The Church of the Brethren seeks to become a living peace church. Christians are called by God to witness to the gospel of peace with such intensity that nations repent and history is changed. Less than a radical witness can only lead us to accept idols of materialism, blind nationalism, the glorification of military strength, dependence on technological solutions for human problems, and personal and national security at the expense of justice.
Proclaiming peace and preventing war
Ending drone warfare – Cutting Pentagon spending – Preventing gun violence – Eliminating torture
The Church of the Brethren believes “that war or any participation in war is wrong and incompatible with the spirit, example and teachings of Jesus Christ”. We bring this message to Capitol Hill to be a witness to Christ’s peace in a place full of conflict. The United States has seen two of the longest wars in our country’s history wind down in the last couple of years, but the militarism of our culture has not been wiped away. We are not yet out of Afghanistan and covert operations still have our military involved in many areas across the globe. Not to mention the US has been involved in an intervention in Libya and the temptation to continue to intervene in other countries remains as crises like the Syrian Civil War continue.
We completely dissent from this increasingly militaristic worldview and we instead publicly witness to Christ’s peace because we remain “convinced that good citizens in a good society must work out a better way than war to resolve international conflict.” (1970 Statement on War). Our commitment to form partnerships in ecumenical and interfaith contexts and to work to find creative, non-violent solutions to the world’s problems is just another way we witness to the transformative power of Christ’s peace.
Ending drone warfare
Drones have surged to the forefront of America’s public consciousness. You can’t say the word without generating all sorts of discussion and controversy. Much of the talk has surrounded the legality or effectiveness of these weapons or whether these weapons could legally be used on American citizens. While these conversations make nice political theater, we at the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy feel that engaging in this conversation misses the larger point of the human and moral cost of engaging in this type of warfare.
Our understanding of Jesus’ incarnation stands in direct opposition to this manner of dealing with conflict. Jesus, as the Word incarnate, came to dwell among us in order to reconcile humanity to God and bring about peace and healing. In contrast, the United States’ use of armed drones has distanced the decisions to use lethal force from the communities in which these deadly strikes take place. We find the efforts of the United States to distance the act of killing from the site of violence to be in direct conflict to the peaceful witness of Jesus.
Read the Church of the Brethren’s “Resolution Against Drone Warfare” for a fuller explanation of our perspective.
Cutting Pentagon spending
Pentagon spending still dwarfs the military spending of both the United States’ allies and enemies, and money continues to be spent on nuclear weapons that are both immoral and financially wasteful. We collaborate with other church offices to advocate on Capitol Hill for substantial and long-term cuts to the Pentagon’s budget.
As a Church, we have historically worked to change these destructive political structures that have perpetuated militarism and violence, and by working to cut the Pentagon’s budget, we plan to carry on that tradition. We will adhere to our Brethren tradition and continue to witness to Christ’s Gospel of Peace by working for drastic reductions in Pentagon spending.
Preventing gun violence
The Church of the Brethren has consistently worked for peace and called on its members to be powerful witnesses to the tragedy of Gun Violence. Annual Conference statements from 1978, 1987, 1994, and 1999 have called on Church of the Brethren members and the United States government to address this violent epidemic that affects the entire world.
We work with the interfaith coalition Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence to advocate for legislation that will reduce gun violence here in America, while also working diligently with the World Council of Churches to secure an effective Arms Trade Treaty that will reduce gun violence around the world.
Our work with Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence and other gun violence prevention efforts builds off of the Mission and Ministry Board’s Resolution in Support of the National Council of Churches of Christ, USA: Ending Gun Violence. In this resolution, members were implored to:
“Call upon our local, state, and federal legislators to enact reforms that limit access to assault weapons and handguns, including closing the so-called federal ‘gun show loophole,’ which allows for the purchase of firearms from private sellers without submitting to a background check, or providing documentation of the purchase.”
Internationally, instituting and enforcing the Arms Trade Treaty will play an important role in reducing the suffering caused by small arms around the world. Participating in this work is a practical expression of our commitment to love our neighbor, care for persons vulnerable to violence, and cooperate with international efforts to build peace.
Learn more and keep up with the World Council of Churches’ ratification efforts.
Eliminating torture
Torture is a forgotten issue. Many think it is something that America used to do, but has now repented from, but nothing could be further from the truth. Guantanamo Bay is still open, despite President Obama’s pledge to close it, and in early 2013 a hunger strike began where many detainees were force-fed daily. These ugly developments are just the latest manifestation of the immorality and inhumanity of torture.
Our 2010 Resolution Against Torture expresses our position unequivocally:
“Torture is a blatant violation of the tenets of our faith. It injects into our character the sense that we are better than others and dehumanizes people. It seeks to break the human spirit. In reality it devastates both the one who is tortured and the one who tortures.”
At the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, we partner with the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) to work in an interfaith context to raise a prophetic voice on issues of torture. We support NRCAT in their work to close Guantanamo Bay, end solitary confinement, and join them in calling on the government to be more transparent and accountable on issues of torture. We join NRCAT in believing that Torture is a Moral Issue.
Peace news
- United Nations representative provides updates
Our spiritual, cultural, and traditional belief systems speak of creation as a garden. Humankind, it is said, is the receptacle and caretaker of the garden. After more than two years of pandemic crisis, ongoing wars and conflicts, and a heating planet, the nations of the world have resumed in-person meetings to discuss their mandates and treaty bodies regarding life in the garden called earth.
- Scott Holland awarded professor emeritus status at Bethany Seminary, continues to teach theopoetics
Scott Holland has been awarded professor emeritus status at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., as of July 1. Now in semi-retirement, he is continuing to teach the core courses in the seminary’s groundbreaking theopoetics program that he helped to develop. He also continues to represent the seminary and the theopoetics program “on the road” as a preacher and guest lecturer.
- Lafayette Church statement denounces racially motivated violence
Lafayette (Ind.) Church of the Brethren developed a statement in response to recent violent events around the country: "The Lafayette Church of the Brethren strongly denounces racially motivated violence such as the recent murders in Buffalo, New York. As Christians, we know God loves everyone and calls us to love our neighbors and our enemies. We confess that we have been silent when we should have been speaking out against racial violence. We will not be silent anymore...."
- Church of the Brethren member attends President Biden’s celebration of gun reform bill
Tom Mauser of Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren in Littleton, Colo., in mid-July was one of those invited to attend President Biden’s celebration of the signing of the first gun reform bill in nearly 30 years.
- Office of Peacebuilding and Policy signs letter on Cuba, statement on Iran nuclear deal
The Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy is one of the faith-based groups signing on to a letter to President Biden concerning Cuba and a statement calling for a return to the Iran nuclear deal.
- EYN women are freed after abductions, including two of the former schoolgirls from Chibok
Nigerian troops have found two of the former schoolgirls abducted from Chibok by Boko Haram jihadists eight years ago, Mary Dauda and Hauwa Joseph. In a related development, EYN leadership celebrate the return of Mary Iliya, who was abducted in 2020 by jihadists from Bolakile. Also recently freed is Rebecca Irmiya.
- Mid-Atlantic District requests prayer for families, congregations affected by Smithsburg shooting
“Please lift in prayer families of Grossnickle Church of the Brethren who were directly affected by the shooting in Smithsburg, MD on Thursday, June 9,” said one of a series of prayer requests from the Mid-Atlantic District leadership. Three people were killed in a shooting at Columbia Machine on that afternoon, and at least one first responder, a Maryland state trooper, was among those wounded.
- Taking action on gun violence
Action is defined as the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim. There are many good ways to take action, and while it is less important which action you take, it is of the utmost importance that we act and act together in ways that get us closer to our goal. During the month of May, the mass shootings at Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, N.Y., and Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, spurred the Washington, D.C.-based faith community to take action to address the scourge of gun violence in a few different ways.