Personal Stories from Christian Peace Witness

The Presbyterian News Service has posted What Church Should Be that contains stories of people who went to Washington D.C. One story involves four college kids from Spokane who wrecked their car, hitchhiked the rest of the way, went straight to the Cathedral, marched, and got arrested for divine disobedience! That's a full day. Here is the story.

Whitworth College students, from left, Nicola Crawford, Zach Dahmen, Michael Vander Giessen, and 2006 graduate Eric Colby, drove 2,700 miles across the country to participate in the March 16 Christian Peace Witness for Iraq. Photo by Eva Stimson.

Author of that story, Eva Stimson, also wrote this piece, Thousands Gather in Washington for Ecumenical War Protest:

WASHINGTON — Calling the war in Iraq “an offense against God” and warning that America is in danger of losing its soul, speakers at an ecumenical “Christian Peace Witness for Iraq” in Washington, D.C., March 16 drew thunderous applause.
(Read More)

The Presbyterian Outlook reported on the Peace Witness, Christian Protesters Arrested at White House.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 220 Christians, including Rick Ufford-Chase, executive director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, were arrested Friday night as they knelt and prayed at the gate of the White House.

Their action was part of the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq demonstration planned to protest the war on its fourth anniversary. Several thousand Christians also worshipped in the National Cathedral, and marched to the White House. (Read More)

The story is larger than meets the eye. This was not a typical anti-war demonstration or peace march. The center of the event was a worship service in the National Cathedral, led by Christians (and evangelical Christians at that) calling the administration to account. This is Nathan taking on David. This is Isaiah, Amos, Jeremiah, John the Baptist telling truth to power.

This event could be a turning point for our nation. Who are we as Americans? Are we an Empire? Is the Bush Doctrine truly America's doctrine? This event was not about economics, politics, strategy, or foreign affairs. This event was about morality. This event asks America a moral question: Is the war morally justifiable? Is this war just? We cannot shrink away from that question. That is why I think this event is a turning point. We have been asked the ultimate question regarding war, this war in particular, and the path the United States has taken.

No longer can we say, "We didn't know. We couldn't do anything. It's all too complicated."

We should have asked this question again and again before the war started. Some did, but not enough. But now, at least, we need to ask it, "Is this war just?" College kids, aged people, people in wheelchairs, women, men, are now saying "No" to that question. It is not a just war and therefore it cannot be supported.

The language and symbols of the Christian faith have been hijacked in support of this war and in support of U.S. aggression all over the world. Christians are slowly waking up to this and finding a moral backbone.

Asking this question is only the beginning. We are four years late in asking it. We must keep asking it. We must keep it before the people in our churches and before anyone who identifies as Christian. This will take time. It will take courage. It will take persistence. It will take more than anything a strong personal center.

I included this quote in Sunday's bulletin:

"Have courage," we often say to one another. Courage is a spiritual virtue. The word courage comes from the Latin word cor, which means "heart." A courageous act is an act coming from the heart. A courageous word is a word arising from the heart. The heart, however, is not just the place our emotions are located. The heart is the center of our being, the center of all thoughts, feelings, passions, and decisions.

A courageous life, therefore, is a life lived from the center. It is a deeply rooted life, the opposite of a superficial life. "Have courage" therefore means "Let your center speak."
--Henri Nouwen