Conference Explores Role of Non-Violence
Episcopal News Service. January 24, 1985 [85019]
PRINCETON, N.J. (DPS, Jan. 31) -- The issues of non-violent resistance to war and war preparation brought a small group of Episcopalians together for a January conference to share experiences and begin building networks of response.
The Henry Chauncey Conference Center here was the site of the Jan. 17-20 event, which was sponsored by the Public Issues Office of the Episcopal Church Center.
The conference goal was to explore the ethical, educational and pastoral implications of two resolutions passed by the 67th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 1982.
One of these resolutions called for "Christian people everywhere...to engage themselves in non-violent action for justice and peace and to support others so engaged." It also urged all members of the Church to support those who engage in such non-violent action, and particularly those who suffer for conscience' sake as a result..."
The second affirmed that the decision to participate or not in war or war preparation is a faithful response, and, as such, deserving of "the respect and ministry of the Church."
The Rev. Denis O'Pray of All Saint's Church, Pasadena, Calif., one of the gathering's planners and leaders, said a conference goal was to "affirm the strong commitment of many around the Church to institutional changes as a fulfillment of the two resolutions the General Convention has already voted. Now we have to live into an understanding of them."
The Rev. Charles A. Cesaretti, the Episcopal Church's public issues officer, and the Rev. John Palmer of Trinity Church, Wall Street, N.Y., were the other planners.
Conference attendees included diocesan peace coordinators, members of parish, diocesan, and national peace groups, seminary professors, and others who have been involved in non-violent resistance. In the latter group were tax resistors, those working for sanctuary for Central American refugees, those who have been on the "Witness for Peace" in Nicaragua, as well as many who have taken part in vigils and demonstrations at defense installations.
Four keynoters, each answered by two respondents, brought a variety of perspectives to the conference topic. Participants also worked in small discussion groups.
First keynoter, the Rev. William Teska of Minneapolis, described the forces that have shaped the Church's role as peacemaker. He included the Church's comprehensiveness and the love of personal conscience that makes for wide diversity. With this as background, a question arising from the conference was: "Can a Church that places a premium on diversity and comprehensiveness establish a coherent peace program?"
Teska also brought up the question of the "influence in high places" the Episcopal Church is often said to have. "We are a divinely constituted society," he said, "not an assembly... something to which you 'belong.' the question then is, do those who have this influence see themselves as members of this society?"
An international perspective was brought by the Rev. Canon Paul Oestricher, the director of the International Relations Division of the British Council of Churches. Oestricher reminded the group that "we are in a fallen world where we live with profound contradictions...We have to come to terms with the fact that we are a small group of helpless, broken people who chose to go with Jesus to the cross."
"To understand resistance," he said, "we have to keep in balance the whole Gospel and recognize that, within the Body, people have been given different things to do. Some are resistors. Some are reconcilers. Some have a double role and are rejected by everyone. But trying to create consensus is a recipe for doing nothing."
Resistance as a matter of the heart was the theme articulated by Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine. "We could talk a lot about biblical basis for civil disobedience, but I don't believe resistance is, finally, a matter of the head."
The Rev. Scott Paradise, Episcopal chaplain at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, traced something of the changes in the national consciousness over the years since World War II and then deliniated five themes for a theology developed in response to "apocalytic evil:" love that is unconditional and universal, non-violence, service to the poor, evangelical poverty, and costly witness.
The final plenary produced four resolutions. The first, sent to the Rt. Rev. John B. Coburn, chair of the committee to nominate a Presiding Bishop, asked that those nominated have an understanding of and support for those who have been "impelled and guided to the witness and ministry of civil disobedience" to the nuclear arms race. Another (recalling that much of the New Testament was written from prison) urged Episcopalians to struggle with "divine obedience/civil disobedience."
A resolution passed sending support to conference participant Gloria Cushing of Minneapolis. She was to be tried the next day for taking part in a demonstration at a Honeywell plant in protest of their work on nuclear arms.
Another offered support to Rutgers chaplain, the Rev. Henry L. Atkins, who has issued a call to Jewish and Christian employees of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service to refuse orders to arrest those persons from Central America seeking sanctuary. Atkins had left the conference a day early to make his statement from the Rutgers pulpit.
Many of the questions raised by the conference will be explored by other elements of the peace and justice network and be incorporated into the reports offered for General Convention this fall. Among them are: How will the peacemaking efforts of the Church incorporate the concern for justice so that two are held together? What is the Church's response to the fact that its prophets are lonely people? How can the Body of Christ be brought to allow mavericks and conflicts? What are the possible institutional consequences of the Church embracing this social ministry of resistance? How can the Church help resistors to make informed choices on civil disobedience?
A fall meeting for diocesan peace coordinators is being planned by the Public Issues Office.