Robert Herr and Judy Zimmerman Herr

The practical peacemaking work of Christians has expanded considerably in recent years. A decade ago the focus of a book such as this would almost certainly have been on the constant threat of nuclear war. Today the emphasis is on the need to build a just peace in more direct and tangible ways. The large issues and threats are still with us, but our response is led by the stories of communities mobilizing to resolve problems through immediate and direct participation.

The Historic Peace Church and Fellowship of Reconciliation Consultative Committee has often, since its beginnings thirty years ago, produced books and study documents to further understanding of and commitment to peacemaking. Its primary mandate has been to place this discussion on the agenda of the ecumenical movement. This book is another contribution to this process, looking toward the December 1998 World Council of Churches Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe. These accounts, contributed to the larger effort of the Programme to Overcome Violence, present a picture of people effectively and successfully responding to the call to build communities of peace.

The book grew out of a meeting called by the Historic Peace Churches/Fellowship of Reconciliation Committee in December 1993. One year after the international military peacekeeping intervention in Somalia, the meeting struggled to understand the changes taking place with the end of the Cold War and the role of peace churches and fellowships in the new world we were facing. In a world entering a new millennium and grappling with new configurations of power, what could we share that would contribute to peace? As we reflected on such questions, the idea was born to pull together readings to form a book that would include spiritual and biblical bases and practical stories of peacebuilding.

We are especially pleased with the generous response from the numerous authors that contributed to this work. When the Committee initially envisioned putting together such a book, we listed possible writers from within our own confessional circles. However, as we talked further, we realized that work for peace is happening across the divides of denominations and faiths. It then became our goal to include as writers persons from a variety of traditions, all of whom share with us a commitment to peacemaking that grows out of faith. In this way, the book itself can be a sign that peace requires the involvement of all.

The authors whose works are included here graciously worked with us through various stages of editing, deadlines, and requests. We thank them all for their contributions to the collection and trust that in our editing we enabled their voices to come through. Our thanks also to others who helped with the process, including Roger Epp and Ernie Regehr, and to the members of the committee: Lamar Gibble, Duane Friesen, Doug Hostetter, Lauree Hersch Meyer, Helen Wiegel, Tom Paxson, and Gene Hillard. Their contributions are evident in these pages; where there are gaps or errors, the responsibility should be assigned to us.

The world is replete with examples of people of faith who are working at various levels for peace. One book cannot hope to do more than point to a few examples. But such illustrations are important. They can expand our awareness of possible responses to the dilemmas we face and push our imaginations in new directions. The Programme to Overcome Violence of the World Council of Churches is one channel for sharing of such examples and possibilities. We hope this book contributes to ongoing ecumenical discussion as Christians from many contexts and traditions find ways to be peacemakers.
Judy Zimmerman Herr
and Robert Herr, Directors
Mennonite Central Committee
Peace Office

	To Pandora U.S. Main Page
	To Transforming Violence Contents