http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2012/jun/21/church-to-host-gun-class/ In a nutshell, the Church is holding a Concealed Carry Weapons license compliant class in order that congregants can be issued a permit to carry firearms on their persons. The Clergy said the congregants requested this program and they feel it is a part of public service. For me, I'm a bit dubious about this not as I'm opposed to persons having CCW's, rather based on how the actual Church is viewed as a Sanctuary which is one of the roles of a Church.
I have served congregations in rural areas of Ohio where our parish hall was the largest public space in the community. We held NRA hunter safety courses since two of our members were the senior instructors for the area and they asked to use the space. This is a semi-rural area of Texas so I am not surprised. All that said, I don't carry a weapon and if I had my way, no one outside of the military or law enforcement would either. Not gonna happen but......
Theologically speaking, there is no prohibition from carrying a firearm, or other weapon for that matter so for me that is a settled matter Ohiop, my qualm about this is it moves the church from a neutral place to find peace to something else.
I agree. The thing about American Protestant Christianity is that it too often becomes more "American" than "Christian". In smaller settings outside of some kind of authority that can happen much easier.
I think the opposite is true as well, American style Protestantism becomes co-opted the larger the congregation is in a urban area. The clergy are "inside" of the political system and tend to compromise to retain that influence.To me that works to it's detriment as instead of being seen as a politically neutral institution bent on uplifting mankind, it comes to be seen as one more tool of the State IMVHO. That is not to say when moral issues arise the Church should be silent, it is to say they should not choose political sides. As the character Treebeard said in the Two Towers "I'm not entirely on anyone's side because no one is entirely on my side".