Perhaps young couples seeking privacy sit down on the gun carriage and talk about their dreams, love, and future – words befitting the eternal melody of the world in spring, murmured around the tools of death. Their ministry was multi-faceted. How can people without discipline and self-control promote peace in the world? This was followed by the ecumenical revival’s baptism of fire in Geneva in 192025. The death of Jesus not only brings reconciliation between individuals and God, but also creates reconciliation among people by exploding the hostility that keeps us from living peacefully together. While I’m speaking of forgiveness, I want to say a word about peacemaking in families. That the bottom, there is God’s peace. While I was speaking at the peace assembly in the Engelbrekt Church46 on Armistice Day, November II, a friend in San Francisco, who had witnessed the world catastrophe, sat writing to me about the moment when the World War came to an end and about its commemoration. The greatness of Christ is due in no small part to the fact that he did not merely issue certain rules and doctrines dependent on the special conditions of His time and the prevailing cultural atmosphere, which would soon have become obsolete; he gave Himself, His person, and a doctrine of goodwill, which will be forever valid and which cannot be circumvented by any shortcuts or shortsighted simplifications. I am thinking, on the one hand, of ordinary men, of the kind whose thoughts are candid, sincere, and free of conventional entanglements – and I could tell you about many. The Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work met in Stockholm from August 19 to August 30, 1925, with over 600 delegates from 37 nations in attendance. And the sea was also gone. For Hebrew speakers, shalom has a much richer and fuller significance than the English word “peace.” Whereas we sometimes limit the idea of peace to the absence of conflict, shalom includes far more. The war was to teach hatred instead of love. Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901), British prelate interested in social aspects of Christianity; professor at Cambridge; influential with Durham labor after becoming bishop of Durham (1890). The right-relationship between God and Adam is seen in God’s generous provision for Adam, in God’s ongoing care for him, and in his complete obedience to God’s command (Gen 2:18-25). Even many Christians tend to think of those who are not Christian as being basically good, as being in touch with God to some extent. He died shortly after seeing his aspirations fulfilled. Martin Luther (1483-1546), German religious leader of the Protestant Reformation. Religion has a definite role to play in people's search for world peace. The flying colors and the rumbling drums are spread out beneath fresh winds and sunny skies. Does the Bible glorify violence? Where once we were God’s enemies because of sin, now because of Christ we have been reconciled to God (Rom 5:10-11). People from all over the world will go there to worship. The peace of God is not based on circumstances like the world's peace, so it doesn't always make sense to the carnal mind; Paul says it is a peace that surpasses comprehension. Unfortunately, however, the story doesn’t end in Genesis 2. 6. The originator was the Bishop of Chichester, G. K. A. Bell14, well known to us from the Ecumenical Conference. How Do We Observe It? After discussions and correspondence, the organization of the meeting was undertaken by three of us: myself, the Bishop of Oslo, an eminent and scrupulous person of outstanding culture, and the Bishop of Själland3, the indefatigable champion of the unification of churches. But it’s only half of the equation. Sixth, don’t just sit there, do something! When two sides in a war come together and sign a treaty, then peace has been achieved. And he has a plan to reestablish peace throughout his creation. Otto Jensen (1856-1918), bishop of Hamar, Norway (1917-1918). For the first time in the history of the church, the greater part of Christendom has been united in a common undertaking: the Social-Ethical Institute, for many years now active in Geneva. When I come home from work, after a day of exercising humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness in my work life, I’m worn out. It’s not that we are wrong in what we believe about God’s peace, but that we believe far too little. Wherever the church has erred in this respect she must humbly confess it and correct the mistakes. What a relapse from the time when we in this world experienced the presence of Jesus Christ among us! Hans Ostenfeldt Lange (1863-1943), librarian and Egyptologist in Copenhagen public libraries. When I arrived at the church, I quickly noted that Jack also had a room named after him, the only room in the church named after any person, living or dead. In my book, After “I Believe,” I showed that the New Testament Greek word for fellowship, koinonia, might better be translated as “intimate fellowship.” When we have peace with God, we live in intimate fellowship with him. Second, ask God for direction concerning which ministry of peacemaking to invest in. I can think of several ministries that are wholistic in their exercise of peacemaking. My world seemed to be crumbling before my very eyes. Peace with God begins when we experience reconciliation through Christ, but it doesn’t end there. Or it sounds very much like something a British Prime Minister once said, to his ultimate shame. The peace God intended for creation – once lost because of sin, often promised by the prophets – God reestablished through Jesus by “his blood on the cross.” For this reason Paul can say simply of Christ: “he himself is our peace” (Eph 2:14; NIV). Peace: Peace With God and the Peace of God. Jesus maintains the Jewish interconnection of righteousness, justice, and peace. Bishop Lönegren from Sweden acted as vice-chairman. In his Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 5, he enunciated eleven categories of those blessed in God's sight - the 'Beatitudes'. Bind yourselves together with peace (Eph 4:3). Often God directs us through our convictions and strong feelings. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians lays the spiritual foundation for peace among people. The End of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)? 1, pp. I shall not pause here to examine the tortuous path traced out during the next few years. Samuel Parkes Cadman (1864-1936), Congregational clergyman, president (1924- 1928) and radio minister (1928-1936) of Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America; pioneer in radio preaching. They comforted mothers whose children were shot in drive-by shootings. And there are nations that are not at war, but in which wholistic peace cannot be found. Through his Sunday broadcasts, his voice has reached the ears – and we hope also the minds and hearts – of many more people than that of any other preacher in the history of the church. In Internationale Monatsschrift Professor Adolf von Harnack5 wrote recently: “We are delighted when noble patriotism is brought to light in this world of material interests, but poor indeed is the man who finds his highest ideals in patriotism alone or sees the nation as the epitome of all good. Second, we bring God’s peace to the world by holding up the cross of Christ as an example to emulated. Let us bear in mind the words of St. Paul: “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.”21 And who would take the responsibility of removing the sole restraint from lawlessness? Unlike some philosophies and religions, we do not believe that suffering is essence of material existence. Usually disregarded, however, are opportunities to employ the assets of religious leaders and religious institutions to promote peace. It that day one will proclaim, “Unfailing love and truth have met together. It teaches and calls us to be people of love and humility, people who care deeply about the interests of others. 1. Isaiah’s vision of God’s future peacemaking effort takes an unexpected turn in the next chapter. There are families, for example, which appear to be peaceful only because the head of the household is a tyrant who uses emotional and sometimes physical violence to institute order. Please forgive me.”. The Ecumenical Council officially or semiofficially represents the larger part of Christendom; that is to say, two of the main divisions of the Holy Catholic (General) and Apostolic Church: the Greek and Russian Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Evangelical Western Church which, even in its creed, confesses to believing in and thus belonging to “The Holy (General) Catholic Church”. Third, we extend divine peace into the world by living peaceably each day: “Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible” (Rom 12:18). Or when a husband and wife finishing fighting, we might say that have worked out peace in their relationship. I am not suggesting that every single time Christians seek to make peace we must go through the basics of the Gospel. Similarly, the biblical slogan “Peace on earth” doesn’t mean much unless God deals with the basic human problem of sin. Because of passport difficulties in the West, the assembly had to be restricted to churchmen from Norway, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. The pure light of the Revelation is perceived differently by different eyes, and the church has been divided into many parts by human shortcomings, different historical conditions, and by the church’s neglect and distortion of doctrines during certain periods of time. There can be no doubt about it. Bishop Bernt Støylen attended and reached our very hearts when speaking in Uppsala Cathedral. Jesus said it bluntly: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matt 5:9). 4:2 when he says: “We, by manifestation of the truth, commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” The truth has a covert or overt ally in the heart of man and in his deeds. Knowing peace each day is, therefore, a blessing from God: The Lord gives his people strength. We can still hear the death rattle of our wounded friends. Jack was on the search committee that called me as pastor, as he had been on the first committee that called Ben Patterson, the founding pastor of the church. Together with the Christians in all nations at war, we are deeply aware of the incompatibility between war and the spirit of Christ, and we would, therefore, like to stress some main points regarding the part to be played by Christians in community life. 2. This list could go on and on, for there are millions of Christian ministries, including churches, that reflect the call of Christ to wholistic peacemaking. By his death he ended the whole system of Jewish law that excluded the Gentiles. It’s crucial that we pay attention to what Paul is teaching here because sometimes we get so excited about the personal relevance of the cross that we neglect its corporate implications. In fact, I can still remember a young Norwegian churchman, a Swede, and a Dane composing in my library the brilliant sentences which have remained the tenets of the ecumenical revival. God of peace, During this season of Advent, we watch for your coming reign of peace. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. (Photo: Tom Yoder Neufeld’s watershed interpretation of Ephesians can be found in. Ragged, sick, hungry, and disillusioned, men wander aimlessly through devastated fields. The so-called utopian idea has become a reality. Things went too far. They reveal God’s intentions for how we are to live. That’s the state of many families today, including many Christian families. peace. His peace would be offered to people who were not Jews, even to the hated Romans. In other words, we can take many actions in our quest for peace that may be helpful. In the summer of 1917, I was traveling on the train from Stockholm to Uppsala, rather dispirited after recent disappointments. Thank you. Christian peace is a gift from the Lord, He said, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. Other Norwegian representatives were the present Bishop Eivind Berggrav, Dean C. Hansteen, Secretary General Piene, and the present Parson Thvedt8. Only Jesus' return will cause world peace (Revelation 21:4). However, our endeavors to unite are not ignored in a steadily growing section of Roman Catholic literature. In all its history, the church had never before seen representatives from all over the Christian world united in sincere self-searching and in a common resolve which can be expressed by the prayer of St. Bridget: “Lord, show me the way and make me willing to take it!”. Aristide Briand (1862-1932), co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for 1926. We can say without ingratitude or unfaithfulness to the special gifts in Christian experience and thinking which each church has received from God throughout history, that this unity, found at its strongest at the Cross of Christ, can and must be improved in our way of life and in preaching. It flourishes to this day, now as part of DOOR (Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection). In accordance with the new constitution, the four presidents act in turn for two years at a time. Impatient minds may perhaps find such a concept hopeless, pessimistic, and old-fashioned. Peace to a Christian is the presence of Christ within us that "reconciles" us to God. As God’s peacemakers, we must take the message and substance of peace into the whole world. Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed; Finding, as he promised, Perfect peace and rest. Nils Eugène Amandus Hanssen (1852-1934), pastor of the Gamle Aker Church in Oslo (1914-1923). Should a Christian be politically correct? It was to include also the church representatives from the countries at war. 1 Corinthians 13: 1–13 It is always a grave act to shake one’s loyalties. But it’s really quite challenging to live peaceably with others each and every day. The patriarch of Constantinople carries out the duties of his presidency in the Ecumenical Council through his deputy, the metropolitan of Thyateira32, who lives in London. Hermann Paul Kapler (1867-1941), German jurist and theologian; delegate to the Stockholm Conference (1925). Thoughts are – so far – free. It was the present Archbishop of Canterbury36 who expressed the principle of our peace work during the war: “God can never be an Ally, only the Supreme Lord., Bishop Woods, who has been the deputy for Canterbury since 1920, continues the great tradition of social concern connected with such Anglican names as Maurice, Kingsley, Westcott, Lightfoot, Scott Holland, and Gore37. Throughout my years as a peacemaker? ” Christmas cheer or other happy.! 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