from NPR and PBS to the Aspen Ideas Festival, and she has written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, among others.  She is currently the principal investigator on a National Science Foundation grant examining the experiences of gun violence survivors in Florida and California.

Dr. Michael Austin

Dr. Michael W. Austin is Foundation Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University, Bonhoeffer Senior Fellow of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership at Hebrew College, and current president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Kansas State University, an M.A. in philosophy from Talbot School of Theology, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

His research is focused on ethics and spiritual formation, especially issues related to the cultivation of character and connections between character and the common good. He’s published 15 books, including Humility and Human Flourishing (Oxford University Press, 2018) and God and Guns in America (Eerdmans, 2020). His latest book is Humility: Rediscovering the Way of Love and Life in Christ (Eerdmans, 2024). His next book, due out later this year, is American Christian Nationalism: Neither American nor Christian (Eerdmans).

Dr. Don Payne

Dr. Don J. Payne is Denver Seminary’s VP of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean. He joined the Seminary in 1998 as director of the suburban and rural training centers in the Training and Mentoring department. In 2001, he was appointed as associate dean and provided overall leadership for the Training and Mentoring program until 2013. In 2004, he was appointed as assistant professor of theology and ministry, then in 2013 as associate professor of Theology and Christian Formation.

Dr. Payne holds a PhD in systematic theology from the University of Manchester, England and an MDiv from Denver Seminary. He hosts Denver Seminary’s podcast, Engage360. His publications include Already Sanctified (Baker Academic) and Surviving the Unthinkable (Resource).

Contact:
Jason Woodman, director of Public Engagement for The Gospel Initiative, is available before, during, and after the event to answer questions.