An overview of four traditions on war and peace in christian history. Pdf nonviolence in the ancient church and christian obedience. A brief history is easy to read and thus accessible to many. The early church emulated the nonviolent jesus, who sent the twelve apostles and the 72 disciples on a mission of peace and nonviolence into a culture of. The challenge of nonviolence in religious traditions. Nonviolence in irish history dawn, 1978 violence has obviously played a large role in irish history but so has nonviolence. In a larger sense, the discipline of nonviolence required a spiritual commitment and discipline that came, for many, through selfexamination. Boston research center for the twentyfirst century, 1998. Denny weaver, professor emeritus of religion at bluffton university, suggests that there are numerous evolving views on violence and nonviolence throughout the history of christian theology. Those who make the principles of nonviolence their own find that they change their way of working, of giving orders and taking them, of teaching, of preaching and ministering, of relating to spouses, children, elders, strangers, and friends as well as opponents. Christian nonviolence takes a lesson from hindu tradition in avoidance of harm, ahimsa, and in acknowledging the power of truth, satyagraha soul force, as king translated it.
This newly revised edition begins with writings by william penn and john woolman and ends with the recent campaign of water protectors at standing rock in north. Jun 06, 2019 mohandas karamchand gandhi was leader of indias nonviolent independence movement against british rule. Jan 12, 2018 in a larger sense, the discipline of nonviolence required a spiritual commitment and discipline that came, for many, through selfexamination, meditation and prayer. Nonviolence in america is a comprehensive compilation of primary sources that document the history of nonviolence in the united states from colonial times to the present. This ordinance was passed specifically to prevent the nationalist press from covering. The journey toward reconciliation john paul lederach. In his cover letter to editor harold fey, king noted that it has just been within the last few days that z have been able to take. I wish every young person in this country would read it for its wisdom and inspiration. Joseph kip kosek offers a bold, original, and lucid brief for the importance of the tradition of christian nonviolence in twentiethcentury u. While just war theory may have some usefulness in guiding wider society, concedes cahill, nonviolence is the natural outflowing of an alternative christian society with communal practices of mercy. In light of historical jesus studies and the ensuing course of christian history, we will assess the strengths and weaknesses of this ethic of. The government of india issued the indian press ordinance of 1930 in order to control the press. Through testimony by the confessors and martyrs of the early church, the voices of medieval figures like st.
An amazing documentary history of modern nonviolence, a book that needs to see the light of day. First, apart from the obvious application to prohibiting violent acts directed at other humans, nonviolence is extended to. May 01, 2015 badshah khan raised historys first nonviolent army. This work raises the challenge of peacemaking to all religious traditions from. Foreword when the great quaker leader, rufus jones, wrote an introduction to the first edition of the power of nonviolence, he observed that here is a new kind of book. True pacifism, or nonviolent resistance, king wrote, is a courageous confrontation of evil by the power of love king, stride, 80. Although pacifism and nonviolence bear a close relationship to one another historically, pacifism is the ideological assertion that war and violence should be rejected in political and personal life, whereas nonviolence refers to a distinct set of political practices.
Ken butigan and pat bruno, from violence to wholeness berkeley, ca. Editor michael long has assembled a comprehensive survey of christian voices for peace from the. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The guiding principle of this group, which i call christian nonviolence, has long been dismissed as marginal, eccentric, or impossibly saintly, but i take a more sophisticated approach. Appeals to the pacifism and nonviolence of the early christians are made by pastors, practitioners. I have a dram that my four little children will one. This was a fantastic overview of christian advocacy for nonviolence and peace throughout the centuries of church history. He was revered the world over for his philosophy of passive resistance and was known to his.
Badshah khan raised historys first nonviolent army. Christian pacifism is the theological and ethical position that any form of violence is incompatible with the christian faith. Francis, as well as erasmus, lollards, anabaptists, and quakers abolitionists, christian peace and nonviolence presents a. Pace e bene press, 1996 a society that lacks people of vision is a society certain of its end. The christian faith is misused when it is employed to underwrite violence. He described his own pilgrimage to nonviolence in his first book, stride toward freedom, and in subsequent books and articles.
Trained in gandhian techniques of nonviolence, they played a. As a theologian, martin luther king reflected often on his understanding of nonviolence. John howard yoder was a renowned mennonite theologian, author, and professor who perhaps wrote some of the heartiest works on the subject of christian nonviolence, and he has this to say about the curious shift from the nonviolence of the early church fathers, to the acceptance of the use of violence postconstantine. Francis, as well as erasmus, lollards, anabaptists, and quakers abolitionists, christian peace and nonviolence presents a coherent story in which the peace message of jesus is restored to central place. Page 29 thomas ladenburg, 1974, 1998, 2001, 2007 t. Twentyfive lessons from the history of a dangerous idea by mark kurlansky, gandhi. Francis is widely regarded as the greatest, most beloved saint in history but he was first of all a practitioner of the nonviolence of jesus. This first lesson, in a series of three that focus on nonviolence, helps students understand the goals and rationale that provided a foundation for the philosophy of nonviolence as advocated by activists in the civil rights movement, including james lawson, martin luther king jr. A christian ethic of violence does not require a pacifist position but allows for certain types of violence. Merton identified seven theological insights to nonviolence or what he called, conditions for relative honesty in the practice of christian nonviolence, which i think are worth recalling. Through testimony by the confessors and martyrs of the early church, the book presents a coherent story in which the peace message of jesus is restored to its central place. A comprehensive survey of two thousand years of christian voices for peace from cover.
With special articles on various church histories and presence, and deep foci on the current realities palestinian christians face as part of the palestinian community, this book is exceedingly valuable. Christian nonviolence is a way of life, not a tactic. Hennacy believed that adherence to christianity required not just pacifism but, because governments inevitably threatened or used force to resolv. My pilgrimage to nonviolence 1 september 1958 new york, n. Nonviolence and racial justice 6 february 1957 chicago, ill. In september 1962, king convened a meeting of the southern christian leadership conference sclc, the main organizational force behind his civil rights activism, in birmingham.
Most evangelicals today consider nonviolence what they dismiss as pacifism to be a quaint, odd hangover from the influence of hippies and beatniks, a relatively new phenomenon in church history. A history of nonviolence the author of cod suggests that the worlds most dangerous idea could have derailed the american revolution, the civil war and possibly even world war ii. Pilgrimage to nonviolence download ebook pdf, epub. Christian nonviolence and modern american democracy is the best new work on the history of american pacifism to appear in many years. When luther, zwingli, and others led their movements away from catholicism, many practices were changed. On io july 1959, christian century editor harold fty asked king to mte an article for how my mind has changed, a series of statements by significant thinkers reflecting their intellectual and spiritual development mer the previous ten years. Notable christian pacifists include martin luther king, jr. It has had a profound, lasting influence on social justice movements at home and abroad. Mar 04, 2016 john howard yoder was a renowned mennonite theologian, author, and professor who perhaps wrote some of the heartiest works on the subject of christian nonviolence, and he has this to say about the curious shift from the nonviolence of the early church fathers, to the acceptance of the use of violence postconstantine.
Jesus is the basis from which all our christian nonviolence a nd. Barbara deming 1917 1984 is probably the least well known of all the great theorists of nonviolence in u. Pilgrimage to nonviolence april 1960 chicago, ill. According to the view of many historians, the constantinian shift turned christianity from a persecuted into a persecuting religion miroslav volf has identified the intervention of a new creation. In his cover letter to editor harold fey, king noted that it has just been within the last few days that z have been able to take a little time off to do some much needed writing. Yet christian nonviolence is also rooted in the gospel. The pacifist impulse in historical perspective on jstor. Selfdefense is a type of violence that scripture allows. For those who already know yoders work, the first three chapters on tolstoy, ghandi, and king and the last three on catholic peace theology provide some new material. These readings on the theory and practice of nonviolence come from classic figures like gandhi and martin luther king jr.
Our heritage the interfaith mission service was born during the civil rights era. Christian pacifists state that jesus himself was a pacifist who taught and practiced pacifism and that his followers must do likewise. Perhaps the crisis in our country, our church, our world. In love your enemies, cahill traces the historical development of christian pacifism and just war theory, arguing that these two traditions operate according to. Sep, 2006 a history of nonviolence the author of cod suggests that the worlds most dangerous idea could have derailed the american revolution, the civil war and possibly even world war ii. Jun 15, 2015 christian nonviolence is a way of life, not a tactic.
Malcolm x and the christian ethic of violence christian. The failure of pacifism and the success of nonviolence. Christian ministry, theology, and spirituality in a multifaith world. Chip hauss, senior fellow for innovation at the alliance for peacebuilding these readings on the theory and practice of nonviolence come from classic figures like gandhi and martin luther king jr. Pilgrimage to nonviolence download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. It was rather that neither the character of the christian faith it being a religion of a monotheist type nor some of its most fundamental convictions such as that god created the world and is engaged in redeeming it are violence inducing.
Both morally and practically committed to nonviolence, king believed that the christian doctrine of love operating through the gandhian method of nonviolence was one of the most potent weapons available to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom king, stride, 79. The early christian church believed that christians should not take up arms in any war. Nonviolence is perhaps the most exacting of all forms of struggle, not only because it demands first of all that one be ready to suffer evil and even face the threat of death without violent retaliation, but because it excludes mere transient selfinterest from its considerations. On 2 6 november 1956 king submitted an article on nonviolence to christian century, a liberal weekly religious magazine. A brief history of the churchs teachings and practices, facets. First, nonviolence as a way of life and the way of active peacemaking must be aimed above all at the transformation of the whole world. From the sermon on the mount to the twentyfirst century, this comprehensive reader recounts the christian message of peace and nonviolence. In true philosophical manner, the jains found in the principle of nonviolence a guide to all morality. According to the view of many historians, the constantinian shift turned christianity from a persecuted into a persecuting religion. First, nonviolence as a way of life and the way of active peacemaking must be aimed above all. Walter wink, our best teacher of christian nonviolence. Raised in dallas, walter received his masters degree and doctorate in theology from new yorks union theological seminary, where he later taught.
This theologian helped mlk see the value of nonviolence. Media in category christian nonviolence the following 5 files are in this category, out of 5 total. She certainly deserves to be better known, because she holds a very important place in the history of the idea of nonviolence. The greek fathers of the church were generally united in their attitude. God demonstrates the centrality of nonviolent resistance in christian life. He forbade any follower to own a weapon, support war, or kill others. The history of an idea 9781570755477 by ira chernus. Christian nonviolence isnt a singular position, but rather a rich conversation. Page 32 thomas ladenburg, 1974, 1998, 2001, 2007 t. From the sermon on the mount to the 21st century, this ecumenical reader recounts the christian message of peace and nonviolence. Click download or read online button to get pilgrimage to nonviolence book now. The guiding principle of this group, which i call christian nonviolence, has long been dismissed as. Jesus embodies nonviolence and is the reference point for a theology of nonviolence.