Research Papers - Peace and War

How forgiveness can transcend violent tragedy

associate writer — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:51:54 +0000

Following the 2 October 2006 shooting that killed five Amish girls and wounded five others in the USA, three investigators (Dr Donald B. Kraybill, Elizabethtown College, Pennsylvania, Dr Steven M. Nolt, Goshen College, Indiana, and Dr David Weaver-Zercher, Messiah College, Pennsylvania) explored why and how the Amish expressed forgiveness in the wake of the shooting. The research methods involved face-to-face interviews with Amish people to probe their practice of forgiveness. In addition the researchers pursued Amish writings on forgiveness as well as historical examples when Amish people forgave those who wronged them. The investigators also reviewed hundreds of media stories and editorials on Amish forgiveness at Nickel Mines. Finally, the investigation compared Amish practices of forgiveness with broader studies of forgiveness in American society. The research was conducted from 1 November 2006 through to 1 April 2007. The results are summarised below and have been released in the new book Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (Jossey-Bass, 2007) - available from the Ekklesia online bookshop.

associate writer

Faith and Politics After Christendom

Press Office — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 18:15:18 +0100

This book examines the changing relationship between faith and politics. For the best part of 1700 years, the institutional church has enjoyed a hand-in-hand relationship with government. Indeed, the church has often been seen as the glue that has stopped political systems from disintegrating into anarchy. But in this post-Christendom era the relation of Church and State has weakened to the point where the church can no longer claim to play any significant part in Government. What does the future hold? Where is it all heading? What should be done in the face of radicalised religion?

Jonathan Bartley

Briefing on Christian Peacemaker Teams

Simon Barrow — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 13:37:26 +0100

A briefing paper following the release of Christian Peacemaker Norman Kember from captivity in Iraq, which addresses the allegations made against both him and his organisation Christian Peacemaker Teams.

Simon Barrow

Consuming Passion - why the killing of Jesus really matters

Press Office — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 15:36:38 +0100

In the wake of public concerns about the relationship between religion and terror, this book raises questions about how some church teaching about the death of Jesus could be linked to the approval of violence.

Consuming Passion: Why the Killing of Jesus Really Matters, contains essays by a group of British, American and Australian writers which suggest that some popular misunderstandings about the meaning of the death of Jesus Christ may reinforce conflict, division and suffering in today’s world.

The collection of diverse essays shows that theology is not an obscure academic matter or an issue of concern only to a particular religious in-group.

Jonathan Bartley

Beyond the politics of fear - a response to the London bombings

Simon Barrow — Sat, 09 Jul 2005 16:59:41 +0100

Written as the clearing up, forensic work, medical treatment and mourning continued in the aftermath of the terrible bomb attacks against London on 7 July 2005, this paper considers the appropriate response by policy makers in government and civil society.

Simon Barrow