Peace

Jesus Christ is "The Prince of Peace." He taught us that if someone strikes us not to retaliate. But what does the rest of the Bible add to this issue? Can we be peace-loving people and still act in self defense? Is there such a thing as a "just war," as philosophers and theologians have defined it? This is not an easy subject, but it is one each Christian should study and prayerfully decide. We will offer helpful news and commentary from various sources in the days ahead.


Current Events
Links
Message Outline:
People of Peace in a Time of War



Current Events

See also:
War in America
Mid-East Conflict
War in Iraq
Terrorism




Notice: Sources often remove their news links after a period of time. Some of them move older stories to a subscription-only section. Even if the story is no longer on line, our summary will still be available on this page.

Go to stories after Jan. 1, 2009



Religious people less anxious, brain activity shows

Source:

Olmert, Bush and Abbas to hold three-way summit in Jerusalem

Jan. 3, 2008 - President Bush will visit seven countries in the Middle East next week. In Israel he will meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The purpose of the tripartite meeting is to energize the negotiations between Israel and the PA.
Source: Ha'Aretz


Peace, Peace From the front page to the obits, one day's news about Christian peacemaking.

Apr. 19, 2006 (May 2006 Issue) - Ted Olsen explores the various beliefs and activities of Christian peacemakers. He mentions the death of Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. He wouldn't carry a gun, but served as a medic in World War II.
At Okinawa, his citation explains, he carried 75 wounded men one-by-one to safety as Japanese troops continued to fire at him. He repeated similar heroic acts throughout his tour, running through enemy fire to save injured soldiers.
Olsen explained that Doss didn't like the term "conscientious objector," and preferred the expression "conscientious cooperator." He probably would not have joined today's CPT (Christian Peacemaker Teams).
Source:Christianity Today

What Was CPT Doing in Iraq?

Mar. 27, 2006 - This is an interview with Ron Sider, the founder of Christian Peacemaker Teams, after the rescue of three workers from Iraqi kidnappers. He explains the original vision of CPT and how their position differs from the "just war" theory.
Source: Christianity Today

The Dick Staub Interview: War Is Not a Necessary Evil

April. 1, 2003 - Dick Staub, author of When God Says War Is Right, argues that early Christians weren't necessarily pacifists, and that war is some times the right thing for Christians to do.
Source: Christianity Today

Thousands Rally for and Against Iraq War

Mar. 31, 2003 - Several rallies took place across the nation this week-end, some against the war, and some in support of it.
Source:Fox

Response of the Christian Community
Mar., 2003 - A variety of sites that deal with Christian attitudes and responses to the situation in Iraq.
Source:GospelCom

When is it Right To Fight?
Mar. 24, 2003 - Part of a message from Rick Warren about war to reduce evil in the world.
Source:CBN

Why We Fight: Moral Clarity and the War on Terrorism
Summer 2003 - Article by Bill Bennett, author of Why We Fight.
Source: The Mises Review

Weblog: A Nation at War—and on Its Knees
Mar. 21, 2003 - American Christians pray for peace, justice, and wisdom...
Source:Christianity Today

Protesters to march on White House
Mar. 15, 2003 - A variety of peace rallies are scheduled for this weekend. One large demonstration will target the White House itself.
Source:MSNBC (Story no longer online)

Chuck Colson Speaks Out on America’s ‘Just War’
Mar. 14, 2003 - Chuck Colson answers questions about whether or not a preemptive strike against Iraq qualifies as a "just war." He believes it does, but it is a war against terrorists, not against Islam. He says the President is doing the right thing to not make it a holy war against the more than 1 billion Muslims in the world.
Source:CBN (Story no longer online)

Standing for Peace on the Eve of War
Mar. 13, 2003 - Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) are in place in Iraq. They claim that their purpose is to observes and reports atrocities, and to stand with civilians whose lives are in peril. They do not want to be considered "human shields." Saddam Hussein is accused of forcing some Westerners to be human shields at sensitive places during the Gulf War.
The Bush administration says Iraq's use of human shields constitutes a war crime.
Source: Christianity Today 

Worldwide prayer urged on 03-03-03
Feb. 27, 2003 - The World Prayer Team network in Colorado Springs, and many other Christian organizations, have sent out an appeal for Churches and individual Christians to pray for at least three minutes at precisely 3:33 p.m., local time on Monday, 03-03-03. WPT president, Ted Haggard says that the numerical sequence reminds Christians of the trinity.
Haggard also said that Jeremiah 33:3 had been highlighted as "our call to action, 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'"
The suggested focus of the prayer is for peace and/or protection in the conflict with Iraq.
Source:WorldNetDaily

'Hate-America Leftists' Lead the Appeasement Movement
Feb. 27, 2003 - Ex-communist David Horowitz, author of “The Hate America Left,” says that the recent Washington peace demonstration was led by Socialists.
It’s time for conservatives to stop calling these people liberals. They are leftists, and they are hate-America leftists.
Source:NewsMax

Is war with Iraq just?
Feb. 22, 2003 - Commentary by Presbyterian pastor Rev. Nate Atwood, giving Biblical principles about war and listing key elements of the "just war" theory.
Source:WorldNetDaily

Abetted by Appeasers, Iraq Hinders U.N. Weapons Inspectors
Feb. 20, 2003 - U.N. officials say that the "appeasement movement," including the split in the Security Council regarding possible military action and the worldwide protests against war on Iraq, pose a dangerous situation. These protests have made Iraq less cooperative with inspectors. Iraqi newspapers called the appeasement movement a "humiliating international isolation" for the United States and Britain.
Source:NewsMax

Ethicist Argues Bush Has Moral Case for Iraq War
Feb. 20, 2003 - According to Jean Bethke Elshtain, a leading political ethicist, "Not going to war can be a tragedy, just as going to war can be a tragedy... I think the president is striking the right tone."
His argument is based on the rights of an oppressed people to be delivered from a cruel dictator.
Source:Crosswalk

Millions join anti-war protests worldwide
Feb. 15, 2003 - Hundreds of rallies against an American war against Iraq are scheduled in approximately 60 countries.
Source:BBC
Mass rallies oppose war in Iraq - CNN

Tony Campolo: Misinformed, bad theology
Feb. 12, 2003 - Arab American Joseph Farrah takes exception to Tony Campolo's support of the Palestinian people and a Palestinian state.
Source:WorldNetDaily
Campolo calls evangelicals to 'face facts' about Middle East Canadian Christianity.com - Campolo says he supports Israel but thinks the only way justice can be served is to also have a Palestinian state.

Blair puts 'moral' case for war
Feb. 12, 2003 - According to the UK's Prime Minister, Tony Blair, the alternative to war with Iraq is to impose sanctions that could result in the deaths of thousands of Iraqis.
Source:BBC


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Links: The Peace Issue


The Peace FAQ

Just War Theory
The Just War - From The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Principles of the Just War

War/Peace Debate
Philosophers Speak Out About War, Terrorism and Peace

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