The Peace of Christ (Review of the November/December 2004 edition of
Horizons)
by
Viola Larson
The story line of a science fiction television show, aired several years
ago, depicted a man going back in time to the early 1930s and rescuing a
lady from death in a car accident. The lady, a prominent peace activist, was
able to go on with her crusade to persuade America not to go to war against
Hitler. Hitler and absolute evil conquered the world. Of course it was only
a story, and life is so much more complex. There were many pacifists, and
peace activists in the years before World War II, and some of them, like
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, were devout Christians. However, Bonhoeffer, because he
lived in Germany and was a part of the Confessing Church, was forced to
stare evil in the face, he joined the forces attempting to kill Hitler and
because of that failed attempt lost his life. Pacifism is an honorable
position among Christians; many Christian groups and individuals have held
this view and I believe deserve the church’s respect, as do those who
believe in fighting just wars. But what made Bonhoeffer different? Why would
such a devout theologian and pacifist become part of a murder conspiracy? I
believe Bonhoeffer’s changing positions rested squarely on his biblical
world-view. Christians who hold Christ as Lord also understand the force and
reality of evil. The absolutes of Bonhoeffer’s life were never discarded;
Christ was Lord, peace was something to stand for, and evil was something to
stand against. Working for peace is only bad when your world-view negates
the reality of evil or twists the words of truth.
The November/December 2004 issue of _Horizons_ ‘Healing Our Broken World,”
presents two differing foundations on which women may stand for peace. One
foundation is biblical and is based on the work Jesus Christ accomplished on
the cross, that is God’s gift of grace reaching down to us. The other
foundation is religious but void of grace. It is based on human potential,
and in particular women’s potential. It is human centered and ripe for evil.
These two foundations also include two different views of evil. One is
biblical and understands that all humanity, both men and women, are evil and
need redemption. The other foundation, again, is human centered and lays a
foundation for scapegoating, that is choosing a class of people who are
unredeemable.
The beautiful article, ‘Perspectives on Forgiveness,” by Nelle Bordeaux
lays the real foundation for peace. Quoting the verse, ‘In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according
to the riches of his grace,”(Eph. 1:7), Bordeaux shows both our means of
salvation and our reason for forgiving even those who have not sought our
forgiveness. Peace begins with Jesus’ death on the cross and our acceptance
of his gift. Peace is extended to others by our forgiving them because of
him. Lives transformed by Jesus Christ are lives that can reach out in peace
to others. As Bordeaux puts it, ‘because Christ died for me . . . I no
longer need to know the spiritual condition of the person I am forgiving.
Rather, all I need to know is Jesus Christ.” (15) But, in another article,
‘No Women, No Peace,” by Monica Willard, Leah Ellison Bradley and Nancy
Goldberger, the other foundation is presented. This article not only refers
to the work women are attempting to do in the UN toward peace, but it once
again promotes the organization ‘Peace X Peace.” The foundation laid is a
perspective that women are better equipped to promote peace and that
humanity has the potential to evolve away from a tendency toward war. And in
fact, Peace X Peace is an organization that works on the principle that
‘feminine qualities must be respected and brought into greater influence and
power,”1 and that through circles of women an evolution of human
consciousness will lift humanity into a new realm of peacefulness.
I pointed out in my last review that many of the leaders of Peace X Peace in
the United States are ‘members of the goddess, new age, and human potential
movements.”2 I referred to Jean Shinoda Bolen and Barbara Marx Hubbard in
particular. Both of these women hold views that are sharply in contrast to
the tenets of biblical Christianity. In fact Bolen is an adherent of Goddess
religion. In a recent interview of Bolen featured in the magazine, _Sage
Woman: Celebrating the Goddess in Every Woman_, she was asked if she now
viewed the goddesses as ‘transpersonal entities or even as deities” as well
as archetypes. Bolen’s answer was, ‘At this time, I see goddesses as all of
the above”[italics Editor Anne Newkirk Niven’s].3 Hubbard’s agenda is
linked to a new age and human potential world-view in which she perceives
humanity to be evolving into a higher consciousness. The desire for peace is
in most of our hearts but when that desire is tied to ideologies that see
humans evolving into a higher consciousness through self-effort the
potential for evil is great. In ‘Foundational Principles,” a compilation of
quotes from the founding circle of Peace X Peace, one reads:
The ‘circular” qualities of peace- inclusion, communication,
partnering, creativity, holistic thinking, care for the environment,
nurturing and healing are ‘feminine” in nature. ‘Feminine” qualities
have historically been in subordinate position to qualities of
domination, hierarchy, control and mandate, exclusivity, and linear
thought processes. For sustainable peace ‘feminine” qualities must be
respected and brought into greater influence and power. 4
One will note that there are few moral references in that statement, yet it
is speaking of what is conducive to peace. A person may be very creative but
evil. Holistic thinking may be good or evil. But both qualities have been
given a morally good distinction in this document. On the other hand other
qualities that also have no moral content are given negative qualities thus
eliminating them from any list of what is good. For instance, exclusivity
has some good qualities for Christians. It is what keeps our faith from
dissolving into a hodgepodge of syncretism. That is why we do not ordain
Moslem leaders in our Churches. That is why we only offer communion to those
who are baptized. ‘Hierarchy” also has some good qualities for the
Christian, as long as those who are in leadership positions are not
authoritarian. The author of Hebrews writes, ‘Obey your leaders and submit
to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an
account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be
unprofitable for you.” (13:17) On the other hand, people who devise ideal
situations, and that without Jesus Christ, often have to find some way to
deal with what doesn’t fit into the ideal plan, (circle). In this same
document, the circle of women who began Peace X Peace point to a group who
are outside the circle, those who will not agree with their philosophy. They
write:
Some people are movable, some are not movable, some are movers. Precious
time and energy should not be ‘wasted” trying to persuade people who
are not movable. Instead such people need to be ‘outnumbered”-the
middle needs to be strengthened- by a critical mass with an agenda
towards inclusive peace.5
Most of the other articles in this issue of _Horizons_, from ‘Making Women
Well in Africa,” by Sue Makin, to the very poignant piece, ‘Prison Witness:
Called to Bold Action for Peace,” by Judith Kelly, are informative and
helpful. While Christians may disagree over such issues as the ‘School of
the Americas” and ‘Reparations” for the ancestors of black slaves and
Native Americans, I believe there should be respect for those who hold
strong faithful positions in those areas. But once again a division exists
between those who hold such positions on biblical grounds and those who hold
extra biblical positions. Mark A. Lomax’s article is a case in point. In his
article, ‘Reparations: Getting to Ground Level,” Lomax writes that, ‘Once
on the ground Zacchaeus, [sic], looked at Jesus and said, Look, half of my
possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone
of anything, I will pay back four times as much (Lk. 19:8).” Lomax makes
this the point of the story and suggests that Zaccheus could not be a part
of his community without his offer of repayment. But this story has a
different focus that consists of redemption centered in God’s great outreach
to humanity through Christ, and then the story returns to the community. It
was Jesus who reached out to Zaccheus, and the texts states that first
Zaccheus received Jesus ‘gladly.” Jesus is already at the house of
Zaccheus, when the crowd grumbles that Jesus was the guest of a sinner.
Having gladly received Jesus Christ, Zaccheus is ready to give graciously to
the community he has defrauded.
But why has Lomax restated the text, leaving out the gracious gift of
Christ. Although at first glance it seems Lomax is attempting to present the
gospel in an African context he instead moves toward an occultic religious
viewpoint. Lomax’s church, First African Presbyterian in Lithonia Georgia,
offers training for church officers called ‘Transformative Leadership
Education.” Under a listing of ‘Protocols and & Guidelines” and the title,
‘A Kabbalistic interpretation of worship procession according to the tree of
life,” is the rationale for the church procession. The author writes: ‘A
better understanding of how worship is enhanced through conscious awareness
of the kabbalistic principles and practices that under gird the opening
ritual of the service will provide the leadership with a greater
appreciation of its role in invoking the ashe of god and our ancestors.”
Under function the author writes, ‘The function of this module is to focus
on the energy that the leadership embodies and the self-conscious attention
take [sic] should be given to channeling and distributing this consecrated
power throughout the sanctuary.” Additionally, the documents inform the
leaders that if the recessional is ‘re-instituted” at the end of the
service, ‘the security team should join the Pastor and/or minister of the
day and remain with that person until they have returned to normal
consciousness (30-45 minutes).” 6 Seemingly this pastor has replaced the
gospel with some mixture of ancient African religion and kabbalistic
occultism. His desire to bring peace and healing to his brothers and sisters
is not grounded on the foundation that is Jesus Christ.
It seems redundant to write that Jesus Christ and his work on the cross is
the solid foundation that believers are called to when seeking peace and
healing. But it is a message that needs proclaiming over and over. ‘For no
man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). There is a peace that is evil, like the quiet of the
Jim Jones compound in Guyana after all of his adherents drank poison. But
there is also the peace that Jesus brings to individuals, communities and
nations. Jesus promised his disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you, My peace I
give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart
be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27).
_____________________
1 Foundational Principles: Peace X Peace Global Network, compiled by
Patricia Smith Melton, Jan 19-21, 2002 from the Women’s Dialogue Circle. At,
www.peacexpeace.org/peacepapers/foundationalprinciples.htm.
2 See, ‘Thinking About Circles, Churches and People I care About: A Review
of ‘ Thinking Outside the Circle,”
http://layman.wpengine.com/pcusa/pw/horizons_magazine/04sep14-vlarson-horizon-review
.html [1] .
3 ‘On Becoming a Juicy Crone,” Anne Newkirk Niven, Editor, _Sage Woman:
Celebrating the Goddess in Every Woman,”_ # 65.
4 Foundational Principles, Melton.
5 Ibid.
6 See at, http://firstafrikanchurch.org/LeadershipWebsite/outcomes.html