Cultural Violence.----The pain of Jesus over his people's blindness to "things that make for peace" as he rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday enters our hearts when we view the addiction to violence which permeates the cultures of our time, including our own. In shame we confess that, apart from God's grace through Christ, revenge, hatred, coercion, and violence lie close to us. We commit our covenant community of faith to discernment, understanding, and living out in all our beliefs and behaviors the ways of reconciliation and cooperation in the resolution of conflict. We will do so in our church schools, our prayer groups, our study and service and mission groups, our worship and administration, in our individual heart of hearts, and in our daily lives. We will do more than criticize. We will do more than bewail the behavior which scares us and retreat into hoped-for safe havens. We will heed the word of the writer of Ephesians, "But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another" (5:15), and the more ancient word of Deuteronomy, "...I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live." (30:19b) We will become "ambassadors for Christ," who carry out our "ministry of reconciliation." (II Cor. 5)
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 20263-CS-74-D
1996 United Methodist General Conference