1st Annual fall peace forum: Dr. Donald Kraybill, "Pursue Peace — Peacefully, Truthfully, Hopefully"

Sunday, October 10, 2004
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Highland Presbyterian Church • 1801 Oregon Pike • Lancaster PA

In its inaugural meeting, Dr. Donald Kraybill delivered a keynote address introducing the Lancaster Interchurch Peace Witness to more than 200 people at Highland Presbyterian Church on 10 October 2004. Dr. Kraybill titled his address “Pursue Peace—Peacefully, Truthfully, Hopefully.” His talk reflected a concern for how the war in Iraq divided the country and our churches. Afterward, the audience gathered in small conversation groups to advocate Christian peacemaking on a local and global scale.

The event, entitled "A Fall Peace Gathering," brought concerned people together in Highland Church's sanctuary to pray and reflect on peace. The purpose of the gathering was to foster a Christian conversation between Lancaster County church-goers on how to best pursue international peace in their lives and in their churches. Robert Webber was the Moderator. Rev. Marcia Rhoads MacKellar of Highland Presbyterian Church welcomed the audience. Elizabeth Gates, Clerk of Lancaster Friends Meeting (Quakers) and Daniel Long, Associate Pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church closed the meeting with silent prayer and a benediction. Marcia Hostettler, music director of Community Mennonite Church, was the song leader. Byron Borger from the Hearts and Minds Bookstore displayed books for sale in the refreshment area.

Although a non-partisan group, the LIPW took advantage of the presidential election to speak out for their Christian witness in conjunction with our government’s policy to use pre-emptive strikes in the War on Terrorism. In opposition to this policy, little more than manifest destiny, Kraybill argued that Christ’s teachings were compromised by the just war theory and diluted by a religious ideology of revenge in the present war in Iraq. Several participants in the small discussion groups said that regardless of their political affiliations, the War on Terrorism will continue after the election and that a nonviolent lifestyle has to be lived every day. In truth, the sanctity of life applies to all life, they said, not just the unborn. Kraybill based his hope for the future by reminding us that thirteen nations have experienced non-violent revolutions in the last fifteen years, thereby suggesting that our churches should urge their government to engage in the pursuit of peace.

Robert Webber, the moderator, said of the gathering afterwards, “It is a beginning, but only a beginning.”