DESCRIPTION: The way of Jesus in the New Testament centrally includes the way of peacemaking. We will seek to deepen our understanding of that way and our ability to teach it and model it. We will compare major present-day ethical positions--nonviolence, just war, and just peacemaking--as they relate to overcoming terrorism, preventing nuclear war, peace in the Middle East, and practical peacemaking in churches. We will include role-playing conflict resolution for conflicts within churches. And we will study how to begin inward/outward journey small groups in churches with a mission of following Jesus in peacemaking.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: The course has four objectives: (1) to develop practical ways for following Jesus' call to Christian peacemaking in our ministry and practice; (2) to compare a multilevel just peacemaking approach to winning the war against terrorism with the present official approach; (3) to compare different Christian ethical approaches to peace and war, including nonviolence, just war theory, and just peacemaking theory; (4) to consider theological rationales for Christian commitment to nonviolence and transforming initiatives of peacemaking.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Jesus' call to peacemaking echoes throughout the New Testament and the prophets; church members need deep formation in that call or they lack the antibodies to resist political ideologies of prideful warmaking. The present struggle against terrorism needs deep Christian assessment and realistic alternatives. Peacemaking as mere ideals lacks the strength that we need in our time of polarization; we need realistic practices of peacemaking that have proven effective in real experience. Church leaders and ministers need skills in conflict transformation to cope with conflicts that occur within the church.

COURSE FORMAT: Class will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions that will be part lecture and part critical discussion of the readings. We will also role-play methods for conflict resolution in churches. Students are urged but not required to become involved in some aspect of peacemaking ministry. Resources and referrals will be provided for this.

REQUIRED READING:

Clough, David, and Brian Stiltner. Faith and Force. Georgetown University, 2007.

National Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Challenge of Peace. U.S. Catholic Conference, 1983.

Stassen, Glen, ed. Just Peacemaking: Ten Practices for Abolishing War. Pilgrim, 1998 or 2004.

Wagner, Donald. Anxious for Armageddon. Herald, 1995.

Yoder, John Howard. The Politics of Jesus. Eerdmans and Paternoster, 1994.

Cahill, Lisa Sowle. Love Your Enemies: Discipleship, Pacifism & Just War Theory. Fortress, 1994.

Murphy, Nancey, and G. Ellis. On the Moral Nature of the Universe. Fortress, 1996.

Sharp, Gene. The Politics of Nonviolent Action. 3 vols. Porter Sargent, 1974.

Shriver, Donald. An Ethic for Enemies. Oxford University Press, 1995.

Wink, W. Engaging the Powers: Discernment & Resistance in a World of Domination. Fortress, 1992.

Yoder, John Howard. The Original Revolution. Herald, 2003.

Zehr, Howard. The Little Book of Restorative Justice. Good Books, 2002.