Reflections on Violence - Fr. Marcus Burch

2025ReflectionsViolence

Sep 12

Cain and Abel

September 12, 2025

From Fr. Christopher: “Another great reflection for us to think about this week from our Chancellor, Fr. Marcus Burch [of St. John of the Ladder Orthodox Church in Greensville, SC].”

Dear Faithful of SJOTL,

The blessing of the Lord!

I rarely respond to current events. What follows is a brief reflection from a perspective that is faithful to Christ and Gospel.

And, I must begin by saying that before the news of his murder, I had never heard of Charlie Kirk. I am therefore not familiar with his political ideology or rhetoric in any detail, so what I offer is not any commentary on the political nature of this tragedy. What I do know, however, is that by the very nature of our political debate today, he was a divisive figure. That in itself speaks less about him personally and more about the state of our public life—where debate is shaped not by listening or reason, but by sound bites designed to provoke, to gather clicks, and to drive the algorithms of social media. Whether we like it or not, all who step into that world are caught by its logic and shaped by their audience.

I ask the faithful to remember what Saint Paul tells us:

“For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3–5).

While Christians are not called to be apolitical since the Gospel has ramifications for the entire world, and all is subject to Christ, we are still not called to be fundamentally political creatures or to fight like worldly men and women. We are called to die for Christ and offer obedience only to him.

Whatever one's personal views of Charlie Kirk, we cannot forget a basic truth: like every human being, he was made in the image and likeness of God. His life was precious in God’s sight, and his violent death is one more link in that long chain of bloodshed that began with Cain and Abel. From the very dawn of human history, one brother has risen against another, and humanity has continued in this tragic cycle of violence and death. We should not be surprised by it, though we are always right to be horrified.

I, for one, cannot foresee the future, and I am disturbed by the violence that we see in our present moment. But I am not convinced that it is worse than it has ever been. In my own lifetime I have seen much political and cultural bloodshed: the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, the turmoil and bombings of the early 1970s, the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan and John Paul II, as well as the murder of John Lennon, among others. The difference today may be less in the reality of violence than in the way we are exposed to it. Social media, the 24-hour news cycle, and the ubiquity of cameras mean that every act of violence is not only reported but replayed, magnified, and multiplied, making the horror ever-present before our eyes. That exposure is real, and it shapes us; but it does not mean that humanity has suddenly entered a uniquely violent age. Rather, it means that the ancient cycle of Cain and Abel is broadcast to us without pause.

What, then, are we called to do in the face of this? If we call ourselves Christians, we are called not to despair, but to live faithfully according to the Gospel of Christ. The world has always been dark, but Christ is the Light who shines in the darkness, and “the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Our calling is not to calculate whether our times are better or worse than other generations, but to live faithfully in our time—struggling against our own passions, taking every thought captive to Christ, and entrusting even the tragedies we do not understand to the mercy of God.

So let us step back from any temptation to glorify violence or ideology, or to dehumanize our neighbor. There will be some who glory in Charlie’s death, or imagine he somehow deserved it, or brought it upon himself. There will be some who exalt him as some great political martyr, or perhaps more. Still others, amidst all the commentary, debate, and vitriol, will be tempted to condemn their fellow man and in their hearts wish them harm. None of this evinces the Christian Way. Let us condemn violence in all respects. Let us plead mercy on behalf of our “enemies” (of whom we should have none!). Let us learn to forgive even the worst of offenses.

And let us not only affirm these truths with our lips, but live them out in concrete ways. In a time when viciousness and anger dominate so much of our public discourse, it is essential that Christians practice the virtues in daily life. That might mean stepping away from social media for a season, so that our hearts are not constantly agitated by outrage and fear. It might mean being intentional about the “news” we consume, recognizing that endless scrolling through sensationalized stories does not bring us peace, but only feeds anxiety and irritation. It certainly means finding practical ways to serve others: visiting someone who is lonely, preparing a meal for a neighbor in need, writing a note of encouragement, giving generously to those who struggle, or simply listening with patience to someone whose burdens are heavy. These small acts of love, humility, and service are how we bear witness to the Kingdom of God.

Finally, let us entrust Charlie to the mercy of God, beg comfort for his grieving family, and redouble our own efforts to live faithfully in Christ. For the Cross of Christ, and the sacrificial love of God manifest there, remains the one true answer to the bloodshed of Cain and Abel, the one true hope for a world still drenched in violence.

in Christ Jesus, the Lord,

Fr Marcus

Kevin Morton

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