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OIKOCREDIT
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| Books from the Ekklesia bookshop |
Faith and Politics After Christendom by Jonathan Bartley here
Threatened with Resurrection
by Simon Barrow here
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Ekklesia is an independent member of the Root and Branch Network which includes:
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| Take Action |
You can join Ekklesia and take action by asking your MP to sign the following Parliamentary motions:
EDM 1248 on Conflict Prevention
Ekklesia attends the All Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues which is supporting this motion
Ekklesia is a founder member of Accord - mentioned in the motion - which seeks to make faith schools more inclusive
Ekklesia is working with the Still Human Still Here campaign which supports both these motions
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Mennonite theologian Donald Kraybill once described the core of the Christian message in terms of an 'upside down kingdom' - the idea that in the realm of God, it is those who are pushed to the margins who come first, and the 'rule' is one of love rather than coercion.
A thought of this kind underlines much of what appears in this week's bulletin. As far as our features go, an article on equality and the churches seeks to challenge the logic of those who would justify discrimination on Christian grounds, while another on Israel-Palestine looks at how the practice of just-peace can overturn conflict rooted in injustice.
Pursuing the peace and war theme, our research focus sets out Ekklesia's agenda for introducing practices of non-violent interventions, conflict transformation and alliances for disarming security into the 'defence' debate, in the aftermath of Armed Forces Day.
The 'thinking in action' comes from a group of Christians participating in the current Mennonite Church USA Assembly in Columbus (which Ekklesia co-director Simon Barrow is also attending). They are seeking visibility and conversation as a way to make the case for gay people within the church, rather than just argument and protest.
As far as quotations go, we have chosen one on looking to the future and one on celebrating the sometimes hidden hope within the present.
Meanwhile, our 'reading allowed' book choice this time is a solid Christian case against the death penalty - still practiced with great barbarism and inhumanity in many parts of the world - drawing on both biblical and secular moral traditions. |
| Ekklesia works on a not-for-profit basis, and deliberately maintains its independence from large institutions and their funding. If you value this bulletin please consider making a donation to keep it going and support Ekklesia's work. You can do it through PayPal here |
| Discrimination and the churches |
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By Simon Sarimento
According to the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, in evidence to parliament on the Equality Bill 2008-9 "unjust discrimination is fundamentally wrong," notes the founder of Thinking Anglicans. But what does the practice of the churches tell us about its rhetoric?
Read the full article here |
| Israelis and Palestinians breaking the silence |
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By Amy Hailwood
A British peace worker, who recently returned from a visit to Palestine and Israel with Christian Peacemaker Teams, reflects on her experiences and the difficult choice that many Palestinians make to reject violence - not a passive acceptance of injustice but to work for peace in the face of a relentless attempt to corrode it.
Read the full article here
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| Quota |
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Sayings from the week and wisdom from the tradition
"The future cannot be predicted, it must be imagined." - James Brennaman, Goshen College, Indiana, USA "Churches are not entirely asleep. The internet will bring you - as it did, in recent months, to desperate-to-learn me - rich evidences of ingenuity and zeal by congregations, synods, denominations, and agencies." |
| Research Focus |
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A new approach to conflict
Ekklesia has used the opportunity provided by the recent Armed Forces Day (http://ekklesia.co.uk/tags/7063) to open up a broader conversation about alternative approaches to defence, conflict resolution, the development of non-violent alternatives to armed conflict, and alliances for just-peace rather than 'war as usual'.
This coincides with the debate around a UK inquiry into the Iraq war, and this week's US pullback and re-assignment of troops under Iraqi control. Ekklesia's 'six challenges' to the government and policy makers are outlined here: http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/9754
A policy paper will soon be published. |
| Ekklesia has launched a new subscription service giving a detailed, inside track on the news agenda for the coming 6 weeks. Suitable for church leaders, campaign groups, local government and anyone working in or with the media, it is already taken by the Times newspaper, Reuters and the BBC. Find out more here |
| Media and web debate |
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 Ekklesia in the news this week
Ekklesia works on a not-for-profit basis. Please support Ekklesia's work with the press and other media by donating through PayPal here |
Christian Peacemaker Teams UK seeks people for training and equipping as nonviolence workers in areas of conflict. 1-30 October 2009. Also short-term delegation opportunities. Email Tim Nafziger: timn@cpt.org
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| Event: G8 Summit, Italy |
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8th to 10th July 2009
The international economic crisis and regional crises, food safety and security, the struggle against climate change and the deregulation of world trade are the main issues that the world's eight most powerful countries will be addressing in L'Aquila, Italy from 8 to 10 July. In a joint letter to the political leaders of the G8, the presidents of Catholic Bishops' Conferences from the countries attending have called for concerted action to assist developing countries. http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9734
The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown refused to send even a cabinet minister to the recent UN Summit, but will attend the G8 summit himself. NGOs and campaign groups say the powerful nations have blocked progressive reform of the financial system put forward by more than 130 poor countries at the UN summit in New York. Some feel that the G8 meeting is 'outdated and elitist'. http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9740
We will be providing coverage and reports on the Ekklesia website throughout the summit. |
| Thinking in Action |
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| Making inclusion visible
For the Mennonite Church USA Assembly in Columbus Ohio (ending on 5 July 2009), Christians affirming of the place and ministry of lesbian, gay and transgendered people in the church have organised an imaginative witness which is likely to catch on in many other organisations and church bodies.
Through www.pinkmenno.com, those wanting to show that they believe in the church as a welcoming community are invited to register support and then to wear a pink t-shirt at the Assembly - containing a message that invites those questioning this stance to engage in conversation and dialogue. The idea is to make the concern for inclusive church and the thinking that goes into it part of the event and part of the debate, rather than a 'side protest'. |
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Reading Allowed |
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 Against the death penalty: Christian and secular arguments against capital punishment by Gardner C. Hanks
Drawing on biblical resources and social arguments, Hanks shows that the death penalty harms rather than helps in the quest for a just and humane society. Through research data, he proves that the death penalty is not effective in fighting crime, costs more than life sentences, and reinforces poverty and racism. Finally, innocent persons have been and are being executed.
ISBN: 9780836190755 (Herald Press, 1997) 208pp, £15.25.
For more information or to purchase this book online click here
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