This “Guide” contains two types of information: text which should be read aloud to accompany the Power Point slides is labeled Read Aloud. Text which informs how to present the slides is labeled Directions. The bold text tells the title/subject of each slide.
Directions: All slides in this presentation must be changed manually—which means that the leader needs to click the mouse in order for the presentation to progress. The presentation works best when the leader reads first aloud the information on each slide and then reads aloud the information in the guide which augments each slide.
Directions: The group should read the Scripture aloud together. A piece of sacred music may accompany the reading (one song that works well is the Taize melody, “Come and Fill Our Hearts with your Peace.”) The music should continue for approximately 1-2 minutes while the group meditates on Slides 3, 4, and 5. (There should be two people leading this portion of the presentation to ensure that it runs smoothly—a presentation guide, and a person orchestrating the music.)
Directions: See “Slide 2” Directions.
SLIDE 4—Quote and Image
Directions: See “Slide 2” Directions.
SLIDE 5—Quote and Image
Directions: See “Slide 2” Directions.
SLIDE 6—Who we are: Councils of Churches
Read Aloud: The World Council of Churches is an ecumenical body founded in 1948 whose members are 340 churches with 550 million individuals. The Massachusetts Council of Churches is an ecumenical body made up of 17 denominations with approximately 1700 congregations. Each of these ecumenical bodies works with secular organizations, governments, and peoples of all faiths. Through councils of churches, its members are committed to healing divisions among the churches for the sake of the world.
SLIDE 7—What is the “ecumenical movement,” anyway?
SLIDE 8—As people of faith, what is our responsibility to be involved in the ecumenical movement, particularly the DOV?
SLIDE 9—What is the DOV?
SLIDE 10—What is violence?
SLIDE 11—Image of Hands
Read Aloud: The Ecumenical Movement always has been concerned about armed conflict and war. The DOV also addresses the issue of interpersonal violence. 30% of violent deaths stem from interpersonal relationships, 50% are suicides, and 20% are from armed conflict.
SLIDE 12—Domestic Violence
Read Aloud: The U.S. Department of Justice reports that “intimate partner violence is primarily a crime against women.” When female victims are abused, 40-50% are physically injured. Yet only one out of five will seek professional medical care.
SLIDE 13—DOV Point 1: The Spirit and Logic of Violence
Read Aloud: The DOV includes four main themes. The first theme is understanding “the spirit and logic of violence.” The DOV calls churches to promote alternatives to violence such as dialogue between conflicted parties, believing that a “culture of peace” is both totally hopeful and totally realistic.
Read Aloud: The second DOV theme is “the use, abuse, and misuse of power.” Christians should create a new understanding of security that does not depend on increased militarization (in particular, small arms and weapons). Militarization is one form of power. Christians should focus on alternative, nonviolent forms of power such as the power of knowledge and the power of morals. Churches have significant power in their communities. Are we using this power correctly? Or are churches complicit in the abuse of power?
Read Aloud: In Scripture, the prophet Micah calls Christians to do justice: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Justice and peace do not necessarily have a cause and effect relationship, but they do impact each other. Peace is difficult when injustice is present. Think, for example, about how apartheid in South Africa generated violence by oppressors and oppressed.
SLIDE 16—DOV Point 4: Religious Identity and Plurality
Read Aloud: Positive relationships between various religious groups is an essential part of peacemaking. Dialogue fosters these relationships, because it helps us understand the different religious identities of “others.” One internationally-recognized advocate of dialogue is Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Drawing on his experience as a South African, Archbishop Tutu uses the African concept of Ubuntu. Ubuntu teaches that human potential is realized most fully in the context of relationships. Scripture radiates this theme, as Leviticus 19:18 reads, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
SLIDE 17—Biblical Foundations: Reconciliation
Read Aloud: We’ll now discuss three Biblical foundations which support the DOV.
SLIDE 18—Koinonia
Read Aloud: Koinonia is the Biblical Greek word for “unity”—it can imply unity between relationships of Christians, beyond unity of denominations and structures. Koinonia is important because it focuses on how we can work and grow together rather than against each other.
SLIDE 19—Forgiveness
Read Aloud: Jesus calls us to repentance and forgiveness, because all have been victims and offenders. Forgiveness implies radical trust. It is very difficult, especially when an offender does not repent. Yet Christians are given strength to forgive, through the power of the Holy Trinity, because God has forgiven us.
SLIDE 20—Points for Peacemaking
Read Aloud: The following three slides contain fifteen “Points for Peacemaking,” which were created by Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders in Massachusetts. The first five points include: lifting up common values, not demonizing the Other, respecting human rights, avoiding prejudicial stereotyping, and praying for enemies. Two key strategies for following these principles include “listening” and “speaking the truth in love.” First, listening. Good listening is authentic, genuine, curious, and caring. Peacebuilding requires listening, which speaks to a deep human need to be understood. Second, speak the truth in love. The Bible emphasizes the relationship between honesty and love: “Speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,” (Ephesians 4:15).
Read Aloud: The next five points for peacemaking focus on issues of justice. They are: promoting justice, affirming that just ends are reached by just means, adhering to moral principles, supporting critical self-reflection, and resisting revenge. One way to resist revenge is to use mediation to solve conflicts, rather than an “adversarial process,” that is part of the legal system in the United States. In an adversarial process, participants focus on the past. They may blame others. The process results in winners and losers. In mediation, the focus is on the future, on relationships, on restructuring a situation, and on finding an agreeable resolution for both parties.
Read Aloud: The last set of points includes: respecting international law, encouraging peace talks without prior conditions, not empowering extremists by abandoning agreements, protecting civilian non-combatants, and avoiding double standards. While these points seem to be aimed at diplomats and lawmakers, the “average” church-goer can practice these “Points for Peacemaking” too! For example, each of us can follow current events, vote, write letters to representatives, and protest for peace. All these are ways to be involved! Prayer can be a form of protest as well!
Read Aloud: Conflict is natural and necessary. It can be constructive or destructive. True reconciliation takes time, but the results are worth the effort.
SLIDE 24—Creative Ideas to work with the DOV
Read Aloud: These ideas can be implemented in congregations, communities, workplaces, alone or in families!
Circle Process: In a conflicted group, sit in a circle and pass around an object, “a talking piece,” that signals whose turn it is to talk and whose turn it is to listen (interrupting is not allowed!). Each person has an opportunity to hold the “piece,” which equalizes power and creates shared responsibility in the process and outcome.
Share Stories: Create “safe spaces” where persons can share stories of hurt and healing--never underestimate the value of “telling” and of “being heard.” Try breaking into groups of 3 and inviting each person to take a turn telling, listening, and observing the art of sharing about a situation of conflict.
Create a Covenant: Covenants are Biblical! Before a major decision or when a new group/committee is formed, write a formal agreement to which all persons contribute to reduce the possibility of conflicts.
Write letters of forgiveness: To those you have hurt, to those who have hurt you, to yourself. The letters do not have to actually be sent.
Read Aloud:
Visit religious services of other denominations and faiths to deepen understanding.
Fast from violence: For a week, a month, or longer, abstain from TV, movies, and music that contain violence.
Make a banner of hurt & reconciliation: Work as a church or in a Sunday School group to make a banner, divided in 2, with pictures (drawn or cut from magazines) of conflict/violence/hurt on one half, and reconciliation/peace on the other half. This serves as a picture of conflict and its resolution. Hang the banner in a prominent place in the church as a reminder of God’s work.
SLIDE 26—The “Declaration of Forgiveness”
Directions: After reading the “Declaration of Forgiveness,” sing a favorite hymn while meditating on the next slide (Slide 27). (One music choice is the hymn, “It is Well With My Soul,” also known as “When Peace Like a River.”)
SLIDE 27—Image of “Hands Over Derry”
Directions: See “Slide 26” Directions.
SLIDE 28—Discussion Questions
Directions: At this time, the participants will break into groups of 3-4 and focus on discussing one question.
SLIDE 29—Questions for Discussion
All Scripture citations are New Revised Standard Version.
All photos, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of the World Council of Churches <http://www.wcc-coe.org> and are used with permission.
Other Images and Information courtesy of the following organizations and people:
For more information on purchasing Taize worship music, visit the GIA Sacred Music Company online: <http://www.giamusic.com/artists/Taize.cfm>.
SLIDE 3
Image courtesy of Alessandro Torza. “Church Dio Padre Misericordioso (R. Meier), Roma, Italy.” Used with permission.
SLIDE 4
Quote courtesy of the text, The Ecumenical Movement: An Anthology of Key Texts and Voices, edited by Michael Kinnamon and Brian E. Cope. Used with permission.
Quote courtesy of the text, The Ecumenical Movement: An Anthology of Key Texts and Voices, edited by Michael Kinnamon and Brian E. Cope. Used with permission.
SLIDE 6
Information from the WCC, MCC, and NCC websites: <http://www.wcc-coe.org>, <http://www.masscouncilofchurches.org>, and <http://www.ncccusua.org>.
SLIDE 7
Quotes courtesy of the text, The Ecumenical Movement: An Anthology of Key Texts and Voices, edited by Michael Kinnamon and Brian E. Cope. Used with permission.
SLIDE 9
SLIDE 10
Statistics courtesy of the Decade to Overcome Violence website, <http://www.overcomingviolence.org>. Used with permission.
Information about Domestic Violence from the Feminist Majority Foundation. Available online: <http://www.feminist.org/other/dv/dvfact.html>.
SLIDE 13
SLIDE 14
Quote courtesy of the text, The Ecumenical Movement: An Anthology of Key Texts and Voices, edited by Michael Kinnamon and Brian E. Cope. Used with permission.
SLIDE 15
SLIDE 16
Information about Ubuntu ideology from “Reconciliation: The Ubuntu Theology of Desmond Tutu,” by Michael Battle, Pilgrim Press, 1997.
SLIDE 17
Information courtesy of The Boston Theological Institute <http://www.bostontheological.org> and from the text Building Peace by John Paul Lederach.
Notes courtesy of “Engage Conflict Well,” a guide produced by JustPeace, the Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation with the United Methodist Church. Used with permission.
Quote courtesy of the text, The Ecumenical Movement: An Anthology of Key Texts and Voices, edited by Michael Kinnamon and Brian E. Cope. Used with permission.
Notes courtesy of The Boston Theological Institute <http://www.bostontheological.org>.
Notes courtesy of “Engage Conflict Well,” a guide produced by JustPeace, the Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation with the United Methodist Church. Used with permission.
SLIDE 21
Notes courtesy of “Engage Conflict Well,” a guide produced by JustPeace, the Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation with the United Methodist Church. Used with permission.
SLIDE 22
SLIDE 23
Notes courtesy of “Engage Conflict Well,” a guide produced by JustPeace, the Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation with the United Methodist Church. Used with permission.
SLIDE 24
Notes courtesy of “Engage Conflict Well,” a guide produced by JustPeace, the Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation with the United Methodist Church. Used with permission.
SLIDE 25
Notes courtesy of United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries “DOV” Bible study. Used with permission.
SLIDE 26
Prayer, “Messengers of Peace,” from worship service in Berlin at the DOV launch in 2001. Available online: <http://overcomingviolence.org>. Used with permission.
SLIDE 28
“Questions for Discussion” are courtesy of United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries “DOV” Bible Study. Used with permission.
SLIDE 29
“Questions for Discussion” are courtesy of United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries “DOV” Bible Study. Used with permission.
SLIDE 30