On the gospel of peace and becoming a peace church

Friends,

Several years ago I invited JR Burkholder, past professor at both Goshen College and AMBS, to help Ohio Conference think about the intersection of peace theology and peace education. His article follows. Here are a few more recent comments from JR:

"I realize now that this set of theses did not work explicitly with the ‘three circle’ model that I have used in a number of other settings, but that's in the background. I find that too often, in peace education materials, this inner circle, the heart of the gospel, is missing.

Outer circle: Teachings of Jesus, the apostles, Romans 12, etc.

Second circle: Example of Jesus–way of the cross–gospel narrative and I Peter 2, etc.

INNER CIRCLE- the BASIC GOSPEL THEOLOGY- peace and salvation together.

"This latter is outlined in the article below, and spelled out further in chapter 4 ‘Salvation and Peace’ of Children of Peace (Foundation Series adult curriculum). I'm biased, of course, but I honestly don't know of any other short, somewhat popular writing that lays out this perspective. I didn't invent it; the sources are manifold (especially the late Marlin Miller); I don't have it copyrighted. I just feel strongly that it needs to be available and taught and of course expanded and maybe even challenged."

So, here follows the article. If you can’t find a copy of chapter 4 of Children of Peace, contact the PJC office (phone 330-683-6844; SusanML@MennoniteUSA.org ) and we’ll send you a copy. sml

ON THE GOSPEL OF PEACE AND BECOMING A PEACE CHURCH
- by J. R. Burkholder

[This is the first of a three-part series about the need to rethink the way we as Mennonites understand and proclaim the gospel, which I prepared at the invitation of Susan Mark Landis. I have set forth my ideas in the form of numbered theses, for testing with brothers and sisters concerned about the intersection of evangelism, peacemaking, and congregational life. What you have here represents work that is still very much in process, not yet ready for the general public. It is intended as the basis for conversation among persons with similar concerns. I invite readers toward thinking, reflection and reaction that will carry the conversation forward.]

PART ONE. THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. Fall 1993

THE PROBLEM

All too often we who seek to proclaim the "gospel of peace" begin with the peace teachings of Jesus, the hard sayings from the Sermon on the Mount, the call to crossbearing, the cost of discipleship, etc. These things are of course true and important, but they probably scare people away, rather than inspiring them. The message of the gospel must be good news!

On the other hand, many efforts at evangelism present a narrow and incomplete gospel. "Getting saved" is reduced to creating good feelings about yourself and God, along with a fire escape to heaven. But our call to peace is way "out of sync" with that familiar evangelical focus; the biblical truth about getting saved is much bigger than many typical proclamations. God promises a holistic salvation which includes deliverance from fear and insecurity into the realm of God's well-being, or shalom.

TOWARD AN ANSWER

3. We must emphasize that the authentic gospel of peace really is good news. The Christian way of peace must be seen and taught, not so much as a burden, but as built into God's way of salvation. New believers need to understand that because they are loved and accepted by God, they are invited to claim the promise of safety and security, even in the face of enemies.

4. Therefore we need to refocus our proclamation of salvation. The way of peace must be presented as a gift. It is the fruit, the liberation, that salvation brings. Being saved enables one to live in freedom from fear, so that one can give up reliance on violence. God's promise of safety and security permeates the Psalms, and comes to full flower in the New Testament.

5. The gospel of peace not only offers us deliverance from our enemies, it also sets us free from the destructive cycle of violence at all levels of life. Knowing that one belongs to the family of God, the believer is enabled to live out the call to justice, peace, service and selfgiving. "Only those who know they are loved and rejoice in that love can be true peacemakers, because the intimate knowledge of being loved sets us free to look beyond the boundaries of death and to speak and act fearlessly for peace." ( Henri Nouwen quoted in Branding,p. 29)

BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS

6. Several major New Testament passages clearly hold together the several dimensions of God’s peacemaking work, including both reconciliation between God and humankind, and reconciliation among humans. The crucial texts include Romans 5:1-11; II Cor. 5:11-21; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:15-20. But the tragedy is that for much of Christian history, the gospel presentation has separated these themes. As Dale Brown has written: "The tendency to separate God’s love of his enemies from our love of our enemies is one of the heresies of the doctrine of atonement. The saving of souls and the love of the enemy are intimately related." (p. 21)

7. The "gospel of peace" theme in the New Testament may be summed up in this pattern:

a. The God of peace makes peace with humankind through the work of Christ, making possible three further aspects of peace:

b. peace with God - (objective) reconciliation (Rom. 5; II Cor 5)

c. the peace of God - (subjective) inner wellbeing and blessing (Rom. 8; Phil. 4)

d. peacemaking - (active) overcoming enmity (Rom. 12; Col. 1; Eph. 2; I John 4)

(This outline is more fully developed in chapter 4 of Burkholder and Bender.)

8. Why has this holistic view been missing from so much of Christianity? That's too big a story to get into here, but it's been observed that the doctrinal tradition of the Western church, in speaking about salvation through Jesus, has been limited almost exclusively to the language of law and the temple cult: justification, sanctification, redemption. By more attention to the biblical passages noted above, however, a much broader scenario is opened up. A New Testament gospel of peace incorporates the themes of well-being and security that pervade the O.T. concept of "shalom." ( See pp. 188-89 in Mauser)

9. Although these remarks about the history of theology may sound rather heavy, it must be emphasized that what we are talking about here is really not that sophisticated or abstract. Lois Barrett, Dale Brown, and John Stoner, among others, have done a lot of good clear writing (see the bibliography) on the basic gospel message of salvation and peace.

10. But is this the gospel that is being proclaimed in our churches and in our evangelistic efforts? Many of the impressions that I pick up suggest that too often our gospel sounds no different from the usual radio and television preachers. And it's rather clear that in general, we get what we preach. That is, Pentecostal preaching creates Pentecostal piety, Calvinist preaching evokes Calvinist lifestyle, and so on. Is it any wonder that the gospel message of peace is threatened?

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE PART TWO - BECOMING A PEACE CHURCH JAN 94

The first installment (published in Fall 93) set forth some basic beliefs about the relation of peace and salvation. My central argument is that to be truly saved is to find in God the final security that delivers us, not only from the fear of death and damnation, but from the fear of evil and of enemies. God's gift of salvation sets us free to take on the risks of peacemaking, enabling a Christ-like response to hostility, violence and injustice. The ten statements entitled "The Gospel of Peace" outlined briefly both the biblical and theological foundations for these understandings.

Now, what would a church look like that was shaped by these fundamental convictions? In the following paragraphs, I will suggest some ways in which the structures and priorities of the Mennonite church (as a denomination) might be reshaped if we are truly to be a peace church. The numbering follows after the first ten theses.

11. As a church, we need to keep in mind the essential relations between believing, learning/thinking, and doing. Belief has to do with convictions, with truth, above all with God–the fundamentals of our faith that call us to worship and commitment. Education is what we call all the activities of thinking and learning about that faith and its implications. Belief and learning lead to action–the tasks of living and behaving and witnessing to the truth.

12. If we affirm the gospel of peace at the level of basic beliefs, then that truth must be close to the center of the church's message and mission. Peace is not something tacked on after the gospel is proclaimed; it is an integral part of the offer of salvation. Calling forth peace convictions, grounded in biblical theology, should be as basic as talking about Jesus, the Bible, and the meaning of salvation.

13. What are some essential implications of those peace convictions? As a church, we have in the past often given most attention to our stand against participating in the armed services and the defense industry. That's OK, and still important. But the gospel of peace means much more:

-taking the initiative to love and bless those who wrong us

-being ready to suffer rather than to retaliate against violence

-trusting God for our life, protection, and security

-pursuing alternatives to violence

14. In brief, our calling has both a "defensive" and an "offensive" dimension. As we learn to model a Christ-like nonviolent response to evil, hostility and injustice, we must also work as positive peacemakers, acting with truth and love in the power of the Spirit. We need to give more attention to the implications of the "way of the cross" in other social, economic and political aspects of life, as well as domestic and congregational settings.

15. Therefore our educational efforts must be directed toward a total peacemaking lifestyle. Faithfulness to the nonviolent way of Jesus is much more than a question for 18-year-old males facing the draft. We must recognize that peace convictions cannot stand alone, amidst the seductions of nationalism, materialism, and glorification of violence. We are well aware that it takes continuous effort to maintain a testimony that contradicts the mainstream North American culture around us.

16. What then can denominational leadership do to help provide the kinds of settings in which peace convictions can be called forth and nurtured? We must consider the need to re-orient our church leadership and structures. Attention to the "gospel of peace" cannot be shunted off to a special committee or interest group, because it is integral to the basic self-understanding of the church. It makes no more sense to have a "peace" committee than it does to have a "Jesus" committee, or a "God" committee, or a "salvation" committee. For these are fundamental beliefs, not special assignments for a select group. Every part of the church program, every board and committee, would need to look at what peace conviction means for their efforts.

17. The purpose of committees is to carry out specific tasks–ways and means of worship, modes of mission, strategies of service, etc.–that are necessary functions for the believing community, activities that follow from the basic faith commitment. So there could of course be a "peacemaking" committee, just as there is a mission or evangelism committee. But denominational or even district committees simply can't do the job of turning pastors and leaders from seeing peace as an embarrassing appendage, toward a holistic gospel of peace. That calls for a whole re-orientation of the church structure.

18. My whole point is that unless we begin with a grounding in the gospel of peace for the total life of the church, all our other efforts at so-called peace work is going to be futile.

19. As with everything else, if it's going to happen, it has to happen in the congregation. This means, among other things, special attention to the key role of congregational leadership. The challenge, the motivation, the inspiration that evoke authentic conviction can only be called out and nurtured and expressed from a primary group level. Pastors and teachers must come to understand the crucial importance of this task. We need to begin again with the fundamentals of congregational life and make sure that "peace" is there.

20. When the peaceable way of Jesus becomes an inseparable part of the message and mission of the whole church, we should be seeing our buildings filled with disciples who know that they are truly being saved. Grounded in that faith , they will hold strong convictions on kingdom values, including peace, justice and service. These disciples will then seek to live out their convictions in daily life and in special situations of need or challenge.

PEACEMAKING IN THE CONGREGATION. by J.R. Burkholder

In the first two installments of this series, we learned that peace is an integral element of the gospel we proclaim and seek to embody. Commitment to the peaceful way of Jesus is an inseparable part of the message and mission of the whole church. Now we want to set forth some implications for the life and work of the local congregation.

21. Fundamentally, we are called to be a people of peace. The Christian understanding of pacifism is not just a refusal to do violence, or a rejection of military service. It is not just something we do; it is who we are, because of what we believe. Our witness to peace is the fruit of a different way of life that is formed and sustained by a special kind of community, the church.

22. Becoming a peacemaking congregation is a continual challenge that dare not be limited to a particular committee or interest group. Calling forth peace convictions, grounded in adequate theology, should be as fundamental as talking about Jesus, the gospel, the meaning of salvation. Peacemaking is part of the essential work of the church, it must be upheld and modeled by all those in leadership.

23. In an earlier thesis (# 11) we noted the pattern of belief, education, and action. Our churches need to learn to do education that has the specific goals of creating conviction (beliefs) and inspiring action. Genuine education will include dialogue and feedback and, above all, engagement and experience. We are not just preparing people to answer quizzes; we want them to hear and think and grow toward Christian maturity.

24. But do we know how to do this? The church congregation ought to be one of the best places for life-changing education to happen, but one wonders. So much of the time we seem to be stuck in routine rituals. It appears that we often confuse education and information. Much of the activity that we call "educational" often seems to be just passing on "information." Whether it's exegeting Bible passages or giving statistics on hunger in Africa or describing the horror of nuclear weapons–the passive participants sit and listen, take it or leave it.

25. If we are to be truly a peace church, we must give attention to more effective ways to call forth personal commitments to follow Jesus the peacemaker. The evidence suggests that conviction grows from meaningful experience and action, such as service assignments or the need to give public testimony to one's faith. Our churches should provide a whole range of learning experiences for ages 9 to 90: the "Shalom Lifestyles" video, summer camp or youth conference workshops and seminars (such as the "Just Peacemaking" weekends for youth), service projects, workcamps, Christian Peacemaker Team actions, other kinds of experiential involvement.

26. The church needs to work with the best kinds of teaching and conviction-forming activities that are available. To create more working models for teaching and learning that enable the growth of genuine conviction, we need better understanding of what really works. What do we know about how people internalize the gospel of peace? s it caught or taught? Can we learn, for example, from developmental stage theories regarding faith and morality? Can we evaluate the educational and counseling techniques that are most likely to encourage nonviolent convictions? Working at these questions should be a challenge for the educators and researchers among us.

27. These comments move us toward the realm of peace action. That heading would include a great variety of peace-making and justice-doing activities: conscientious objection to military service, community development projects, programs dealing with sexual abuse and domestic violence, anti-war toy campaigns, civil disobedience, mediation and conciliation programs, nonviolent direct action, community peace centers, witness to various levels of government, tax resistance, draft refusal, Christian Peacemaker Teams projects, acts of public witness against militarism, etc. The spectrum includes all kinds of things from traditional to radical, from individual acts to highly organized group efforts.

28. The breadth and scope of possible peace action can be overwhelming, but let's be clear that this whole agenda is not the responsibility of each and every congregation. We need to sort out the appropriate peacemaking activities for particular settings. What sorts of activities would seem essential to the witness of a particular local congregation? What is more appropriately carried out by conference or denominational groups, or by MCC staff? Which tasks are best done by special committees or organizations such as CPT or the Peace Tax Fund?

29. Further, we need to encourage appropriate support for the variety of peacemaking efforts. Unfortunately there are too many prejudices and misunderstandings between various groups in our churches. Those who feel strongly about the importance of certain kinds of controversial public witness (tax resistance, nonviolent demonstrations) should not expect that everyone else must do the same. At the same time, these more activist efforts should be encouraged, not criticized, by the rest of the church, as long as the actions are expressions of a clear faith commitment. We need to recognize our different callings and relate pastorally as a whole body to a wide range of peace witness activities. The minimum common ground for all who claim to be Mennonite should be an agreement that Christians ought not be in the killing business!

30. As we work at becoming a true peacemaking church, how do we respond to those who don't agree with us? To claim that "peace is integral to the Gospel" may well create some conflicts as we engage in church planting and evangelism. We live in a culture where the gospel message has been trivialized and distorted by those who would market it like soda pop or life insurance. Widespread beliefs about patriotism, loyalty and the necessity of violence are barriers to hearing the authentic gospel of peace. We recognize that there is no simple foolproof technique for proclaiming the whole gospel. But let us begin by renewing our commitment to be disciples of Jesus, a people of peace.

BEGINNING BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barrett, Lois. "Questions about Peace," "The Gospel of Peace," "The Journey Toward Shalom."

Branding, Ronice. PEACEMAKING; THE JOURNEY FROM FEAR TO LOVE

Brown, Dale. BRETHREN AND PACIFISM.

Burkholder and Bender. CHILDREN OF PEACE (Foundation Series)

Mauser, Ulrich. THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.

Stoner & Barrett. LETTERS TO AMERICAN CHRISTIANS (especially chapters 1 and 7)

Stoner, Egli, and Bontrager. LIFE TO SHARE: DISCOVERING A BIBLICAL VISION FOR EVANGELISM . Esp Chaps 4 & 5.