JOJI AND I SHARE PAR STORIES AT EMU AND AROUND HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA

The Virginia Mennonite Missions invited us to share Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) stories from Mindanao.

Our initial speaking engagement was before the student body and faculty of the Seminary at Eastern Mennonite University. The focus of our sharing was on the theological framework used by PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) in advancing a biblical peacemaking ministry from an Anabaptist perspective.

The next major engagement was before the student body, faculty, and staff of Eastern Mennonite University. The focus of our story-telling was on the significance of biblically-based, active non-violent approaches in achieving peace based on justice. We selected PBCI experiences in Mindanao as cases-in-point to illustrate that Peace Theology and its application in various conflict transformation processes is so needed in the global reality of the 21st century.

Joji also lectured on “Harmony with God’s Creation: Economic-Ecological Transformation,” before a class of graduate students undergoing the Master of Divinity program at the Seminary. She shared the fourth quadrant in the Shalom Theological Framework of PBCI, then used her Coffee For Peace experiences to illustrate the practicality of the biblical-theological principles she was communicating.

In-between these major speaking engagements were various meetings with academic committees, business groups, student leaders, church boards, and mission councils.

We were grateful to Carol Tobins of the Virginia Mennonite Mission who initiated and arranged our visit to Harrisonburg, Virginia. We also thank Luke Schrock-Hurst of the Mennonite Central Committee in Virginia who arranged excellent lodging and transportation for Joji and me during our stay in this beautiful state.

We’re so grateful for the hospitality of Richard & Kaye Early who welcomed and took good care of us for a week in their beautiful farm house.

Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2012/10/07/we-shared-par-stories-at-emu-and-around-harrisonburg-va/

OUR GLOBAL PEACE COMMUNITY

We are sent by Mennonite Church Canada Witness in partnership with our international community.