Resisting War Today – Preparing Collective Nonviolent Alternatives
Must the sword keep killing forever? Don’t you realise that this will end bitterly? (2 Samuel 2:26)
We are very excited to finally share with you the news of our upcoming European Conference that will take place in Brussels, 24-27 October 2024. Come and check out our program and sign up to join.
Every year we invite all our members and all interested folks to meet, exchange their experiences, learn and pray together and be encouraged at our European Conference. This year, we will circle back to what might be described as the roots of the network Church and Peace: How can we deal with the ongoing militarization and willingness to fight wars as Christians and Christian congregations? What tools can we employ, which new ones have been developed and tested and what are peacebuilders practising in their contexts of war and conflict? What role can our faith play in that?
For more detailed information, have a look at our conference flyer.
Resisting War Today – Preparing Collective Nonviolent Alternatives
In the study Ukrainian Nonviolent Civil Resistance in the Face of War, Pavlo Kaliuk, Ukrainian community organiser, describes their way of resisting war: “During the war, the community has strengthened its capacity for self-organisation, it acts as a defensive barrier (…) as if it were a colony of ants”.
On the other hand, with the war in Ukraine and Israel/Palestine, militarism is on the rise again in Europe and worldwide. As if there were no alternative to responding to escalating violence and conflicts with ever more counter violence. History teaches us that waging war leads to more suffering, death and injustice.
As Christians, we are called to collectively resist injustice and violence, following Jesus‘ example. Nonviolence is an active form of resistance. What does that look like in contexts of war and escalating conflict are challenging us today? How can resistance be effective for sustainable change? Many forms of civil resistance have been explored and researched during recent decades. They are now more relevant than ever. Much is to be gained from revisiting them and applying the lessons learned to our strategic planning.
At this conference we will explore the intersection of faith and civic responsibility in the context of war and learn about recent examples and the potential of war resistance (e.g. conscientious objection), non-violent movements and conflict transformation. We will (re)discover methods of and approaches to community action which can challenge existing power structures. And we will be encouraged and equipped to act consciously and strategically through shared insights, rooted in our faith. We will connect with partner organisations in Brussels that are committed to a Europe based on peace and solidarity.
Join us to foster collective awareness and proactive engagement in response to the realization “that this will end bitterly” otherwise (2 Sam 2:26)
Venue:
Maison N.-D. du Chant d’Oiseau
Centre de Formation
Av. des Franciscains 3 A
1150 – Brussels
Belgium
Find more information in the event flyer for download
The conference is booked out.