New book explains why the Church is returning to Gospel nonviolence

“The poor, the planet, and peacemaking”

Along with global poverty and the crisis of climate change, peacemaking is one of Pope Francis’ three priority areas for his papacy.

Choosing Peace recounts the historic Rome gathering in the spring of 2016, when with the support and encouragement of Pope Francis, dozens of peacemakers from around the world convened to consider the Church’s teaching on war and peace.

The book begins with the pope’s welcoming message to the Rome conference as the opening chapter and concludes with the full text of his 2017 World Day of Peace Message as the final chapter. In between are key papers prepared for the event by theologians, social scientists and activists, along with reflections from participants from around the globe, including many from violent conflict zones.

Order Choosing Peace now >> (Don’t forget to enter PAXC18 at check-out to get the 40% discount!)

Listening to Catholics living amid violence

Some of the most compelling stories in Choosing Peace are those from church leaders and activists from violent conflict zones. Among the many moving voices:

From Fr. James Oyet Latansio, general secretary of the South Sudan Council of Churches:

“I was born in war; I grew up in war; I went to school in war. I was ordained a priest during war-the bishop hesitated as he was imposing the hand on me because there were artillery bombs flying over the Cathedral. So, my life has been always surrounded by violence.”

From Iraqi Dominican Sister Nazik Matty, whose community was expelled from Mosul by ISIS:

“It was encouraging to see such active presence of the church, not passive, but active. We can’t respond to violence with worse violence. This encourages the spiral of violence up and up.”

From Rania Murra from the Arab Educational Institute in Bethlehem:

“I believe that we have several strategies available to deepen and widen the practice of nonviolence in the worldwide Catholic community. All require our energy.”

From Fr. Nandana Manatunga from the Human Rights Office-Kandy, Sri Lanka:

“The nonviolent witness of Christians contributes to the building up of peace in a way that force cannot, discerning the difference between the cowardice which gives in to evil and the violence which under the illusion of fighting evil, only makes it worse.”

Order Choosing Peace now >> (Don’t forget to enter PAXC18 at check-out to get the 40% discount!)

Now is the time to choose peace

Choosing Peace is a must-read for those wondering about the Church’s role in world affairs and concerned about the pattern of Christian tolerance for never-ending war.

With chapters that explore scripture, theology, Church history, nonviolent theory, and political science, the book takes a comprehensive look at how the Church has considered peacemaking in the past and where it might go from here. Just some of the chapter titles:

• A Catholic Reflection on Nonviolence and Just Peace
• Nonviolence in a Violent World
• Jesus and Nonviolence: Scriptural Evidence (by theologian Terrence J. Rynne)
• Traditional Catholic Thought on Nonviolence (by theologian Lisa Sowle Cahill)
• Catholic Practice of Nonviolence (by activists Ken Butigan and John Dear)
• Active Nonviolence: An Effective Political Tool (by social and political scientist Maria J. Stephan)
• Catholic Just Peace Practice (by journalist Rose Marie Berger)
• The Church and the Just War Tradition

Choosing Peace is more than a book, it’s a tool for sharing a critical conversation with other Catholics about a faithful response to our often violent world. As a friend of Pax Christi International, we think you’ll find it insightful and thought-provoking.

- Your friends at Pax Christi International

P.S. Don’t forget: You can get an extra 40% off Choosing Peace when you order

before May 21 using the coupon code PAXC18. Order your copy today! (To order a copy outside of the U.S., send an email to Orbis with the coupon code “PAXC18” in the subject line.)