We’re reposting an Advent message written on Dec. 22nd by Youngsook Charlene Kang, Director of Mission and Ministry, Rocky Mountain Conference, United Methodist Church
“If you don’t like the way to the world is, you change it. You have
an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time. “
— Marian Wright Edelman
How fearful should we be? We wonder.
Jessica Stern, in her New York Times Sunday Review article (December 6, 2015), reflects on the San Bernadino attacks and talks about “terror management theory.” Quoting some experimental psychologists who suggest that much of human behavior is motivated by an unconscious terror of death or mortality, Stern says, “What saves us from terror is culture. Cultures provide ways to view the world that solve the existential crisis engendered by the awareness of death.”
Culture shapes us. Culture informs our worldviews. A culture of peace will help save us from fear and hatred. It will save us from the violence perpetuated in a series of terror attacks and the political rhetoric of discriminating against certain religious or national groups.
Creating a culture of peace is peacemaking. Peace is indeed God’s gift, but at the same time it is our task. The gift of peace given by Christ (John 14:27) is not something that simply falls from heaven. Rather it is a commitment and a passion for God’s mission of bringing about shalom, well-being, and fullness of life. We as peacemakers are called to seek ways to transform ourselves and our culture of violence. According to Henri Nouwen, peacemaking is not peripheral to being a Christian.
Building a culture of peace is to empower ourselves to practice active peacemaking in our daily lives. Working for peace means a campaign to stop the war and for opposing groups to stop attacking each other. It also means working for a change of mentality, “a transformation of conflict.” It is to bring about a change of paradigm and create the foundation for a culture of peace.
So, what are the things that make for peace? How do we as Christians learn to build a culture of peace in the face of a brutal reality of violence, conflict and war? It is my belief that engaging in interfaith dialogue and cooperation is an important part of the solution.
When conflicts arise in many places, the only road we may reasonably travel, the only way forward, and the only viable option is to work together among different faiths. How else may we achieve peace and justice among us? If persons of faiths do not come together, who will? In fact, the faiths of our neighbors share a mutual concern for peace and justice among humanity. By engaging in dialogue with interfaith communities we come one step closer to overcoming hostilities, bringing peace and reconciliation and making this world a better place to live.
The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ is for peace. In Mark 9:49-50, Jesus says to his disciples,
“Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other.”(Mark 9:50b)
Mark is saying the disciples should be engaged in peace building for each other. Mark’s model of peace building is to challenge peace seekers to respond to “enmity” with love, and with moral force, not physical force. We disciples of Jesus Christ are called to respond to one another with transformative “saltness”.
Miriam Therese MacGillis says that “…the first and foremost task of the peacemaker is not to fight death, but to call forth, affirm and nurture the signs of life wherever they become manifest.”
During this season of anticipation, I pray that we may look for the signs of life unfolding in our community of faith. And I invite you to invite God the Emmanuel into your life in creating a culture of peace today.
“Oh Come, Oh come, Emmanuel,
O, Come, Desire of nations bind all peoples in one heart and mind.
From dust thou brought us forth to life; deliver us from earthly strife.”
How hopeful should we be? As often as we can.
Grace and peace in Christ,
Youngsook Charlene Kang Director of Mission and Ministry
