Category - mennonite

Towards an economy worth believing in

Simon Barrow — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:34:10 +0100

A paper summarising some recent interventions from faith bodies on the debate about economy, globally and locally. It also highlights the historic links between Christian thought/action and oikonomia (the management of the household), some different stances on markets, and Ekklesia's own research paper, Is God bankrupt? - a response to a British and Irish churches' report on 'prosperity with a purpose', published in 2005. A brief update has been included relating to the 2008 credit crunch / banking crisis.

Simon Barrow

US churches meet to explore new paths to peace

staff writers — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:09:43 +0100

Is it possible for a broken church to act as an agent for healing in a divided society? A gathering of people from peace church denominations in the United States has met to explore the practical and ecclesial issues.

Why the church needs a new foreign policy

Simon Barrow — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:11:46 +0000

The United States and the United Kingdom are being forced this month (March 2008) to reflect on the recent heritage of their military interventions. Who or what are we trusting in when we choose the way of the sword over the way of the Cross, asks Simon Barrow. Where does salvation lie?

Kingston Jamaica to host global churches' peace conference

staff writers — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:56:35 +0000

Kingston, Jamaica, will be the host city for the World Council of Churches' International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in 2011, it has been announced - marking a decade of activity promoting practical responses to violence.

Broadest ever grouping of US Christians focuses on poverty

agency reporter — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:03:00 +0000

The new cooperative body Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT), bringing together representatives of 43 participating churches and organizations across America, is giving priority to work on poverty and witness.

Central American Anabaptist Women Theologians tackle domestic violence

agency reporter — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:18:01 +0000

Domestic violence and what the church needs to do to respond to this problem topped the agenda for the recent second gathering of Central American Anabaptist Women Theologians.

How forgiveness can transcend violent tragedy

associate writer — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:51:54 +0000

Following the 2 October 2006 shooting that killed five Amish girls and wounded five others in the USA, three investigators (Dr Donald B. Kraybill, Elizabethtown College, Pennsylvania, Dr Steven M. Nolt, Goshen College, Indiana, and Dr David Weaver-Zercher, Messiah College, Pennsylvania) explored why and how the Amish expressed forgiveness in the wake of the shooting. The research methods involved face-to-face interviews with Amish people to probe their practice of forgiveness. In addition the researchers pursued Amish writings on forgiveness as well as historical examples when Amish people forgave those who wronged them. The investigators also reviewed hundreds of media stories and editorials on Amish forgiveness at Nickel Mines. Finally, the investigation compared Amish practices of forgiveness with broader studies of forgiveness in American society. The research was conducted from 1 November 2006 through to 1 April 2007. The results are summarised below and have been released in the new book Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (Jossey-Bass, 2007) - available from the Ekklesia online bookshop.

associate writer

World churches convocation to receive joint peace appeal

staff writers — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:03:54 +0000

Mennonites and Catholics are developing a common statement to the World Council of Churches for the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in 2011. The convocation is culmination of the churches' Decade to Overcome Violence (2001 – 2010).

Anglican chief echoes call for faiths to renounce all violence

staff writers — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:31:23 +0100

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, spiritual head of the world's 77 million Anglicans, has endorsed a strong statement against religiously sanctioned violence by Pope Benedict at an inter-faith peace conference in Naples this weekend.

Tracking religious illiteracy

Simon Barrow — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 01:47:25 +0100

Both in the UK and the USA, 'religion' is discussed furiously. The loudest voices, including some prominent anti-religious figures and a range of what could be called zealous religiosi, are often those least equipped for thoughtful debate - and least interested in acquiring the skills and data.