From Pacifism to Peacemaking

Emily Reigart

Brethren: Perspectives on Peace•Historic peace church

•Evolution of views on peace, war, and nonviolence

•Religious and social context

Who are the historic peace churches?•Church of the Brethren

•Mennonites

•Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Pacifism is not passiveIt is an active concept and philosophy, while nonresistance and nonviolence are largely associated with the lack of certain actions.

Key definitions•nonresistance

•nonviolence

•pacifism

•peacemaker

Biblical Basis• According to Richard Deats, “Biblical

pacifism was at the heart of the radical witness of Mennonites, Quakers, and Brethren” (Brown, 2003:7).

Anabaptist roots•16th century Switzerland

•Persecuted for defiance of church traditions

•Belief in nonresistance (“Resist not evil”-Matthew 5:39)

Pietism•Branched out from Lutheranism

•Emphasized personal conviction over doctrine

•Influenced Alexander Mack, John Wesley

Evolution of beliefsEarly Brethren Post WWI

• Nonconformity

• Condition of membership

• Universal draft

• “peace position” (1932)

• “All war is sin”- 1935 Annual Conference - “Restatement Concerning

War and Peace”

• 1939 veterans allowed in fellowship

- “Not in full accord”

Evolution of beliefs, cont’dPost WWII Modern day

• 1948 “all war is sin”- Individual conscience- “fellowship of prayer

and material aid to all who suffer”

- Mediation- Social justice

Military implications•Conscientious objector, honorable

discharge

•WWII, Vietnam, Iraq, etc.

Important peace organizations•1980s: Christian Peacemaker teams

•The Fellowship of Reconciliation

•Center on Conscience and War

Portrait of a People (Bowman: 2008)•Peacemaking and nonviolence, social justice

are very important principles

•All war is sin?

•12% served in the National Guard

•If drafted, 32% would choose regular military service; 30% noncombatant military service; 31% alternative service

Continuing the work of Jesus•Peacefully

•Simply

•Together