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Peacemaking And The Gospel
Canon Chye Ann Soh |
| Introduction |
| We have come here from all parts of South Asia because we are committed to peace. We have come here representing many traditions of the Christian Church, as well as welcoming friends and neighbours who embrace other faith traditions, from whom and with whom we do have much to learn and to share, because together, we are committed to a constant pursuit for peace. As a minister of the gospel and servant of the Church, it is my privilege and responsibility to present to this Consultation an understanding of how the gospel of Jesus Christ is pivotal and integral to peace. This linkage between the gospel and peace, however, is often less than evident as we consider and find meaning out of the religious nature and root of conflicts, both historical and contemporary, experienced in so many parts of the world. |
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| Context |
The escalating violence in the Middle East, or more precisely the Holy Land, shared by and sacred to all three monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the unnerving implications of what that could lead to in the wider geo-political arena, is a challenge for us all. The senseless loss of lives and acts of atrocities, however justified or condemned, as to be the work of martyrs (or freedom fighters) on the one hand, and terrorists (or subversive elements) on the other, will only lead to further vicious cycles of violence if met with hawkish retaliation, reprisals and revenge.
In the face of bloodshed and murder, the convenient recourse to religious grounds, convictions or ideologies for justification can only lead to despair and disillusionment. Furthermore, such tactics and approaches contribute to a distortion of moral absolutes such as truth, justice and righteousness. As the Palestinian and Jewish conflict continues to drive a wedge between the Islamic-Arab world and the Judeo-Christian-Western world, the role of religion is instantly and constantly under scrutiny. Its contribution to human suffering and misery appears to be more apparent then the role of religion in bringing “peace and goodwill” among all people.
Unfortunately, we do have a litany of religious or religiously motivated conflicts not just in the Middle East but also around the world, not just for now, but from the cradle of human civilisation…
In our generation alone, we can put on record some of the situations of conflict, although each must be understood in its own context and may not be compared with another in terms of scale, intensity, causes, impact etc. These include the Holocaust, Apartheid in South Africa, the Catholic-Protestant conflict in Northern Ireland, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the Cambodian “Killing Fields”, the Hindu-Christian, Hindu-Muslim tension in India, the “persecution of Christian minority” in parts of Indonesia, the war of ethnic (often religious) cleansing in Bosnia, and genocide in Rwanda. Millions of precious lives were cruelly, brutally and needlessly lost.
All of the aforesaid happened in the last century. With the dawn of a new millennium, we are confronted with a new manifestation of conflict and violence in a whole new way. With the unthinkable assault on America (and the West) on September 11th last year, the world has entered a new phase in inter-ethnic and religious conflict. Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda are now as familiar to most as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are. Never has the battle between religious and materialistic cultures, however skewed their representations and interpretations may have been, affected global peace and community harmony more than that epic “911” attack. The destruction of the symbols of commercial and military might of the world’s only superpower, represented by the imposing structures of the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC, by those who believe that they have a mandate from God to punish the infidels for the sake of the oppressed has now brought the world to the brink of a new kind of war. Jihad has been declared as a righteous act of judgement upon Western decadence. America’s response is the unleashing of its full military might against a phantom enemy force of terrorists and religious fanatics. Clearly there is a clash of cultures, of ideologies, of perceptions of reality, of realms and of “powers and principalities”. Something fundamental has gone wrong. Can we offer an alternative insight?
In each of these situations, difficult questions such as “Where was God?” “Why was the Church silent?” or “Why didn’t the International Community do more?” or simply “Why?” may remain unanswered and continue to haunt us. Given the benefit of hindsight, can we do something proactively or even prophetically so as to help build a safer world for a future generation? Or are we content to allow history again to repeat itself? Is peace achievable?
Can there ever be a solution? Is there indeed good news in the midst of conflict, sorrow, pain and death? Is there hope for the future? |
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| The Gospel |
Reconciliation, which is at the same time the act, process and product of peacemaking, is a central and major theme in the Bible. The unfolding drama of God’s interaction with human
beings is portrayed from Genesis through Revelation. The redemptive motif is expressed through God’s dealing with his people, offering a way to the healing of relationships that have been broken. Enmity, both between God and man, and man with man, where so much of conflict, division, hatred, prejudices, and violence are rooted, has to be uprooted in order to get to the heart of human problems.
Fundamental to a Christian understanding of God is that it is he who takes the initiative to bring peace and healing. It is not we who seek to be reconciled to him but rather God, who seeks to reconcile us to himself. In the fullness of time, he sent us his Son, who comes to us as Saviour and Lord. At his birth, this was what the angel proclaimed “…. for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people…(Luke 2:10).
This Jesus lived among his own Jewish people, and as a consequence of his life and action, died the death of a political criminal. Those who witnessed his life and death also became the witnesses of his resurrection declared and conveyed a message to us, a message that is best summarised with the word “Gospel”, which simply means “Good News”.
The New Testament uses various expressions to speak about this Good News. One of them is “the Gospel of Peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Others include the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23), the Gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:7), Gospel of your Salvation (Ephesians 1:13).
In the context of conflict and violence and increasing tension between people, it is important to clarify and articulate what the gospel is. The uniqueness of the gospel has to be unashamedly and unequivocally expressed, not as a claim to exclusivism but a contention for faith in Christ, who is himself the Gospel. Christ has come not merely to proclaim the gospel but to manifest the gospel in all its fullness. Jesus began his ministry evangelistically, and in so doing challenged religious and philosophical status quo, so that all that hear him are confronted with his claims and are called to make a response. According to Mark’s account, he announced,
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”. (Mark 1:15)
It is about the good news that God, the Creator and Lord of the universe, has personally intervened in human history and has done so supremely through the person and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth who is the Lord, Saviour and Liberator and King of all history and all creation. It is an uncompromisable all-encompassing claim. This good news is nevertheless biased towards the poor, weak, helpless and oppressed in the face of human greed and wickedness resulting in a factious and fragmented world. If this is not good news for those who need most, what is? Declaring the commencement of his ministry as a fulfilment of all the prophets, Jesus referred to a well-known text from the Prophet Isaiah that reads,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and the recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favourable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19, also verse 21).
Through many words of wisdom and works of mercy, Jesus proclaimed the good news, bringing healing to individuals and communities wrecked by the consequences of sin and rebellion towards both Godly and earthly authorities.
The synoptic gospels keep careful records of remarkable encounters and resulting impact as people are confronted with the good news as proclaimed by Christ. When John the Baptist needed to be convinced that Christ was indeed the Messiah, he was sent this message that summarised in a brief paragraph that which would remain effectual for generations to come:
“Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them”. (Luke 7:22)
The gospel not only comes in power (1Thess.1:5) but also is the power of God (Rom 1:16). It reveals the righteousness of God and leads to salvation all who believe (Rom 1:16-17). Paul regards the gospel as a sacred trust (1Tim.1:11). Thus he is under divine compulsion to proclaim it (1Cor.9:16), and requests prayer that he may carry out his task with boldness (Eph.6:19), even though this involves opposition (1Thess.2:2) and affliction (2 Tim.1:8). The gospel is “the word of truth” (Eph.1:13), but it is hidden to the unbelieving (2 Cor.4:3-4) who demand supernatural verification or rational proof (1Cor.1:21-23). Even as it was by revelation that the full theological impact of the gospel came to Paul (Gal. 1:11-12), so also it is by the response of faith that the gospel comes with saving power (Heb. 4:2).
Herein lies the dilemma, that the gospel, with its inherent evangelistic dimension and potential, invokes both positive as well as negative responses – acceptance as well as rejection. Scriptures, as well as Christ himself, however, are rather candid about this. Throughout the gospel narratives, as well as the epistles, there are numerous accounts of how the proclamation of the good news of the Kingdom had often been met with opposition, suspicion, hostility and even violence. Often those who opposed were familiar people or vested with power, whether imperial, ecclesial, religious or commercial. The pinnacle of this opposition was to be enacted at an execution compound called Golgotha when Christ paid the supreme sacrifice of death in order to bring all into reconciliation with God and with one another. The mystery and irony of peacemaking through the gospel shall continue to confound us, not only in this day and age at the turn of the 3rd millennium but for ages to come…
This is how the Apostle Paul described this epic divine peace-making initiative:
“For he (Christ) is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.” (Ephesians 2:14-16) All too often however, in the life of the church the “Gospel” has been interpreted in a very narrow way, which does have very serious consequences for its life and witness. It has been commented, “a reductionist interpretation of the Good News almost inevitable ends up with a truncated gospel, an amputated Christ and a crippled church”. Let us look at a couple of significant texts in the epistles attributed to the apostle Paul in order to gain a wider perspective of what the New Testament means when it speaks about the Gospel, and particularly about the Gospel of Peace. And from this investigation we would explore ways of engaging in our increasingly polarised world as we unflinchingly proclaim the gospel.
“From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2Cor 5:16-21) “In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:26-29)
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers – all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him.” |
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| Peacemaking |
In the same manner he himself received his mission mandate to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom and of Peace, Jesus also commissioned his followers to embark on what is essentially an evangelistic mission. These are the words:
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel (of peace) to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptised shall be saved: but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.” (Mark 19: 15-16)
In the context of our pluralistic society and religious sensitivities, these could not have been more contentious and explosive words! It is not difficult to understand our preoccupation in applying censorship to this mandate in order that it may be more acceptable, appealing and politically correct! We do so at our own peril because we rob the gospel of its very power to bring peace in to a situation of frustration and conflict! Faced with this dilemma, we often either knowingly or unknowingly, are tempted to be sincere and well-meaning peace-brokers bringing to the negotiating table nothing unique to offer. The gospel, for all its power in healing and reconciliation, is also “scandalous” and inherently divisive. This offer of the “scandal of the Cross” in the Gospel of Christ must be done in the spirit of humility, self-giving, sacrifice and service.
Too often however, it is not the “scandal of the Cross” that has been the stumbling block but the scandal of the church that has compromised the integrity of the gospel. The gospel, even as it cuts both ways will remain God’s offer of hope and healing for the restoration of relationships and the only real solution to lasting peace. The watching and bleeding world can only see and understand God’s peace through Christ when His Body, the Church, reflects his words and deeds.
The apostle Paul, when writing to the Christians in congregations gathered across cities in Galatia, Ephesus and Corinth was battling precisely with this problem of conflict within the Church, even as she seeks to bring peace beyond the communities of the “saved”. It seems that a priority in peace making is to be focused within the Church, as our own divisiveness and dividedness continue to thwart our witness. A healed and restored church where peace and goodwill reign will certainly impact society and help usher in peace.
Paul’s epistles to the Colossians, Corinthians, Galatians and Ephesians can only be understood in the context of the tensions between Christians of Jewish background and Christians of Gentile background. In our modern context, the Gentiles could well be Palestinians, Arabs, Somalis, Japanese, Chinese, Caucasians, and Indians etc. The letter to the Colossians, for example, responds to the tension that existed within the early church over the issue of Gnosticism. Both letters to the Corinthians are full of allusions to a personal conflict between Paul and some members of the church in Corinth, who questioned the validity of his ministry.
These “super apostles,” as Paul called them, preached a gospel of spiritual self-fulfilment, not unlike the “American televangelists” rendition of the gospel today. Paul contrasted with his experience of simplicity, poverty and chastity and so on.
Paul’s remarks about reconciliation make sense as we keep in mind the background of internal conflicts and feuds within their own ranks. The things he says about reconciliation are not abstract dogmas. He does not put forward lofty, unattainable ideals. Nor was he tempted to offer easy answers to complex human problems. His aim was to encourage people not simply accept conflicts and tensions but to find a way through (the gospel). Paul’s desire was to help his people face conflict and find strength to cope courageously with them on the basis of the ministry of Jesus Christ.
It is clear that we cannot give pet answers to all the difficult, bitter and painful situations of non-reconciliation in our world and in the Christian Church today. We must never resort to “costless” formulas for healing the wounds of wars nor suppress the reality of conflicts with mere words of piety. But we can find our way through God’s word and in the gospel.
4.1 Within the Church
We need to discover and develop Biblical paradigms for conflict resolution and peace making. Our denominationalism, racial overtones, economic disparities, theological squabbles, ecclesiastical pride, ministry competitiveness, spiritual bigotry, and other such issues should be sufficient to conscientise us to respond in genuine repentance before God and with each other, so that we may be healed. (James 5:16). Paul’s letter provide adequate information for more than a glimpse on how he proposed we ought to settle our differences, and in so doing bring ourselves to a position of integrity and authority so that we are able to relate to the world in an unapologetic and evangelistic way – pointing to the One who died that we may all live.
Paradigm 1 – New Creation
According to 2 Cor 5:16-21, a whole new way of looking, a new world-view is needed. This can only come about when one becomes a “new creation”. Something radical, transformational that affects us from the inside out has to take place. It refers to a conversation experience or a powerful encounter with the Divine so that all our presuppositions, prejudices, values and thought patterns are challenged and changed, often with remarkable effects.
Paradigm 2 – Social Revolution
According to Gal 3:26-29, a social revolution or radical transformation is called for. But this can only come about when we are willing to die or forgo our own identity in order to embrace a whole new one. The imageries of offspring, family, oneness are used most powerfully to provide a sense of identity while removing the wedge caused by people divided along racial, ethnic, class or religious lines.
Paradigm 3 – Living Sacrifice
According to Col 1:15-22, peace ultimately comes through sacrifice. The impasse and intransigent stalemate in many situations of conflict can only be fuelled by the lack of willingness on both sides to give way. Violence is often a painful and desperate voice of protest. Those who felt oppressed are often driven into a corner where that violent act (whether through a human torch or suicide bombing etc) was the only option left. It is therefore vital that we recognise and note that in his self-giving and self-sacrificing offer of his life through death on the Cross, Jesus takes upon himself the sum total of all these acts of violence, so that he who knew no sin becomes sin for us all. In so doing he remained committed to a non-violent way of peacemaking. As peacemakers, the ultimate pattern is already clearly established.
4.2 And into the world
In response to the on-going conflict experienced by some many communities all over the world, the fact is that there are no shortage of efforts by civic and religious bodies, government as well as non-governmental agencies and all manners of peace-loving people in offering solutions. All these initiatives and structures are of course needed and welcomed. As the church, and purveyors and defenders of the gospel of Christ, it is our sacred responsibility to offer that, that is uniquely Christ and Christian. The three paradigms identified above should also be implementable beyond the confines of the church as we build bridges across lines of segregation and division. We need to faithfully and humbly rediscover the gospel and confidently offer to the world the Good News of Jesus Christ. An evangelistic approach to peacemaking, although fraught with inherent contradictions, due to the nature of the gospel itself, is an option only Christians may offer. If we withhold this unique dimension and contribution to peace, we are left with a unique void!
David Bosch, in ‘Transforming Mission’ (Orbis 1991), suggests a way towards a constructive understanding of evangelistic mission. In relation to our recognition that we need first of all to get our house in order, David says that “evangelism is only possible when the community that evangelises – the church – is a radiant manifestation of the Christian faith and exhibits an attractive lifestyle. Our medium is our message. If the church is to impart to the world a message of hope and love, and of faith, justice and peace, something of this should become visible, audible and tangible in the church itself. The first Christian communities seemed to have understood that:
“And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
(Acts 2:42-47)
This need for a visible and tangible expression of a Christian faith community is even more important in relation to peacemaking as failure to demonstrate the fact that in Christ, God shattered all the barriers that divide the human family can these only serve to distort the gospel. And in the process challenge its credibility. The reverse can obviously bring about a converse and proportional impact. Given the nature and root of many of the conflict situations, we need to sensitively hold on to the broad framework of offering a gospel solution to peace without being overtly evangelistic. As we bear in mind that the good news, hence evangelising or ‘gospelising’, ultimately involves witnessing to what God has done, is doing and will do, it has nothing to do with how people respond to the “gospel event.” Neither our positive response would inaugurate what God has and will and is doing, nor our negative response thwarts or negates his works. So long as we mediate the good news of God’s love, we bring the unique factor in Christ to the negotiating table. |
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| Conclusion |
To save this paper from being theoretical, I would like to conclude with a brief account of my own experience as a peacemaker, among thousands, in South Africa as the nation then (in the 1993-94 period) teeters on the brink of civil war. As the whole world watched with bated breath, radical reforms began to unfold that would soon change the social and political landscape characterised by the indefensible ideology of Apartheid. Tens of millions were summarily disenfranchised by virtue of their race and colour of skin. The fact that Apartheid was theologically justified and sanctioned by the ‘state’ church served only to complicate the issue, and hence the process of dismantling.
A whole generation suffered under the draconian Apartheid laws. Tens of thousands lost their lives and millions their freedom and were stripped of basic human rights and dignity. As pressure mounted, both within the country as well as from the international community, through economic sanction and the petition for the release of Nelson Mandela, the beginning of the end of Apartheid happened towards the mid-Eighties. The release of Mandela in 1990 signalled that new era and led the way towards the transition to democracy with a first-ever democratic election in April 1994. That prospect triggered massive tension as the nation moved into an uncertain future with so much at stake.
The complexities of racial polarisation, radical political expressions, the compromise of the church in sanctioning Apartheid, communal hatred, economic exploitation, denial of education, family separation (through forced resettlement, job migration etc), massive unemployment, overt display of wealth of an ‘oppressor’ minority contributed to a recipe for disaster and conflict. A tense atmosphere of ‘White fear’ and ‘Black retaliation’ prevailed, despite the prospects of freedom to come. Efforts at peace mediation were in full swing with resources from all quarters. Governments, businesses, civic organisations and churches as well as other religious institutions offered facilities for peace mediation. Given such a high international profile and with so much goodwill for South Africa to succeed, all that could possibly happen in the peace and mediating efforts happened.
As the date for the Election loomed and with no political settlement in sight, particularly between the ANC and the IFP, desperation and panic began to set in.
Statesmen including Lord Carrington and Henry Kissinger
were among a host of other similarly high profiled political leaders whose services were called upon. But violence continued and threatened to spiral out of control… When Carrington and
Kissinger left the country empty handed signalling another failed initiative, church leaders unanimously declared that there has to be another way – God’s way. That culminated in the massive ‘Jesus Peace Rally’ that was held in the city of Durban on 17th April, 1994 – ten days before the Election – attended by 30,000 people in a concerted call and prayer for peace. Whereas there had been countless ‘Peace Rallies’, the Durban gathering was unique in
that it was the ‘Jesus Peace Rally’. That changed the course of the nation!
As it turned out, when all hopes seemed lost the Elections of 27 April 1994 was in fact unbelievably peaceful and ‘bloodless’ so much so that the media hailed that as ‘The Day God Saved South Africa’! There was a definite ‘gospel’ component and contribution to that process. While it would be arrogant and naïve for anyone to claim credit for that miraculous outcome, as we look objectively at the miracle of South Africa, we cannot but recognise some of the unmistakable gospel components in that peace seeking and making process. These include: |
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The recognition of wrongdoing as the Church repented for the policies of Apartheid. |
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The willingness to negotiate (and give way) rather than to hold on to non-negotiable positions, however justifiable. |
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The grace and goodwill expressed by the millions who have suffered so brutally – this was epitomised by the spirit and generosity of Nelson Mandela, who deservedly became the first Black President of South Africa. |
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The prophetic role of church leaders particularly that of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. |
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The offers of pastoral care for the process of healing and reconciliation – most notably the introduction of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. |
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The practise of true community as neighbours reach out to one another, despite fears, tension and innate prejudices. |
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The united witness of the church despite and because of its tarnished image. |
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The prayers of God’s people. |
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This is far from an exhaustive or authoritative account but is a peek into what is possible in a society where the people of God take seriously their gospel mandate and contribute to healing a nation divided. We should not be surprised that the South African anthem ‘Nkosi Sikeleli A’frika’ is actually a hymn of invocation for the Holy Spirit to dwell upon the nation, and bless her children. Despite the pain and ravages of Apartheid and the ‘long dark night’ the nation experienced, we cannot help but believe that even then, God was listening to the prayers of a nation in pain. This surely must give us hope as we seek to be peacemakers through the Gospel for nations and peoples all across the world.
Let us, as peacemakers, humbly but boldly and courageously echo the words of the Apostle Paul as we declare our confidence and hope in the gospel:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) |
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