|
News from the Network
News from the Network The following text is taken from an intervention last November by Pax Christi International at Commission V of UNESCO's General Conference 1997. Though the Cold War has officially ended, we must still soberly concede, in view of the many civil wars and serious tensions between peoples, that we have not yet attained peace in the world. The root causes are economic, political and social instability, mass migration, the violation of human and minority rights, religious fundamentalism or ethnic hatred, economic decline and change. Values such as honour, responsibility, solidarity and dependability have lost meaning in our fast-paced, consumer-oriented society. Violence, more than other methods, seems to make it possible to attain one's goal with a minimum of delay. Pax Christ International will continue to take concrete initiatives in the context of peace education. Values such as pardon, sharing, reconciliation, tolerance, understanding, the refusal of verbal intransigence, the effort to take a step towards one's enemy etc. must be put into practice and be experienced by individuals and peoples. We will take the opportunity of the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declar-ation on Human Rights of the United Nations to express the concern for human dignity which is often pushed into the background, or even com-pletely forgotten. The time has come for us to reaffirm the value of the human person. Our movement will continue to organize initiatives in this respect, such as seminars with young people from the different ethnic groups in Bosnia-Herzegovina; or with young people who commit themselves to undertaking civilian peace service with refugees in former Yugoslavia; or organising meet-ings on Kosovo between youth from Serbia and Albanians in Kosovo; by being in solidarity with landless farmers and the peace zone community in Negros, as done by Pax Christi Philippines; by mediating between the guerrillas and the government in Colombia; by stimulating peace pro-cesses in countries such as El Salvador or Guatemala, or in Northern Ireland. Several national sections continue their daily work on peace education, and non violence and are preparing a school curriculum on these issues. Pax Christi is willing to co-operate very closely with UNESCO's programmes for a culture of peace in areas such as: conflict prevention and crisis management; preventing conflicts before they occur; supporting community negotiation and reconciliation policies. Reconciliation based on justice is at the heart of our movement. It will be important to strengthen public opinion to promote world-wide dialogue and encourage specific universal values across the globe. Finally, Pax Christi International wants to encourage the work of UNESCO on the culture of peace as a very important investment for future generations. Paul Lansu, Pax Christi International New Swiss Mennonite Conference Mediation Programme News from the Network Following a retreat last summer the Swiss Mennonite Conference (KMS) leadership laid out several areas of emphasis for the next three years. In addition to focusing on church growth, leadership and support of activities within the conference, a programme with the theme "Relationships" will be introduced. Conference leaders feel this topic of relationships is especially important as they have observed energy-draining tensions and conflicts in several of the 13 Mennonite congregations in Switzerland which could and should be dealt with in a more creative and constructive manner. Improved methods of conflict management would not only alleviate the situation for those involved but would also free up energy for service and witness (including peace service and witness) outside the congregation. The "Relationships" programme has the following aims: -to provide better preventative and healing care for congregations; The KMS Board of Elders, Administrative Committee and General Assembly all approved these areas of emphasis suggested by the KMS office. The KMS leadership noted that all of these
The KMS leadership does not want to reinvent the wheel with its "Relation-ships" Programme . Rather conference worker Jürg Rindlisbacher sees his mission as strengthening existing links between the congregations and current efforts in the area of mediation/reconciliation/peace work. Thus in October 1997 and January 1998 Rindlisbacher invited representatives from the Swiss Mennonite Peace Committee, Mennonite Central Committee Europe and the Bienenberg European Mennonite Bible School to share their experiences and discuss possible steps towards implementing the programme.
Jürg Rindlisbacher, KMS
In previous years European Quakers and Christians from other denominations have been involved in protest against Eurosatory. Both ENAAT and the Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) are keen for European Christians to be present again this year and have taken up the task of raising awareness and support for the 1998 protest. The aim of the protest is to stop the spread of arms over the world and at the same time to inform the general public about the dangers of arms exports. The protest will include information campaigns as well as peaceful direct actions. Arms production and trade have long been the responsibility of national governments. Nowadays the arms industry is becoming an increasingly international one. More than ever it is necessary for the peace and ecumen- ical movements to work together in international protests against arms production and trade. QCEA believes this event is of paramount importance as a protest against the inhumane and immoral practices which the arms trade fosters. An international co-ordination office has been set up at the ENAAT secretariat in Amsterdam. For information about the protest, please contact either QCEA or ENAAT. Emma Rigby (QCEA) QCEA ENAAT News from the Network
Lebanon Algiers from the Newsletter from Grandchamp 1997
Yoder was one of the most prominent proponents of a biblically-based pacifism. Following his alternative service in post-war Europe and later during his studies in Basel, Switzerland, Yoder introduced the Mennonite peace church position into the ecumenical debate about church and peace. He was a participant in the discussions between representatives of the mainline churches and the historic peace churches in Puidoux, Switzerland, in 1955. After the Puidoux Conferences, Yoder published diverse writings and was involved as a delegate at numerous conferences, taking part in ecumenical dialogue with representatives from different Christian denominations. Yoder also gave important impulses to the historical research of the 16th century Anabaptist movement. His Basel dissertation of 1962 examined "Dialogue between Anabaptists and Reformers in Switzerland". He linked a historical interest in the "left wing of the Reformation in Switzerland" with current questions about peace church identity. Professor of Theology from 1965 at Associated Mennonite Biblical Semi-naries in Elkhart, Indiana, Yoder began teaching classes in 1967 at the neigh-bouring Catholic university, Notre Dame. In the 1980's he moved to the staff of Notre Dame University. Yoder's theology had great influence on following generations of Mennonite theologians and on social ethics discussion in peace church circles and beyond. For him the church was a community of believers who worked out ethical guidelines together through Bible study and exchange of ideas and experiences. He saw the basis for the "Politics of Jesus" in this "hermeneutic society". Yoder's book "The Politics of Jesus - The Way of the Cross", a reference text during the armament debates, was published in the United States in 1972 and later reprinted and edited numer-ous times. In this "classic" based on the Gospel of Luke, Yoder developed a ra-dical social ethic rooted in Jesus' teach-ings. In "What would you do?" he ana-lysed the standard question asked of pacifists and conscientious objectors and explored the assumptions held by the person asking the question. Wolfgang Krauss
News from the Network We will only gradually come to understand the extent to which John Howard Yoder influenced peace church life and thought in the second half of the twentieth century. Harold S. Bender (1897-1962) called for a renewal of the "Anabaptist heritage"...but what exactly did he mean by this? Before Yoder there were very few specialists in the field, at least in Europe, who could answer this question. And could they respond in such a way as to be understood in church and secular circles? Yoder's historical research on the "Prophetic Dissent of the Anabaptists"--the title of one of his papers--illustrated that the nonviolent Anabaptists addressed the concerns of the Reformation in a more authentic manner than the Protestant reformers. Central for the Anabaptists was the maxim "solus Christus, sola fide, sola scriptura": in Christ alone is salvation; salvation comes only through faith; the scriptures alone are the source of revelation to which we should hold fast. Conrad Grebel and his friends in Zürich remained true to this maxim; Ulrich Zwingli allowed political interests to become a second authority guiding his actions. Yoder never tired of emphasizing how important the integration of the insights from such observations is for the life and decision-making of the Church. There is no denying the fact that the secular world has its own imperatives, for example in relation to questions of war, disarmament and protection of populations. Are we then under a different authority from that which rules our spiritual lives? Yoder answered "No" with his formulation of the theme for the Puidoux Conferences, "The Lordship of Christ Over Church and State"; the authority of Christ is valid in both spheres, encompassing both church AND society, even if in practice certain rules are required in order to respect non-believers as well. In essence this means that as followers of Christ we can live out our faith in all areas of our lives without exception. And thus Church and Peace (which had a different name at the time) received its central motto for the first phase of its work, a phase that included the Puidoux Conferences. Throughout this phase Yoder continued to emphasize the community aspect of the peace church witness. Individuals cannot (on their own) make a significant Christian peace witness, though one would hope that this witness is clearly expressed in an individual's words and deeds; rather the peace church witness is manifested in communities which make this an integral part of their faith. A community or congregation which is filled with the spirit of Christ calls into question the Pax Romana, the order of the State which is rooted in power and violence. Where sharing, a life of community and the nonviolent resolution of conflicts, involving a willingness to suffer if necessary, are possible, this calls into question the need for a secular realm John Howard Yoder So in 1975 when Yoder shared with us his hypothesis as the basis for a new phase in the work of Church and Peace, this was not a tactical ma-noeuvre but rather a logical conse-quence of his thinking: the mainstream churches in Europe are also churches of Jesus Christ, thus they also possess the core, the seed of the Gospel of Jesus, the peace church witness. It is a matter of seeking out this core, this seed, of networking and of bringing about dialogue between the traditional "peace churches" and the mainstream churches. Thus it is a question of seeking out places where not only the intensity of individual religious experience, the intellectual quality of the theoretical framework or the legitimacy and efficiency of the organizational struc-ture is significant but rather where it is truly a question of living with one another in commitment and unity as the Church of Jesus Christ. Our goal should be to bring together communities and congregations and to challenge them to live out their true vocation. These are communities and congregations which attempt to be places where there is real sharing; where brotherly and sisterly love--though often trod upon in daily life--comes before any other criteria or measure; where there is solidarity with those who are marginalized or violated; and where the coming of the Kingdom of God is celebrated and proclaimed. Since 1975 we have set out with this creative hypothesis as our guide. We have searched throughout Europe for every such community and group. Those we have found, we have brought together with the traditional peace churches. John H. Yoder accompanied us attentively and offered critique, speaking up at important moments (for example at the 40th anniversary celebration in Waldegg near Basel). At the major ecumenical gatherings, Yoder taught us to be open towards our brothers and sisters, and opened our eyes to the unbelievably diverse forms of peace church exis-tence. Yoder was always able to discover the peace church witness in places where, according to his own critique, this witness should never have existed. Several times I asked Yoder for his opinion, and he, in all friendship, refused with a smile to give me an answer. Sometimes the Kingdom of God is so rich and abundant that every answer from an earthly standpoint can only be an unacceptable oversimplification. Perhaps this was a foretaste of the wonder and awe which is reserved for those who have been resurrected to eternal life. Church and Peace has every reason to be thankful for this friend, John H. Yoder, and his life's work which would not have been possible without the support of his wife, Anne Marie. Wilfried Warneck
"We could hardly believe it ourselves that so many people came! We even had to change the venue at the last minute and thus ended up here, in the biggest conference centre in the city!" Such was the joyful reaction of Olivia, member of the Montpellier group of Friends of the Community of the Ark of Lanza del Vasto, to the nearly 500 participants who responded to the invitation from the Community of the Ark to a two-day conference on the 50th anniversary of Gandhi's death. The message of nonviolence lives on. It certainly makes for a lively event when 500 people from all over France come together to experience a programme featuring well-known members of various organisations and initiatives. During a podium discussion, Marie-Pierre Bovy, member of the Community of the Ark and former IFOR president, asked those taking part in the discussion to give concrete examples of nonviolence. In response Christian Delorme, Catholic priest in Lyon, spoke about his efforts at dialogue with Muslims and his work with youth from North Africa living in the "suburbs, ghettos really, of large French cities where unemployment, drug abuse and despair reign". In addition Simone Dangeard described the decision of the members of the Community of the Ark to live simple and unassuming lives so that the principles of nonviolence are present in all aspects of their lifestyle. Sharing in the working groups made evident the whole spectrum of social problems with which the nonviolence movement in France is confronted: the civil war in Algeria, high unemployment, the rising rate of juvenile crime...the list went on and on.... and as a result there was a persistent feeling of helplessness in the air: how can my own personal effort ever be sufficient? Jacques Semelin, historian and author, offered encouragement: "The divide between rich and poor continues to widen, but for me through nonviolence I can live in solidarity in so many ways with the marginalized, the 'excluded'." He reminded the colloquium partici-pants of the many courageous people in former East Germany who, through their nonviolent action, helped to topple the Wall. In France, where there are no large Catholic or Protestant "Church Days" as in Germany, this conference acted as a forum for discussion and encouragement. "I am very happy to see you all again and the venue, this large conference centre, is very appropriate", exclaimed Antoine Sondag, former president of the French Justice and Peace Commission. "The light of nonviolence should not be hid under a bushel." Yes, it is the hope of all participants that the light of nonviolence will shine throughout France. Christiane Bals, EIRENE
*************** Today, in every single country throughout the world, there are many children silently suffering the effects and consequences of violence. This violence takes many forms: between children on streets, at school, in family life and in the community. There is physical violence, psychological violence, socio-economic violence, environmental violence and political violence. Many children --- too many -- live a "culture of violence". We wish to contribute to reduce their suffering. We believe that each child can discover, by himself, that violence is not inevitable. We can offer hope, not only to the children of the world, but to all humanity, by beginning to create, and build, a new Culture of Nonviolence. For this reason, we address this solemn appeal to all heads of state, of all member countries of the United Nations, for the UN General Assembly to declare: ù That the first decade of the new millennium, the years 2000-2010, be declared the "Decade for a Culture of Nonviolence"; ù That at the start of the decade the year 2000 be declared the "Year of Education for Nonviolence"; ù That nonviolence be taught at every level in our societies during this decade, to make the children of the world aware of the real, practical meaning and benefits of nonviolence in their daily lives, in order to reduce the violence, and consequent suffering, perpetrated against them and humanity in general. With deepest respect, Signed by: I sign and support the Appeal of The Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, that the year 2000 be declared "The Year of Education for Nonviolence", and the years 2000 to 2010 be declared "A Decade for the Culture of Nonviolence", so that nonviolence may be taught. Signature: Name: Age: Address: Please write your name and address clearly so that we can authenticate your signature. You can also ask your friends and relatives to sign - children can sign too. Send to:
Stephen had to resign from the Com-mittee last autumn for health reasons. At the moment he is on the waiting list for an artificial hip and is hopeful that the operation will take place by June. Stephen continues to feel a close con-nection to Ch&P and, until recently, was active as a member of the Steering Committee for Britain and Ireland. He has resigned from the Committee in order to concentrate on his writing. Birgit Dobrinski
Proceeds from performances of the musical "The Bridge" at the Second European Ecumenical Assembly in Graz last June have been distributed to two organisations. œ 300 went to the St. Francis House in Oxford via the Give Peace a Chance Trust (GPACT). This Catholic Worker House provides a temporary home for asylum seekers in Great Britain awaiting their hearings. Church and Peace commissioned Stephen Tunnicliffe to write the play as part of the programme in the Peace House.
News from the Network Sylvie Gudin Poupaert, francophone regional co-ordinator for Church and Peace, visited three members of the network this past summer: Centre Alain de Boismenu, la Communauté de Pomeyrol and la Théophanie. Following are excepts from her trip report. The Centre Alain de Boismenu Centre Alain de Boismenu became a member of Church and Peace through Alfred Bour, himself a member of the Centre and of IFOR. Church and Peace's mission to bring questions of peace and nonviolence into the main-line churches was a determining factor in the Centre's decision to apply for membership. The ecumenical dimen-sion of the network is also very important to the Centre. Centre members Louis and Bernadette Joly and André Mayor (as laity and clergy respectively) have been asked to represent Pax Christi in the French department of Ain (area surrounding Lyon). The Jolys also participated this autumn in an ecumenical evangelism campaign in the Lyon area. This project became a point of reconciliation between communities who did not really know or trust each other beforehand. The Pomeyrol Community The Pomeyrol Community has been involved in working for peace in former Yugoslavia through reconstruction of a Serbian Orthodox monastery in northern Croatia which was destroyed during World War II. The goal of the reconstruction work was to bring Croats and Serbs together and to be a step in developing ecumenical understanding between the various groups. The work was interrupted by the recent war but started again in October 1996, and now the reconstruction is almost complete. Purely owing to its location the monastery is a place for reconciliation, but it is also now a place of prayer for peace where anyone is welcome, regardless of religion or nationality. The Théophanie Community
Sylvie Gudin Poupaert
News from the Network This past October while our colleague Birgit Dobrinski was visiting friends in the English-speaking Ch&P region, Church and Peace General Secretary Christian Hohmann and I headed in the opposite direction towards the south of France. Our primary destination was the Community of the Ark in St. An-toine-L'Abbaye, but we took the opportunity to make several stops at various Church and Peace members along the way. Our first two stops in Switzerland--the Mennonite Central Committee Europe Office in Tramelan and the M.I.R. romand (French Swiss branch of IFOR) office in Neuchƒtel--focused on getting to know the other workers and organizations. We exchanged experiences of attempting to live out the peace ethics challenge and talked about how we can remain in closer contact. Anita Thomas, M.I.R. romand General Secretary and member of Ch&P Administrative and francophone Steering Committees, continues to be an important link between Ch&P and M.I.R. romand. Next we travelled to St. Antoine, where we spent most of our time with preparations for the upcoming General Assembly. The morning of our departure we had a brief meeting with Michel Nodet, contact person for Ch&P at the community. Our visit and conversation with Michel emphasized the challenges of membership for a large community such as the Community of the Ark. As the group grows and the faces change, we need to search for ways to keep Ch&P contacts and concerns present within the community. Our first visit on the return trip, the Centre Alain de Boismenu near Lyon, also emphasised this need to maintain communication within the network. The Centre feels a close connection between its work and the mission of Ch&P, specifically the goal of bringing peace concerns into the mainline churches. A main theme of discussion was how Ch&P can facilitate needed contact between members and break the feeling of isolation common to many small organizations/communities. After leaving Lyon we had two short meetings in Geneva: first with Kristin Flory about the work of Brethren Service volunteers in Europe and next with Sara Speicher and Salpy Eskidjian regarding the Programme to Overcome Violence and Ch&P's participation in the Padare at the 8th WCC Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe, in December 1998. Salpy feels it is particularly important that a network like Ch&P attend the Assembly to present peace theology concerns to WCC members. Our last stopover was at Grandchamp where the community is facing a challenge of "transmission": as newer, younger members come into the community, how does one pass on the mission and concerns of the founding generation? As a "newer, younger" staff member of Ch&P, I see direct parallels between Grandchamp and Ch&P. How do we shape the future while still highlighting the past as a reference? As a result of this trip, I view Ch&P more and more as being at a crucial point of transition, with "communication" and "transmission" as keywords. Is the network of Ch&P enough of a priority to its members that they will take an active part in maintaining it? And will the "older" members be successful in transmitting their vision and concerns to "newer" members? An intriguing challenge for the future as we approach the 50th anniversary of Ch&P. Terri Miller
Though not linked with an international conference, this year's General Assembly will still be a time for fellowship and important discussion of internal Church & Peace matters and ecu-menical events. The Community of the Ark in St. Antoine, France, will be our hosts. In addition to the usual annual reports we will hear about the Second Euro-pean Ecumenical Assembly in Graz and related follow-up, and about preparations for the 8th Assembly of the WCC in Harare, Zimbabwe, 3-14 December this year. The WCC's Pro-gramme to Overcome Violence has invited Ch&P in conjunction with EIRENE, IFOR, Pax Christi, the Liaison Centre for Ecumenical Services and Ökumenischen Dienst (Ecumenical Service) to contribute to the Assembly through participation in the Padare ("space for encounter and exchange"). During the festive evening on Saturday we will have the opportunity for fellowship with members of the St. Antoine Community before worshiping together on Sunday and going our respective ways following the midday meal. Birgit Dobrinski |