I’ve been thinking about David Edwards, a Disciples of Christ minister, lately. With multiple wars and increasing violence in communities across the country, I find myself returning to the principles David employed as a conscientious objector. David passed away from cancer in March of 2019. I met David through his wife Kaye and through his writing and music.
I met David because I was invited to coauthor a discussion and action guide to be included in the publication of the book What Belongs to God. It is a theologically rich narrative that inspires readers to consider how they choose peace daily.
This meeting was timely. Not only were we in the middle of a global pandemic, but we were also experiencing rising racial tensions after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. A growing economic pandemic was at hand due to the swarms of people who lost jobs due to the pandemic’s shutdown. As a result, we became increasingly aware of the gaps in our society’s systems.
David Edwards looks to Jesus as an example of a nonviolent presence throughout his book. He often refers to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” he is not speaking of one who lives in peace. Jesus refers to those who, as Douglas Hare states, “devote themselves to the hard work of reconciling hostile individuals, families, groups, and nations.”[1] Peacemaking, for Jesus, is the opposite of peacekeeping.
Peacekeeping is when we turn a blind eye to a harsh word, an inappropriate joke or comment, or a racist comment. We chose not to address it or speak up because we “do not want to rock the boat.” We tell ourselves, “That’s just the way that person is. Bless their hearts.” And we continue to sit by and allow the behavior to continue.
On the other hand, peacemaking is the bold step to name inappropriate or hostile behavior and seek reconciliation. Hare makes a list of peacemakers with whom to reconcile. He names individuals, families, groups, and nations. By making this list in this order, Hare identifies an essential task of reconciliation and peacemaking. It starts close to us, and as the circle widens, it includes families, groups, and nations.
Jesus affirms this approach. In Matthew 5:23-26, Jesus is clear that genuine repentance allows reconciliation with God and our neighbors whom we have wronged. The work of peacemaking begins with repentance and reconciliation. Peacemaking begins with acknowledging the state of our hearts and our relationship with God.
During Solomon’s reign, the struggle for Israel changed from conquering the land to conquering the soul. As the focus on the temple arose, a challenging relationship replaced Israel’s faithful relationship with God. During this time, the prophets rose to declare the people’s unfaithfulness. Prophets like Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah called the people to return their focus back to the Creator God. At the center of their messages was a God of justice and compassion whose great love for the people was the source of restoration and redemption. The people, however, had lost their focus. God was no longer their Center, and their relationship with God suffered. So, they were called to return God to the Center with their praise and worship.
To be a peacemaker is to restore our relationship with God and our neighbors.
But Jesus doesn’t leave it there. It is one thing for us to say we will love our neighbor as ourselves. For the most part, we like our neighbors. For most people, that’s an easy pill to swallow. But Jesus is not most people. He goes a step further, as Jesus often does, and tells us that we must also love our enemies.
Modern-day Christians might ask, “How is this possible?” The early church, and perhaps even Matthew himself, did not consider these words of Jesus impossible to fulfill. It is important to note that Jesus is not referring simply to feelings. Jesus is talking about actions. David wrote, “Love is something we do.” By choosing to love our enemies, we are choosing to see the world from God’s point of view. And by choosing to see things as God does, we take the first steps in choosing peace.
And by choosing peace, we are committing to do something. The work of peace, justice, and compassion is best when focused on God.
Our response to a loving, peaceful, and just God is to be loving, peaceful, and just to ourselves and others. This understanding may place new importance on how we each individually and collectively live our lives and make decisions. This is the reality that David Edwards came to in his own life and one that he and his book encourage us to do.
David writes, “The cycle of killing is broken whenever we choose no longer to be part of it or contribute to it. It must happen at many levels in our society, but it begins with how we conduct our own lives, the decisions we make, how we use the resources we have, material and spiritual, to nurture nonviolence.”
Choosing peace will not happen out there beyond each of us, but it happens every day with every decision we make. Yet, it will not be easy.
[1] Douglas R. A. Hare, Matthew, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, John Knox Press, 1993
jasoncstanley3.wordpress.com 