United States: Christians March for Peace, To Change Hearts

The white square buttons are eye-catching in a crowd where many wore round black buttons. Moving in closer you can see that the buttons say: Peace. Seek It! Pursue It! Psalm 34:14 and 1 Peter 3:11.

Washington D.C., United States | Taashi Rowe/ANN

Several Adventist churches, like the Hollywood Adventist Church, held similar peace vigils and peace marches that weekend. Photo: [Ryan J. Bell/Hollywood Adventist Church]

Several Adventist churches, like the Hollywood Adventist Church, held similar peace vigils and peace marches that weekend. Photo: [Ryan J. Bell/Hollywood Adventist Church]

The white square buttons are eye-catching in a crowd where many wore round black buttons. Moving in closer you can see that the buttons say: Peace. Seek It! Pursue It! Psalm 34:14 and 1 Peter 3:11.

There were perhaps two-dozen individuals in the crowd of 3,000 wearing the buttons. They came to march with other Christians through the streets of Washington D.C. on March 16. They, like the thousands of other Christians that night, came because they cared personally about peace.

The Christian Witness for Peace in Iraq March, and subsequent candlelight vigil, followed a two-hour prayer service that ran simultaneously at the National Cathedral and hundreds of other churches across the country.

Those gathered in Washington, D.C. included members of the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church from Takoma Park, Maryland. A parallel event was organized at the Hollywood Seventh-day Adventist Church.  A group of 35 met for a peace vigil that mirrored the Washington D.C. event. Denise Snyder-Grentz also organized a peace vigil on Sabbath afternoon, March 17, in Douglasville, Georgia. There were more than 40 in attendance.

The Adventist church has a long heritage of peacemaking and teaching peace. The church has expressed its views publicly through statements, through preaching, and through living that makes a contribution to social harmony and peace.  In one of the statements, a 2002 public “Call for Peace,” the Spring Meeting of the world church noted that “lasting answers to deep problems in divisions in society cannot be achieved by using violent means.”

According to the statement, the Adventist church stands for “bridge-building to promote reconciliation between the various sides in a conflict.” It also quoted the prophet Isaiah who said, “You will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell” (Isa. 58:12) and added “Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, wants His followers to be peacemakers in society and hence calls them blessed (Matt. 5:9).”

The march, which took place on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq, included participants from a variety of faith backgrounds. Many were Christians but with a sprinkling of Muslims and even agnostics. Differences did not matter as thousands passionately united for peace. Those who participated took a pledge of nonviolence that included promising to be positive examples of Christ’s love for all people and grounding all acts in shared worship, prayer and study of the Bible.

For many Adventists interviewed, joining this witness for peace march was in keeping with the church’s teachings.

Charles Sandefur, president of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) said that as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian he has long believed, “Christians are called to live in peace and nonviolence and are called to live that way publicly.”

“I think it is a very important part of Christian witness to say that the way of Jesus is about peace and peacemaking,” explained Doug Morgan, professor in the History and Political Studies department at Adventist-owned Columbia Union College, and founder of Adventist Peace Fellowship in near-by Takoma Park, Maryland. He saw his participating as “very much in harmony with Scripture and Adventist heritage. Peace is central to the Adventist witness to the world.” Morgan, along with Ronald Osborn, began the Adventist Peace Fellowship (APF) in 2002, a society that exists to raise awareness of peacemaking.

The March 16 vigil left other Adventists with strong feelings about involvement in peacemaking. “Making a stronger stand and a greater involvement as peacemakers doesn’t necessarily mean that we should become political and lose our spiritual emphasis,” said Michael Kulakov, professor of Politics and Religion at CUC.

Sandefur, who participated in the worship service for peace at the National Cathedral, said, “The purpose of this worship service [was] to give public witness to our commitment to peace and I hope that very act is energizing to many.”

Adventist participants said since their heritage is rooted in pacifism participating in peaceful activism such as this march should be instinctive. “It was very much a ‘faith-based’ event for all, and I ... believe that their Adventist faith and much in their Adventist heritage calls them to peacemaking,” Morgan added.

“Adventist history is a unique thing because our founders have been public activists for things like abolition and prohibition, supporting peace is no different,” said Ryan Bell, pastor of the Hollywood Adventist Church and a member of the Adventist Peace Fellowship.

“The main reason Adventists should get involved in peaceful activism is because the gospel teaches us that peace is central to Christianity. Christianity is not necessarily a private undertaking. The gospel calls us to public action, not just to internal righteousness but external acts for the public good,” he added.

But although the church encourages active peacemaking and reconciliation there is still an understanding that the ultimate power to make peace lies in God’s hands.  According to the church’s call for peace, “the Christian has hope because of the assurance that evil—the mystery of iniquity—will run its course and be conquered by the Prince of Peace and the world will be made new.  This is our hope.”

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