Peace and Justice Churches?!? WOOT!!!

[the Ogre]

Cofchristcousin, can you tell more about the similarity to Peace and Justice Churches?

This baptism in common would agree with PrisonChaplain's view that Christians are united as the body of Christ. Don't know if they would meet the other criteria for his checklist.

As far as that part of being Good Shepards to the spiritual needs of gay believers, I know this must seem alien and a betrayal to the LDS Church. We prefer to minister to the other 95 sheep if those five percent persist in bleating to a different bleat. However, if they refrain from such bleating, everything will be just fine.

I've been out of it for a while. I then come back and find the above (Moksha, I love you).

To find out more, I did a quick google search and found this survey. I don't think Latter-day Saint congregations score well just based on the WoW type questions.

Is your church a Peace & Justice church? Circle either Yes or No and tally your answers and see who you are doing below:

We have a Church & Society or Peace & Justice ministry team/committee. Yes/No

We have someone assigned to serve as our liaison to the Rocky Mountain

Conference Church & Society Network. Yes/No

We promote and take-up a collection for the annual U.M. Peace & Justice Sunday Special Giving Day Offering. Yes/No

Our church has an active United Methodist Women's (UMW) chapter/group General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church) Yes/No

We have held at least one DISCIPLE Bible Study III course (on the Prophets). Yes/No

Our church provides organized opportunities to be in ministry to, and solidarity with, the poor. Yes/No

Our church has participated in a CROP Walk in the past 5 years (sponsored by Church World Services)(Fair Trade coffees, etc.: www.equalexchange.com; www. gbgm-umc.org/umcor/hunger/coffee.cfm) Yes/No

We provide only fair trade coffee products (CROP Walk – Church World Services: www.churchworldservice.org/CROP/) when we serve coffee. Yes/No

We provide only fairly traded teas or cocas when we serve them. Yes/No

We provide only fairly traded/produced t-shirts, hats, and other clothing items when we sell or provide such items for promotional events, undraisers,etc. Yes/No

We encourage our members (via sermons, email, newsletters, bulletin boards, etc.) to purchase fairly traded/produced items for their personal use. Yes/No

We sell fair trade coffees by the pound (or other fairly traded items) at our church. Yes/No

Our worship services feature sermons that lift up and focus upon Peace & Justice themes at least six times each year. Yes/No

Our worship services feature music, hymns, etc. that intentionally lift up and focus upon Peace & Justice themes at least six times each year. Yes/No

Our church newsletter features articles, letters, artwork, or cartoons that lift up and emphasize Peace & Justice themes/concerns at least six times each year. Yes/No (this one is funny for me because the lady in my ward who does the newsletter is very involved in the Eagle Forum and has told me that I'm not welcome in Gospel Doctrine Class because my liberal politics stains my understanding of the gospel -- I ignore her of course and comment when I think the Tea-Party politics are getting a bit out of hand -- I voted for McCain, so I have no idea where she thinks I'm a liberal, tho' of course I'm no conservative either).

At least four of our Jr. & Sr. High Sunday school class sessions focus upon Peace & Justice related themes or concerns every year. Yes/No

At least four of our Adult Sunday School class sessions focus upon Peace & Justice related themes or concerns every year (e.g. Social Principles, etc.). Yes/No

We host at least one Peace & Justice related event for our local community every year, e.g. Alternative Christmas Gift Market; guest speakers, workshops, etc. Yes/No

We’ve conducted a Bread For The World “Offering of Letters” (Offering of Letters/Bread for the World: Bread for the World :: Have Faith. End Hunger.) in the past 4 years. Yes/No

Our church website provides a link to the General Board of Church & Society (Welcome to The General Board of Church and Society/The General Board of Church and Society). Yes/No

Our church website provides a link to the RMC Church & Society Network (www.rmcumc.org/MI/Justice). Yes/No

Our church website provides a link to the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) (MFSA Home). Yes/No

We’ve learned about the criteria for becoming an officially recognized “Peace With Justice Covenant Congregation” (the GBCS program).(Peace & Justice Covenant Congregation/General Board of Church & Society: Welcome to The General Board of Church and Society/The General Board of Church and Society) Yes/No

We are an official GBCS Peace With Justice Covenanted congregation. Yes/No

We arrange trips to meet with our elected officials and/or visit our State Legislature. Yes/No

We teach about the Social Principles as part of our new membership classes. Yes/No

We participate in the Peace Pole Project (www.worldpeace.org/peacepoles.html). Yes/No

Our church lending library/media resource center owns at least 5 of the following

Peace & Justice related Books: Yes/No

Hope and History: Why We Must Share the Story of the Movement (Vincent Harding); Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero (Vincent Harding); The Peaceable Kingdom: A Primer to Christian Ethics (Stanley Hauerwas); Resident Aliens (Stanley Hauerwas);

Jesus and Empire – or – Relgion and Empire (Richard Horsley); Jesus and the Spiral of Violence (Richard Horsley); Becoming Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical Discipleship (Wes Howard-Brook); Unveiling Empire: Reading Revelation Then & Now (Wes Howard-Brook); Good News to the Poor: John Wesley's Evangelical Economics (Theodore Jennings); Beyond Guilt: A Christian Response to Suffering (George Johnson); Any book Martin Luther King, Jr.; Daring To Speak in God's Name: Ethical Prophecy in Ministry (Mary Alice Mulligan & Rufus Burrow); The Violence of Love (Oscar Romero); For They Shall Be Fed: Scripture & Prayers for a Just World (Ron Sider); Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving From Affluence to Generosity (Ron Sider); The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience: Why Are Christians Living Just Like the Rest of the World? (Ron Sider); Praying for Friends and Enemies: Intercessory Prayer (Jane Vennard); The Call to Conversion: Recovering the Gospel for These Times (Jim Wallis); The Soul of Politics: Beyond Religious Right & Secular Left (Jim Wallis); God's Politics: Why the Religious Right is Wrong & Why the Left Doesn't Get It (Jim Wallis); The Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years (Juan Williams); The Powers That Be: Theology for the New Millennium (Walter Wink); The Politics of Jesus (John Howard Yoder); and a Subscription to Sojourners magazine (Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace).

Our church lending library/media resource center owns at least 4 of the following

Peace & Justice related Movies: Yes/No

Romero – starring Raul Julia; The City of Joy -starring Patrick Swayze; Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story; Hotel Rwanda – Don Cheadle; The Mission – Robert DeNiro/Jeremy Irons; To End All Wars – Kiefer Sutherland; Gandhi – Ben Kingsley; Erin Brokovich – Julia Roberts; The Thin Blue Line – doc. re: death penalty; Chattahoochee – Gary Oldman/Dennis Hopper; The Fog of War – doc. featuring Robert McNamara; Bonhoeffer – Ulrich Tukur; Born on the 4th of July - Tom Cruise; Amistad –Morgan Freeman/Matt.McCon.; Dances With Wolves – Kevin Costner; Dead Man Walking – Susan Sarandon/Sean Penn; Schindler’s List – Liam Neeson; The Killing Fields – Sam Waterston; Eyes on the Prize – PBS doc. re: civil rights mvmt.; The Corporation – documentary; Amandala – doc. re: ending aparthied in S. Africa; The War – Kevin Costner; The Control Room – doc.re:media coverage of Iraq war; Silver City – Chris Cooper; The Laramie Project –doc. re:Matthew Shephard; The Saint of Fort Washington– Dillon/Glover.

The people of our congregation know that we have these books and/or movies. Yes/No

We make a point to show at least one of those movies every year (in a class,

special event, etc.). Yes/No

Scoring.

Total Yes answers:

Total No answers:

1-5 Yes answers: You’ve made the first few steps, keep going!

6-10 Yes answers: You’re on your way toward becoming a Peace & Justice congregation!

10-20 Yes answers: You’re doing really well, strive to take it to the next level!

20+ Yes answers: Congratulations! You’re a true light upon the hill! Keep up the good work!

If your church has scored 20 points or more, contact the Rocky Mountain Conference

“Church & Society Network: Advocating For Peace With Justice”

so that we can celebrate and honor your congregation! . . . Welcome to The General Board of Church and Society | The General Board of Church and Society

I think this is quite fascinating. My mentor at UVU is one of the founding voices in their Peace and Justice committee and academic program and encouraged the development of the Peace and Justice Club on campus (or was, I don't know if there is one still). I do not support many of their aims, so I was not associated with them. I do not think she would find it possible for religious people to support Peace and Justice Organizations.

I know we would not be welcome to some of the organizations listed here regardless of our scoring on this survey, but don't we espouse many of the philosophies in Peace and Justice Organizations?

Edited April 17, 2010 by the Ogre

[talisyn]

We might share a 'these are my brothers and sisters' attitude, but after reading the questions it seems more of a political movement lol.

[JohnnyRudick]

We might share a 'these are my brothers and sisters' attitude, but after reading the questions it seems more of a political movement lol.

Me thinks so also:huh:

[FunkyTown]

It makes me wonder if they think there are a lot of War and Injustice churches around.

[the Ogre]

It makes me wonder if they think there are a lot of War and Injustice churches around.

Exactly! I agree. If one is not on their side of the spectrum, does that automatically mean other faiths oppose their point of view? That was one of my problems with the Peace and Justice Program at UVU. I don't agree with all their aims, but that does not mean I am some type of hawk or warmonger (I am neither). It come across as a type of religious elitism on further reading of the movement and also trying to keep one foot in the religious world and one in the secular world.

[john doe]

That questionaire is based on false doctrine and assumptions.

[Moksha]

That questionaire is based on false doctrine and assumptions.

What precisely would constitute false doctrine in such Churches asking these questions of themselves?

[the Ogre]

That questionaire is based on false doctrine and assumptions.

False Doctrine for whom? Moksha is right. We can't judge them based on their understanding of their own faith. Latter-day Saints believe differently . . . sort of (but how is always fun to investigate and important to know).

Thinking about it, at the core of our church, are we not also a peace and justice church (minus the coffee bit)? We don't have join political clubs as a congregation, but we believe in peace, and we believe in justice. We believe in equality (not just the equivalency that some of these reference sites imply). We believe in suppressing the negative aspects of society as a whole that cause poverty, war, and division: racism, greed, pride, ignorance, class/caste, hate, envy, etc. . . . Napoleon had it right about what causes one to go to war and so we fight hunger, illiteracy, want, etc. . . . Is this not part of the forth mission of the church? Is this not part of the Helping Hands projects? Is this not what Relief Society is supposed to be about? Home-teaching? Perpetual Education Fund? Humanitarian Aid Fund? Missionary Work? Temple Work? We are a peace and justice church without the politics or club-membership.

I brought this up because I had never heard of it. I like new religious movements. This is more than a case of false doctrine or been there done that. This is information about the world at large. We need to know everything we can about the faiths in our communities without blowing them off with the label of "false doctrine".

I also started this in a new thread because I did not want this survey to be a distraction from the discussion about the CoC's new revelation (yes, I have a low opinion of them, but that is simply reciprocating their low opinion of the LDS Church and that they are furthering themselves from the gospel every-time their conference convenes). I do not think you meant to come across so negatively -- the OP is long :). I just found the application of the peace and justice movement to religious groups interesting and possibly counter-intuitive.

[cofchristcousin]

The op list does not really give the theology behind peace church movements. It is more about how we use power in our relationships, personal, church, community, country, etc. The Sermon on the Mount is central.

Here is a list of traits of Peace Churches. There is some of this in nearly every church.

Such peace churches have at least the following five characteristics:3

1. Proclamation of the gospel of peace.

We announce God's good news of reconciliation and peace (2 Cor. 5:19) through Jesus Christ who is our peace (Eph. 2:14).

2. Love of all human beings - even the enemy.

We have learned through Jesus Christ to love our enemies and to pray for them (Mt. 5:44), even when we are called to resist nonviolently their unjust actions.

3. Rejection of violence

We are learning first to recognize and reject our own violence. We refuse to use violence personally or to justify the use of violence as an instrument of power whether on a family, societal, national or international levels. We seek to learn and to practice the skills and disciplines of nonviolent conflict transformation, and to train others in these.

4. Commitment to the victims of violence

We are determined to not close our eyes to the horrific sacrifices which violence requires. As Jesus in his time stood with the victims of oppression and violence, so we are committed to standing with today's victims.

5. Community and solidarity

To realize this vision, we need each other, in our own congregations and communities, and in solidarity with other Christians around the world. Our citizenship is in 'heaven' (Phil. 3:20), and we are the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27). Therefore all ties to nationality, ethnicity and land - important though these are - have been relativized. We seek to be a social expression of God's New World, alternative societies in whose climate justice, peace, mercy and truth will flourish.

What If Every Church Had Been A Peace Church?

[the Ogre]

1. Proclamation of the gospel of peace.

2. Love of all human beings - even the enemy.

3. Rejection of violence

4. Commitment to the victims of violence

5. Community and solidarity

a) Isn't this true of every Christian Religion? Don't Shiite Muslims make this exact claim? Buddhists?

b) Isn't claiming membership to an association of Peace and Justice Churches in violation of point 5? (joining a special association violates general community solidarity: "Sorry mormons, we can't hang with you because not only are you not Chr-stians, you don't try to be part of the Peace and Justice movement. You simply aren't compassionate enough for us.")

[cofchristcousin]

a) Isn't this true of every Christian Religion? Don't Shiite Muslims make this exact claim? Buddhists?

b) Isn't claiming membership to an association of Peace and Justice Churches in violation of point 5? (joining a special association violates general community solidarity: "Sorry mormons, we can't hang with you because not only are you not Chr-stians, you don't try to be part of the Peace and Justice movement. You simply aren't compassionate enough for us.")

Yes, religion in general holds up these values to different degrees. the Peace churches have a commitment to live it as deeply as they understand. They practice non-violence in every relationship possible, including their language, their advocacy against injustice, and their purchases. They have a commitment to seeing their own violence and mistreatment of life. That's part of the solidarity factor. We need each other to see ourselves and the affects of our actions more clearly.

That is the point of Point 5. Alone in our individual churches and cultures, we don’t have everything that is needed to mature our faith. When we meet in settings with others we hope that we will be enriched with the diversity that is God-given. I meet with a group of many religions for interfaith dialogue. I met my first Mormon there. There are also groups urging more Christians to stop "enemizing" other religions. I do not support the view of popular christianity that rejects the LDS and a host of others from Christian organizations.

[Dravin]

UVU

Nothing to add except: Go UVU!

That is all.

[john doe]

False Doctrine for whom? We can't judge them based on their understanding of their own faith. Latter-day Saints believe differently .

False doctrine for LDS. You put this in the general discussion section on an LDS site. Do you want it moved to the Christian Beliefs Board?

[JohnnyRudick]

False doctrine for LDS. You put this in the general discussion section on an LDS site. Do you want it moved to the Christian Beliefs Board?

Good point:cool:

[Moksha]

Now is it that peace and justice are false doctrines for our church, or just troublesome for some of the members?

[JohnnyRudick]

Now is it that peace and justice are false doctrines for our church, or just troublesome for some of the members?

Neither one:rolleyes:

[Matthew0059]

Now is it that peace and justice are false doctrines for our church, or just troublesome for some of the members?

"Peace and justice" are often seen as the highest of ideals to those who advocate them so forcefully- Christ is seen as more of a means to social peace and justice than as a savior.

Do you want to be affiliated with those who put Christ second and their own ideals first? Christ Himself stated that His true doctrine would not bring peace to the earth!! Anyone teaching that all we need to do is concentrate more on "peace and justice" to acheive it is either blind or deceitful- and you don't want to be following someone who is either.

[cofchristcousin]

On Faith Panelists Blog: Political, not theological - Michael Otterson

I just happened upon this today. It's not a bad approach, especially that the writer recognizes that empathy is at the heart of both men. I know the LDS is very generous regarding poverty. The somewhat missing part is working to address the causes of poverty and injustice, but that may be because I am looking in and not familiar with your ministries.

[Guest]

On Faith Panelists Blog: Political, not theological - Michael Otterson

I just happened upon this today. It's not a bad approach, especially that the writer recognizes that empathy is at the heart of both men. I know the LDS is very generous regarding poverty. The somewhat missing part is working to address the causes of poverty and injustice, but that may be because I am looking in and not familiar with your ministries.

I did not follow the link.

But you are right - you are not seeing the EXTENSIVE work faithful LDS members do to address the CAUSES of poverty and injustice. It is addressed every single General Conference at the very least - you must have heard of a few of them - I mean, just in this forum you see a Preparedness section which is exactly what it is - a way to prepare yourself so you can keep yourself out of poverty and have the means to assist somebody in poverty even in the most extreme of situations. And that's just one of a gazillion of them.

In my opinion we don't need to be a member of some group to prove that we practice what we preach.

[mormongandhi]

If you think we don't score very well, then it's up to our generation of mormons to make sure that we do. Check out latter day satyagraha to find out more about mormon nonviolence:

latter day satyagraha