Posts in the ‘Featured’ Category

The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University is launching a Women’s Peacebuilding Leadership Program specifically tailored to women who are oriented toward social change and who wish to develop their abilities to lead the cause of peace and justice in their regions of the world.

The aim of all coaching is “to evoke transformation”. In the church we know this is nothing short of holy work borne of sacred imagination that can lead to God-sized outcomes.

Washington Post: “Because we live in a pluralistic, global world we need to be able to listen to other viewpoints, place ourselves in the shoes of others, and respond fairly, magnanimously and pragmatically.”

“Human relationships are rich; they’re messy and demanding. We have learned the habit of cleaning them up with technology. And the move from conversation to connection is part of this. But it’s a process in which we shortchange ourselves.”

EMU’s Peacebuilder: Since encountering restorative justice, I would pick up a file like this and ask questions such as: “assuming he or she did it, what is the best resolution, where do we go from here?” rather than the traditional questions of “who did it?” and “how can it be proven?”

Rick Love: “God’s peacemaking plan is comprehensive. Peacemaking pushes us beyond our comfort zones and outside the walls of our churches. It challenges us to live out the peaceable ways of Jesus with our neighbors and our enemies. No borders. No boundaries. Everyone.”

Faith & Leadership: The co-founder of The Trinity Forum challenges Christians to follow Jesus by becoming champions of civility.

But God’s order, in fact, throws this process on its head. God’s order puts forgiveness and redemption first. Acknowledgment and apology may be like icing on the cake, but our spiritual duty is to forgive and, not only that, but to forgive first, as we have been forgiven.

Who we are or the way of our souls is critical in conflict transformation and mediation ministries, whether in congregations, other organizations/communities or between individuals. While what we know is important, skills and techniques, who we are is the deepest and most influential component of conflict transformation and mediation ministries

by Joshua Wachtel: “FaithCARE—Faith Communities Affirming Restorative Experiences grew from a two-day retreat in 2007 that explored the possibilities for employing restorative practices in a faith-community context.”