Practical Matters

A fellow peace studies seminarian shared Practical Matters with me today. It is "a transdisciplinary multimedia journal of religious practices and practical theology." The current edition is on ethnography and theology. Enjoy!

International Day of Prayer for Peace

Today is the International Day of Prayer for Peace.

This year’s International Day of Prayer for Peace has a focus on Africa as part of the final year of the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV).

Africa is also the home of UN Messenger of Peace, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and green advocate, Wangari Maathai. Maathai, a Kenyan, has been designated as a Messenger of Peace with a focus on the environment and climate change.

The WCC-sponsored International Day of Prayer for Peace takes place on the same day as the UN International Day of Peace.

[From Decade to Overcome Violence]

Learn more at On Earth Peace (main site).

UPDATE (9-28-10): Learn more about the UN Day of Peace by watching the film Peace One Day or the subsequent film, The Day after Peace.

Peace Among the Peoples

Before the Peace Among the Peoples conference began, Christian Peace Witness (CPW) members spent a day worshiping and discussing where CPW has come and where it needs to go. As the Adventist Peace Fellowship representative, I appreciated the chance to search for the "things that make for peace" with people from diverse Christian faith traditions. Stay tuned for more from CPW.

At the conference hosted by AMBS, I was encouraged and challenged by the stories brought by Jarrod McKenna. A few links:

• EPYC
• More than Meets the Eye
• Pace e Bene

Other presenters that really spoke to me personally: Mary Jo Leddy (Romero House), Rita Nakashima Brock (Saving Paradise), Glen Stassen (Just Peacemaking), Brian McLaren (A New Kind of Christianity), and Paul Alexander (Peace to War). Also noteworthy were strong words spoken by Stanley Hauerwas and Linda Gehman Peachey. I wish I had a recording of the final sermon by Andre Gingerich Stoner.

Comic relief was offered by Ted and Co.--I'd Like to Buy an Enemy.

After the last session, a number of the younger attendees had a post-conference shindig at the apartment of the couple primarily responsible for Jesus Radicals. Unfortunately, the Quaker seminarians had already left campus to head home.

Bonus points to the person who can name the theologian pictured on the middle t-shirt in the front row:
(Picture used by permission. Taken from Jarrod McKenna's FB album.)

MORE:

• Adventist Peace Messenger (APF blog)
• Adventist Activism
  

Lent Series

During Lent, I will be writing a series at Spectrum on giving our time to work for peace and justice in the world. Articles will appear every Sunday and Wednesday between now and Easter.

Click here for a list of the articles.

Christian Nonviolence

While neither written by nor about Adventists, the following 5 essays on Christian nonviolence may be informative for SDAs considering issues of peace advocacy, military participation or social change:

1. Christian Nonviolence (Walter Wink, Z Net, Dec 17, 2004). Wink is the author of Jesus and Nonviolence, Engaging the Power, Unmasking the Powers, & Naming the Powers.
2. God’s People Reconciling (Ron Sider, Mennonite World Conference, 1984). Ron is the author of Non-Violence, Churches That Make a Difference, & Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger.
3. Five Characteristics of Early Christian Nonviolence (Thom Stark, n.d.).
4. The Gospel of Reconciliation within the Wrath of Nations (David W. Shenk, International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 32 no 1 Jan 2008, p 3-6, 8-9). This is only available to Ebsco users. Shenk co-authored and/or edited Jesus Matters, A Muslim and A Christian in Dialogue, & Anabaptists Meeting Muslims.
5. A Call for Evangelical Nonviolence (Ron Sider, Christian Century, Sep 15, 1976, pp. 753-757).

There are many more, but to me these form a pretty good foundation.

Bonus 1 — Love Your Enemies
Bonus 2 — Early Christian Pacifism & Nonviolence
Bonus 3 — Every Church a Peace Church
Bonus 4 — Jesus Radicals (Theology)
Bonus 5 — Christian Peace Witness
Bonus 6 — Peacemaker Ministries
Bonus 7 — Orthodox Peace Fellowship
Bonus 8 — Pax Christi (Catholic)
Bonus 9 — Adventist Peace Fellowship
Bonus 10 — Muslim Peace Fellowship

Muslim-Christian Relations

We've spent a couple days in class talking about inter-faith dialogue, especially between Muslims and Christian. Here is a sample of the resources that informed the conversation to one degree or another:

• A Common Word
• Muslim Peace Fellowship
• Shenk, David W. The Gospel of Reconciliation Within the Wrath of Nations. Ebsco Article Link. Source: International Bulletin of Missionary Research 32 no 1 Ja 2008, p 3-6, 8-9.
• A Muslim and a Christian in Dialogue (Badru D. Kateregga & David W. Shenk, 1997)*

And I would like to read It's Really All about God (Samir Selmanovic, 2009), which was written by the Adventist pastor who runs Faith House Manhattan in New York.*

Today we had a guest speaker, Bertha Beachey, who lived in Somalia and Kenya for more than two decades. Her stories of building relationships with Muslims there was just beautiful. Amazing. She actually points to her Amish childhood as preparing her for that cross-cultural setting because she learned how to live in an oral culture where discussing issues and sharing stories are a rich part of the tradition.

Now nearly 80 years old, her advice for us was:

• Be true to your calling.
• Nurture your inner life.
• Be responsible for the calling, the gift, you've been given.
• Keep short accounts.
• Be open to God in your life and in the lives of others.
• In the cross-cultural setting, know their language, history, religion and land.
• Know what you believe and live it openly. Only use words to convey it when necessary.
  
• Be invitational; don't just tell.
• Be touched by the life and religion of the other.
• Never stop learning.

Naturally, she had stories to flesh these out. Since I don't have an Amish background, I lack the skill of the narrative. :)

I really appreciated her thoughts on building relationships with people at home, not just abroad. She admitted that sometimes it's harder for her to get along with some U.S. political conservatives than it was for her to live in harmony with Muslims in east Africa, so she now works to build bridges with those on the far right as well.

Part of the presentation was a brief history of Somalia. Bertha wishes patterns of engagement by foreign countries had been different, that military intervention wasn't seen as the answer for every problem. In this area she spoke positively of Three Cups of Tea.* The two-plus hours necessitated a truncated discussion of this aspect since her focus was on ministry not political science.

One comment that really stood out to me was a story of grace where her greatest failure led to one of her greatest blessings. This is God's grace. That resonated with me since being at AMBS is a great blessing despite my failure to follow God in 2003 (it's a long story). The bookend to that failure in 2003 was enrolling here in 2009.

Bertha closed by saying, "Be responsible for what God gives you to do. Believe it or not it helps to change the world."


*I have not yet read these books. I hope to one day.

A Just Forgiveness -- Review

My review of A Just Forgiveness is now up at Adventist Today. Here’s the first paragraph:

Aquinas and Augustine developed the philosophical foundation for just war.[i] Glen Stassen promoted just peacemaking.[ii] Gerald Schlabach argued for just policing.[iii] Now, Everett Worthington Jr. attempts to build a framework for just forgiveness by asking, “How can Christians forgive without excusing wrongdoing?”

[complete article]

Corners and Coins

Have you seen Corners, the Nooma that draws its name from the ancient practice of leaving the edges of fields unharvested for others to glean (ex., Lev 19:9-10)? Over Christmas a few of us were talking about what that teaching could look like today in our non-agrarian society.

Today in class a gentleman shared how his church tries to live this. Members collect their spare change and bring it to church whenever there is a 5th weekend in a month. This money is donated to MCC, the Mennonite international development and relief agency.

I liked the sound of it. We save our change and have used it for Christmas and birthday presents for the past couple years, but this takes it to another level. I think this should be in addition to planned giving. What do you think? And what other ways could this ancient teaching be lived today?

Make Poverty Personal

Shameless self-promotion: My latest book review is up at Adventist Today--Make Poverty Personal.

I believe this is an important book, so I hope you'll check out the review.

Janitor in Pakistan Saves Female Students

I found this article to be noteworthy, and I'm sure it's getting plenty of coverage:

Christian janitor died saving Muslim students (Ivan Watson, CNN.com, 11 Nov 2009)

Justice, Truth & Peace

Quote found on pg 34 of W. Swartley's Covenant of Peace:

"By three things the world is preserved, by justice, by truth, and by peace, and these three are one: if justice has been accomplished, so has truth, and so has peace" (JT Ta'anith 4.2).

Saturday Potpourri

Two sets of randomness today:

First, this past week in Peace Colloquium, we were introduced to the following resources:

• Innocents Abroad: American Teachers in the American Century (Jonathan Zimmerman, 2008)
• Enough: Why the World's Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty (Roger Thurow & Scott Kilman, 2009)
• Famine: A Short History (Cormac Ó Gráda, 2009)
• Ending Africa's Hunger (Raj Patel, Eric Holt-Gimenez & Annie Shattuck, The Nation, 21 Sep 09)
• Naomi Klein in Conversation With Michael Moore (The Nation, 23 Sep 09)
• Cornucopia Blues (Brent Cunningham, The Nation, 21 Sep 09)

Second, these random articles interest me:

• Web Roundup (Adventist Activism, 8 Oct 09)
• Monday Potpourri (Pack Light, 5 Oct 09)
  
• Two Voices on Michael Moore's "Capitalism" (Jared Wright, Spectrum, 9 Oct 09)
• Repent! For the Kingdom of God is Near (Sarah Lynne, Jesus Manifesto, 9 Oct 09)
• The Death of Progress (Joshua Dbau III, Jesus Manifesto, 6 Oct 09)
• Greed, America, and the Rich Young Ruler (Mark Van Steenwyk, Jesus Manifesto, 6 Oct 09)
• Adventures in seeking God’s love and justice (smh00a, Jesus Manifesto, 25 Sep 09)
• Tables scraps or the One Whole Loaf (Loren McGrail, Jesus Manifesto, 7 Sep 09)
• The Health Care Question (Travis Mamone, Jesus Manifesto, 7 Sep 09)
• 911 Campaign: Lament Violence, Invest in Peace (Shane Claiborne & Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Jesus Manifesto, 27 Aug 09)
• Critics on Our Left, Meet the Critics on Our Right (Ryan Rodrick Beiler, Sojourners, 9 Oct 09)
• Video: Colbert on Conservapedia’s Bible Translation Project (Ryan Rodrick Beiler, Sojourners, 9 Oct 09)
• A Faith Declaration for Health-Care Reform (Jim Wallis, Sojourners, 8 Oct 09)
• Scripture and History Remind Us That We Are All Immigrants (Lynne Hybels, Sojourners, 8 Oct 09)
• Smashing Economic Idols (Julie Clawson, Sojourners, 8 Oct 09)
• David vs. Oil-iath (Elizabeth Palmberg, Sojourners, 6 Oct 09)
• Listening to Poor People ‘Offstage’ (Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Sojourners, 5 Oct 09)
• Five Benefits of Common Security Clubs’ Economic Solidarity (Chuck Collins, Sojourners, 2 Oct 09)
• Singing and Praying Justice, Part 2 (Jeremy Del Rio & Louis Carlo, Sojourners, 2 Oct 09)
• Proclaiming Jubilee in the Midst of Foreclosures (Mark Van Steenwyk, Sojourners, 28 Sep 09)
• “In the world…” (Robert Martin, Young Anabaptist Radicals, 5 Oct 09)

Israel & Palestine

Today in Peace Colloquium, a student reported on her work/internship at Mar Elias school in I'billin, Israel, which was started by the Arab Palestinian Christian priest, Elias Chacour. The student body is composed of both Muslim and Christian students. While there are no Jewish students (if I heard correctly), there are a number of Jewish teachers and professors. Classes don't meet on Fridays or Sundays, but they are on Shabbat.

If you are interested in this unique school, you can learn more here:

• Mar Elias Educational Institutions
• Blood Brothers (Elias Chacour)
  

She said tourists can stay at the school for ~$35-40 a day, which includes room and board. In return, travelers spend half the day volunteering at the school and the rest of the time sight-seeing.

We were asked to watch this CBS clip before attending the presentation--Is Peace Out of Reach?

Four of the many resources she had on display:

• THE HUMANITARIAN IMPACT OF TWO YEARS OF BLOCKADE ON THE GAZA STRIP (Report by OCHAOPT)
• Encounter Point (film, 2006)
• Until when... (film, 2004)
• Waltz with Bashir (film, 2008)

Carter on Women's Rights

This is an important move for Jimmy Carter--leaving the Baptist Convention because of its views on women:

The words of God do not justify cruelty to women (Jimmy Carter, Guardian.co.uk, 12 July 2009)

The Elders have decided to draw particular attention to the responsibility of religious and traditional leaders in ensuring equality and human rights. We have recently published a statement that declares: "The justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher Authority, is unacceptable."

We are calling on all leaders to challenge and change the harmful teachings and practices, no matter how ingrained, which justify discrimination against women. We ask, in particular, that leaders of all religions have the courage to acknowledge and emphasise the positive messages of dignity and equality that all the world's major faiths share.

Learn more about The Elders.

Demonstrations

I recently attended two demonstrations/protests/worship services in D.C. You can read about them here:

• Christian Peace Witness for Iraq
• 100 Days Campaign
• War and Peace (cell phone video footage)

Adventist Activism Blog

I am excited to announce a new collaborative blog project -- Adventist Activism. Noted participants include Doug Morgan (Adventist Peace Fellowship), Monte Sahlin (Faith in Context), and Ryan Bell (Intersections).

Our About page describes the project this way:

As the Body of Christ, we are collectively committed to continuing the work Jesus started while walking this earth — spreading the good news of the Kingdom by serving, healing and teaching (1 Corinthians 12:27; Mark 10:45; Mark 3:10; Acts 1:3).

Adventist Activism is a collection of our stories and thoughts regarding this work of spiritually motivated social action.

The Ordinary Radicals

You can read my review of The Ordinary Radicals at Adventist Today.

Come on over and let's watch it together.

Simply Christian, Part 4

This will be the last look at Wright's teachings on justice in Simply Christian. I definitely encourage JPJJ readers to spend some time in this work as it covers many other important issues (okay, justice isn't the only topic worth studying) in a non-aggressive or didactic manner, including relationships, spirituality and beauty. The intersection of heaven and earth is a well-developed theme that deserves significant reflection.

I do wish he used more end-notes to substantiate his claims (for example, like Rob Bell's style), as I disagreed with some of his remarks outright but couldn't consider his sources, biblical or otherwise.

Exerpts from Justice Revisted (p. 225 - 228)

But to get from that longing and demand to anything that approaches God's intended justice, we must go by a route very different from the one which the world normally expects and even demands. The majority language of the world in this respect is violence (p. 225).

On the Cross the living God took the fury and violence of the world onto himself, suffering massive injustice--the biblical stories are careful to highlight this--and yet refusing to lash out with threats or curses.... Jesus's resurrection is the beginning of a world in which a new type of justice is possible (p. 226).

To work for a healing, restorative justice--whether in individual relationships, in international relations, or anywhere in between--is therefore a primary Christian calling. It determines one whole sphere of Christian behavior. Violence and personal vengeance are ruled out, as the New Testament makes abundantly clear. Every Christian is called to work, at every level of life, for a world in which reconciliation and restoration are put into practice, and so to anticipate that day when God will indeed put everything to rights (p 226).

Our Father, give me the strength to not resort to violent words or actions when I feel defensive. Open my heart to love and to forgive no matter the circumstances.

[part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4]

Wednesday Potpourri

These articles and posts have caught my attention this week:

• FBI recovers 48 juveniles in prostitution raid (23 Feb '09, CNN.com)
• Stimulus: Can it feed the hungry? (24 Feb '09, CNNMoney.com)
• Guantanamo detainees treated humanely, Pentagon report says (24 Feb '09, CNN.com)
• Eating Alongside the Poor for Lent (16 Feb '09, Urbana.org, Least of These blog)
• Good News and Bad News (27 Jan '09, Urbana.org, WhirledView blog)
• Your Body as a Billboard (20 Feb '09, Skyejethani.com)
  
• Japan’s Hidden Christians (24 Feb '09, Skyejethani.com)

Simply Christian, Part 3

Wright revisits the theme of justice throughout the book, along with spirituality, beauty and relationships--the four echoes. A number of quotes from the section on inspiration and the Bible are worth highlighting here in our third installment in this series.

What is the purpose of the Bible?

The Bible does indeed offer plenty of information, but what it offers in a more primary way is energy for the task to which God is calling his people (p 182).

After quoting 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Wright comments:

Equipped for every good work; there's the point (p 182).

In other words, the Bible isn't there simply to be an accurate reference point for people who want to look things up and be sure they've got them right. It is there to equip god's people to carry forward his purposes of new covenant and new creation. It is there to enable people to work for justice, to sustain their spirituality as they do so, to create and enhance relationships at every level, and to produce that new creation which will have about it something of the beauty of God himself" (p 182-183).

And finally, he concludes by stating,

The Bible is there to enable God's people to be equipped to do God's work in God's world, not to give them an excuse to sit back smugly, knowing they possess all God's truth (p 184).

Our Father in heaven, teach me to slow down, to meditate on your word, that I may gain the wisdom, courage, strength, patience, focus, motivation, love, peace and boldness to work for justice.

[part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4]