About

About the Author

The Rev. Marc D. Smith, Ph.D., is the author of this curriculum and a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

He serves as the Bishop's Deputy for Gun Violence Prevention and as Priest Associate at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion in University City.

In response to a seemingly endless string of shootings and other acts of violence in St. Louis City and County, Bishop Wayne Smith appointed the Rev. Marc Smith in 2015 to lead diocesan efforts to reduce gun violence and coordinate our work with others in the region.

Among his accomplishments in this role, the Rev. Marc Smith has spent the past few years researching and writing this curriculum for use primarily in congregational adult education and formation. “My hopeful prayer is that these materials will stimulate reflection, thoughtful conversation, and, most importantly, action within your own community of faith,” writes Smith in the preface of his curriculum.

The curriculum is being released in August, 2020.

About the Curriculum

Each Other’s Keeper: The Church’s Response to Violence

This curriculum is made up of six chapters, with more to be added as we move forward:

  • Chapter 1:
    Violence in Scriptur    e

  • Chapter 2:
    Violence in American Popular Culture

  • Chapter 3:
    Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis

  • Chapter 4:
    Youth Bullying and Suicide

  • Chapter 5:
    Domestic Abuse and Sexualized Violence

  • Chapter 6:
    Forgiveness and Reconciliation

Each module can be presented and discussed in about one hour. The chapters can be done in any order, but we recommend beginning with Violence in Scripture and ending with Forgiveness and Reconciliation. Each module is self-contained, and can be studied without reference to the others. Each chapter contains:

  • prayers

  • learning objectives

  • biblical passages

  • background information

  • video or audio commentary

  • discussion questions

  • resources for further study

  • PowerPoint presentation

  • single-page summary/handout

This curriculum is offered free for public use, courtesy of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

All rights reserved.