The Trials, and Blessings, of Peacework
I think we’ve well entered into Orwell’s nightmare of a post-modern, post-Christian era of permanent war. We have a war president, a Congress that writes blank checks for war, an enthralled media that trumpets war, a sheepish citizenry that lets itself get fleeced for war, churches that confer their blessings on war, and courts that legalize weapons and imprison those who say no to war. Our war isn’t only permanent, but universal–we make war on the poor, on children, on the earth, on humanity, on God.
But complaining does no good, and it’s not an authentic Christian response anyway. The Christian response to a “surge of war” is a counter surge of peace, a swell of peacemakers and nonviolent resisters. All of us need to stand up, join some public action, get involved with our local peace group, speak out, and on occasion sit in. With every act of peace, unanimity comes apart and hope resurges. And we show ourselves disciples of the nonviolent Jesus.