From Suffering to Solidarity: The Historical Seeds of Mennonite Interreligious, Interethnic, and International Peacebuilding

by Andrew Klager, Marc Gopin (Foreword by)

Overview

As experiences of suffering continue to influence the responses of identity groups in the midst of violent conflict, a way to harness their narratives, stories, memories, and myths in transformative and nonviolent ways is needed. From Suffering to Solidarity explores the historical seeds of Mennonite peacebuilding approaches and their application in violent conflicts around the world. The authors in this book first draw out the experiences of Anabaptists and Mennonites from the sixteenth-century origins through to the present that have shaped their approaches to conflict transformation and inspired new generations of Mennonites to engage in relief, development, and peacebuilding to alleviate the suffering of others whose experiences today reflect those of their ancestors. Authors then explore the various peacebuilding approaches, methods, and initiatives that have emerged from this Mennonite narrative and its preservation and dissemination in subsequent generations. Finally, the book examines how this combined historical sensitivity and resulting peacebuilding theory and practice have been applied in violent conflicts around the world, noting both successes and challenges. Ultimately, From Suffering to Solidarity attempts to answer a question: How can a robust historical infrastructure be used to inspire empathetic solidarity with the Other and shape nonviolent ways of transforming conflict to thrust a stick in the spokes of the cycle of violence?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498273282
Publisher:	Pickwick Publications
Publication date:	10/23/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	428
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Andrew P. Klager is on faculty at the Centre for Mennonite Studies, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, and is an adjunct professor at the Anabaptist-Mennonite Centre for Faith and Learning, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia. He holds a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Glasgow, focusing on sixteenth-century Anabaptist history, and is the author of several articles and book chapters on Anabaptist origins, history of Christianity, Mennonites and peace and conflict studies, and interreligious peacebuilding between Muslims and Christians.

Table of Contents

Foreword Marc Gopin xi

Acknowledgments xiii

List of Contributors xv

Abbreviations xvii

Introduction 1

Part 1 Historical Conditions of Anabaptist-Mennonite Peacebuilding Approaches

1 The Roots of Anabaptist Erapathetic Solidarity, Nonviolent Advocacy, and Peacemaking John Derksen 13

2 The Testing of Mennonite Peacemaking in Twentieth-Century Soviet Russia Walter Sawatsky 37

3 Privilege, Right, and Responsibility: Peace and the North American Mennonites Royden Loewen 58

4 The Beginnings of Mennonite Central Committee and Its Ministry of Peace Esther Epp-Tiessen 71

5 Historical Conditions of Mennonite Peacebuilding Approaches: Global Anabaptism and Neo-Anabaptism John D. Roth 90

Part 2 Analysis of the Historically Conditioned Mennonite Peacebuilding Approaches

6 From Resolution to Transformation: Experience, Encounter, and Solidarity in the Peacebuilding Work of Mennonite Practitioner-Scholar, John Paul Lederach Jauna Hunter-Bowman 115

7 Formative Mennonite Mythmaking in Peacebuilding and Restorative Justice Carl Stauffer 140

8 Mennonites and Contemporary Human Rights Lowell Ewerl 162

9 Mennonite Women: Making Positive Peace Marlene Epp 178

10 Transforming the Peacebuilder: Building Trust and Local Capacity through Containment of Ego and Cultivation of the Inner Life Ron Kraybill 193

11 Called to Be Snakebirds: Mennonite Historical Conditions as Inspiration for Peace Work Virgil Wiebe 204

Part 3 Application of Mennonite Peacebuilding Approaches in Conflict Settings

12 Authentic Grassroots Conflict Transformation in Egypt: Interreligious Hospitality and the Gift of Pessimism in Mennonite Approaches to Peacebuilding Andrew P. Klager 231

13 Communities of Hope: Colombian Anabaptist Churches Bridging the Abyss of Suffering with Faith Bonnie Klassen 251

14 Religious Violence, Peacebuilding, and Mennonites: The Case of Indonesia Sumanto Al Qurtuby 274

15 Remembering a Perforated Land: Strategies of Peacebuilding in Palestine-Israel Alain Epp Weaver 298

16 The Mennonite Peacebuilding Response to Interethnic Division in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Fidele Ayu Lumeya 309

17 Overcoming Trauma, Grievance, and Revenge in Bosnia-Herzeg and Kosovo: Fostering Nonviolent Reconciliation Efforts David Steele 330

Bibliography 367

Index 395