A display of Living Peace Church art was sponsored by On Earth Peace and the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office photo by Regina Bryan

photo by Regina Bryan

photo by Regina Bryan

Cliff Kindy, a member of Church of the Brethren and Christian Peacemaker Team who was recently in Iraq, spoke at the Brethren Volunteer Service lunch. photo by Jesse Reid

Monday, July 5, 2004
Page 2

Living Peace Church dialogue reveals diversity of opinion

Jesus named the peacemakers blessed, but it is evident that even among Brethren, who share the ideal of peace and peacemaking, there is a wide diversity of opinion about the things that make for peace. “Living Peace Church: A Dialogue among Different Perspectives on Peace,” took place in the Civic Center Monday evening.

Present were Barb Sayler and Kim Stuckey representing On Earth Peace as well as Amy Adkins of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the General Board. Their intent was to offer at least one model of conversation between believers in peace who may come to the table from very different perspectives.

To that end Ken Reimer of Indiana, Don Hess of Virginia, and Jerry Manheim of Pennsylvania were invited to share their divergent views on the issues of peace and war without resorting to the confrontational and destructive forms of dialogue often witnessed on talk television. Reimer, as a conscientious objector, Hess as a veteran, and Manheim who spoke from a nonresistant viewpoint, each spoke in turn about their beliefs. The other two would take time not to argue, but to retell the other’s viewpoint until all reached consensus on what was said. The emphasis was less on convincing others than to listen together and to learn perspectives.

The audience was invited to participate in the dialogue as well. It was made clear that generally one would set aside two hours for such a conversation in a congregational setting, and that it was important for participants to humanize everyone’s perspective. When possible, those from a different viewpoint would lift up positive things about another’s presentation, naming those things they share in common without minimizing differences.

The result, it was hoped, is that it will be possible for us to live peacefully together, talking without falling apart, and learning not to fear our differences but to approach each other in the body of Christ as sisters and brothers.

Peace worker speaks about Iraq

The speaker for the Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) luncheon was peace advocate Cliff Kindy who, it was noted, was literally born into BVS. His parents were BVSers working in a migrant camp at the time. Kindy also has been a BVSer himself, and a BVS trainer.

Kindy has spent a great deal of time in Iraq as a member of the Christian Peacemaker Team presence there. He told of his own experience being in Baghdad during the “shock and awe” bombing assault, and his interactions with people he met there. This included the Iraqi doctor who helped save his life following a motor vehicle accident, the young US colonel whom he invited to “embed” with CPT, and his experience with being threatened at gun point.

Kindy emphasized the need to approach people assuming they will become friends, and called the churches to become healing places for military personnel returning home from the trauma of war.

Members of the 2004 Annual Conference news team, a ministry of the General Board, contributed to this report: Regina Bryan and Jesse Reid, photographers; Kathleen Campanella, Jill Kline, Frank Ramirez, Frances Townsend, and Sarah Leatherman Young, writers; Amy Heckert, technical support; Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, editor.