 MAY/SUMMER 2003 (XXXXI 3) |
Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners Magazine, gave a presentation at Philadelphia Yearly Meeting on March 29 entitled "Finding the Power to Make Peace in Every Aspect of Our Lives." Audio tapes of the session are now available for $5 each, paid in advance. To order, call or e-mail PYM Librarian Rita Varley at 215-241-7219 or ritav@pym.org. Please make checks payable to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
The minutes of the session describe Jim Wallis' talk as follows:
His remarks centered on the triumph of hope over fear. He began noting that Jesus most often said to his disciples, "Be not afraid." It is fear that is the root of war, and we live in this particular point in time with two competing fears: fear of war, and fear of inaction against Saddam Hussein. But scripture tells us to deal with poverty, despair and hopelessness.
Peace can be found at two levels. At the first, the political/strategic level, we need to find a credible alternative, a third way to the two fears. Nonviolence, to be credible, must respond in a better way to the question violence purports to answer. A positive alternative, such as the 6-point plan presented on the eve of war, generates great enthusiasm and energy.
On the second, personal level, we each need to embrace hope over cynicism. While cynicism is a retreat from engagement and action, hope is believing in spite of the evidence and watching the evidence change. Our faith tradition is on the side of history, for our faith prompts hope, which creates action and makes change, such as the transforming social and peace movement we see emerging now.
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM