What would it mean for churches to be places where people “learned how not to kill” – to stop viewing killing as a solution, and to start investing in nonviolent alternatives to war? How could they do this? What would it say about their witness? How would it impact how the voice of the church is heard at times of heightened conflict or war?
What would it mean for churches to be places where people “learned how not to kill” – to stop viewing killing as a solution, and to start investing in nonviolent alternatives to war? How could they do this? What would it say about their witness? How would it impact how the voice of the church is heard at times of heightened conflict or war?
This was one of the areas of questioning left over from the recent “Who Would Jesus Shoot?” discussion on war and peace which we co-hosted with the Anabaptist Network, the Mennonite Trust, Union Chapel, Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church and Greenbelt. More about the evening can be found here (http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/whowouldjesusshoot). You can also connect with ongoing work from this event on that page.
Due to the very large audience on the evening, we were unable to get every question posed. So instead we will be posting some of the remaining ones, and additional ideas and comments, on our Facebook Group, and inviting people to respond. We will be asking Canadian Mennonite peace church Professor Tom Yoder-Neufeld, whose visit we supported, and Oxford-based Professor Nigel Biggar, an advocate of the just war position, to contribute as they are able and willing.
We would love the conversation to continue, and to enrich practical thinking and policy about how we develop alternatives to war within the churches and in society. To do that we need, and would value, your participation. You can join our Facebook Group and post your response or comments there (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ekklesiathinktank/).
This online event is part of our 2014 peace-beyond-war Remembrance season activity.
* For more information on re-imagining Remembrance and developing alternatives to war, see: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/remembrance
* Please support our annual appeal to back this work: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/annualappeal2014
* ‘Who Would Jesus Shoot?’ link page: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/whowouldjesusshoot