Lutherans Begin 'Year of Education for Nonviolence'

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is preparing to participate in the "Decade for a Culture of Nonviolence" (2001-2010) with a "Year of Education for Nonviolence." The Lutheran Peace Fellowship is conducting 11 training events, and a special task force is coordinating other projects across the ELCA.
"For the children of the world," 20 Nobel Peace Prize laureates signed a petition "that the first decade of the new millennium, the years 2000 2010, be declared the Decade for a Culture of Nonviolence" and "that at the start of the decade the year 2000 be declared the Year of Education for Nonviolence."
In 1997 the General Assembly of the United Nations declared 2000 the Year for the Culture of Peace. In 1998 the General Assembly voted unanimously to designate 2001-2010 the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World.
Many of the ELCA's 65 synods, as well as Women of the ELCA and other churchwide organizations, passed resolutions asking their church to involve itself in the purpose of decade -- "that nonviolence be taught at every level in our societies during this decade, to make the children of the world aware of the real, practical meaning and benefits of nonviolence in their daily lives, in order to reduce the violence, and consequent suffering, perpetrated against them and humanity in general."
The ELCA's 1999 Churchwide Assembly affirmed the church's commitment to the purposes of the decade and directed the ELCA Division for Church in Society (DCS) to assemble a task force and coordinate the activities of the entire church in response to the laureates' challenge.
Dr. Mary I. Zentner, ELCA coordinator for social justice education, convened the task force in September 1999. It is made up of staff from eight commissions, departments and divisions of the ELCA, as well as representatives from Women of the ELCA and the Lutheran Peace Fellowship.
"This decade provides an important opportunity for the ELCA," Zentner told the DCS board here Feb. 26. She said it is not unusual for the Lutheran church to support peace efforts around the world, "but something major needs to happen, and this decade may be the way to do it."
"This is a decade for a culture of nonviolence. We are trying to change the culture. We are trying to change the values of a lot of people. We want a lot of people to think and act differently," said Zentner.
"In the year 2010, we will need to ask: 'What is different about our culture?' 'How have our views on peace and violence changed?'" she said.
The Rev. Barbara Rossing, associate professor of New Testament, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, addressed the board Feb. 25 to develop the biblical and theological bases for nonviolence. She is also a representative of the Lutheran Peace Fellowship.
"There are strands of violence in the Bible. We have to acknowledge that, but they are not the strands Jesus lifted up," said Rossing. "Jesus brought a different way into the world ... unconditional love."
Rossing listed several biblical examples of how God's unconditional love is given as an example and a reason to resolve longstanding conflicts between people. The doctrine of God's unconditional love has been at the heart of Lutheran beliefs, she said.
"We don't think of ourselves as a church committed to peace and justice, but let's change our self image," said Rossing. "Lutherans are a peace church."
The media are teaching "Violence 101," she said. "Our society has already enrolled in that curriculum."
Rossing said Lutherans have the theology to teach peace. She pointed out that Lutherans begin their worship services with the words "In peace, let us pray to the Lord" and conclude with "Go in peace, serve the Lord."
"We were introduced to the Decade for a Culture of Nonviolence by getting oriented to it in terms of biblical and theological mandates," said the Rev. James M. Childs Jr., DCS board chair, Columbus, Ohio. "We had the opportunity to participate in an exercise in which we started to identify the kinds of things the church should be about in promoting nonviolence during this decade-long process."
The board generated a number of concerns, he said: "concern for conflict resolution within the church itself, concern over media violence, concern to reiterate the ELCA's stance against the death penalty, concern to train our leaders in conflict resolution, concern to develop resources for teaching our children and our youth in Sunday school and in youth activities the ways of nonviolence and peace."
The Lutheran Peace Fellowship (LPF) has conducted two training events, "From Violence to Wholeness," Dec. 5-7 in San Antonio, Texas, and Jan. 1-5 at Holden Village, Chelan, Wash.
The events focused on a manual which LPF has developed, said Jean Martensen, director for leadership development and studies, ELCA Commission for Women. "These transformational retreats are one way the church can begin to implement its 1999 churchwide resolution on building a culture of nonviolence and peace for the children of the world," she said.
At least nine more LPF training events are being planned: March 29, Peace Studies Association, Austin, Texas April 14-16, Federal Way, Wash. April 29, Seattle June 23-25, Trainer of Trainers, Minneapolis June 28-July 3 and July 5-9, ELCA Youth Gatherings, St. Louis July 1, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Seabeck, Wash. July 13-16, Global Mission Event, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash. July 20-23, Global Mission Event, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa July 21-23, People's Campaign for Nonviolence, Washington, D.C.
Lutheran Peace Fellowship is an international community of peacemakers, grounded in Christ, who seek peace according to the biblical vision of peace and justice; who pray and work to eliminate violence, oppression and militarism; and who are committed to nonviolence in their efforts to bring about justice and reconciliation. Its office is housed in Central Lutheran Church, Seattle. -- -- --
Social justice education encompasses a variety of issues in the ELCA Division for Church in Society. The present focus of this work is on the Decade for a Culture of Nonviolence. The Web site at http://www.elca.org/DCS/socialjustice.html will be updated regularly with related resources and events.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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