Maundy Thursday: Nonviolence & Abolition

‌ Maundy Thursday: Nonviolence & Abolition I hope that Holy Week is what you need it to be, whether that is a reminder of the richness of darkness or the gift of light. Today is Maundy Thursday – a day that has long shaped and informed my understanding and practice of nonviolence as a Christian and that shapes and polishes the lens of abolition critical to that practice in our present context. Maundy Thursday is full of the dance of light and dark, and through that dance several things emerge for me. First, of course, is Jesus’ new commandment: love one another as I have loved you. Abolition Information Dive deeper into abolition during the Easter season with a six-week introductory study sponsored by Presbyterians for Abolition. For more information about the study series click here. One can choose to interpret that commandment narrowly and confine the love commanded to the circle of insiders joined in the faith and in the commitment to follow the way of Jesus. If the faith and its circle are drawn narrowly in creedal terms – I belief in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, as the first council of Nicaea put it – perhaps that is enough. Perhaps the small circle feels faithful. But if even the small circle of insiders defines itself at least in part in terms of following the way of Jesus, then the love that he commanded ought to be expressed in the way he expressed it: widely and even exuberantly transgressing narrow boundaries of orthodox religiosity. The way of Jesus draws us into wider circles than we imagine. Jesus drew the circle wide, and, as followers, we should give that a try. Violence can express a lot of things, but violence never expresses love. Violence cuts lines through community, but it does not trace a wide circle of welcome. Only a committed practice of nonviolence draws a circle wide enough to love one another as Jesus loved. To register click here Join the PPF community in Kansas City next month (May 7-10) as we learn together and deepen our commitments to spread nonviolence and build community. Click here for more information. The commandment that gives today its name would be enough to lead us to nonviolence. Of course, the story of this day doesn’t end at the table where Jesus gives the command. After the supper, and after the words that instituted the supper that draws Jesus’ followers to the table even now, Jesus went to the garden to pray and hold a vigil into the dark hours. Out of the shadows in the garden, the police powers emerged to place Jesus under arrest. Peter draws his sword to fight the powers, and Jesus intervenes. “Put away your sword.” Stepping between Peter and the police, Jesus utters a simple declaration that inaugurates an intentional practice of nonviolence and an engagement with the powers and principalities aimed at abolishing state violence. At the same time, in stepping in and offering healing to the wounded servant of those powers, Jesus practices two key features of nonviolence. First, he intervenes. He places his body in the middle of the violent conflict and deescalates the tension. He embodies the difference between pacifism and passivity. He says, in effect, “I will not draw a sword against you even if my body is at risk. I will intervene to stop harm to another.” Second, he practices solidarity. In the garden, Jesus heals the wounded who, in John’s gospel, is identified as a slave of the high priest. Thus Jesus builds an alliance with someone who is enmeshed in the system of state violence, and he constructs that alliance through healing and harm reduction. Healing and harm reduction lie at the foundation of abolition. Any vision of a world without state violence, without policing, without a prison-industrial complex can only begin to come into focus through building sustainable practices and supports for healing and harm reduction. That vision begins for me in this vignette from the garden. What begins to grow in a garden of healing? What springs forth from these seeds of nonviolence? What might begin to bear fruit for us? We know how the story goes from the garden. Judas betrays. Peter denies. Violence wins. Jesus is arrested, convicted, crucified. The powers and principalities prevail. That is the story of tomorrow. It is the story of Saturday. It seems to be the story of the Saturday world we inhabit today. That’s how the story goes. But that’s not how the story ends. Grace and peace. I hope you'll join us in study and in action! David Ensign Interim executive director Click here to give Support PPF's work of imagining and building a world of peace. Presbyterian Peace Fellowship 845-786-6743 | presbypeacefellowship.org Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

WCC NEWS: Online consultation will explore intersection of food and debt crises—and possible solutions

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will cohost an online consultation on 12 April to address the pressing issue of the converging food and debt crises. The event invites churches, ecumenical partners, and civil society allies to come together to examine the intersections and roots of these crises, and to seek collective guidance on possible joint responses. 7 March 2018, Arusha, Tanzania: Elhadi prepares the field to grow onions, in Usa River. The Usa River 2 project is supported by the Meru Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania's Sustainable Livelihood programme, designed to support sustainable agriculture through biogas production and diverse practices, so as to keep the soil in good shape through many decades of work on the land. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 06 April 2023 The consultation will offer a platform for participants to share their global and regional perspectives, engage in plenary discussions, and reflect on the situation from different perspectives. The online event will be divided into three sections: discernment of the present situation, analysis of the crisis, and exploring actions that the faithful could take. The primary aim of this consultation is to develop a clear understanding of the key interlinked developments of food insecurity, debt, and bank collapse, and to understand how faith communities can continue to be informed and strengthened in the face of these challenges. The event will be conducted in English, with simultaneous interpretation into French and Spanish. In addition to the WCC, the consultation is being hosted by the All Africa Conference of Churches, Council for World Mission, FIAN International, Lutheran World Federation, Organisation of African Instituted Churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches, and World Methodist Council. Register to the Online consultation HERE See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: WCC, ACT Alliance delegation on solidarity visit to Türkiye

A delegation from the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance is visiting Türkiye this week, expressing solidarity and support for churches on the ground responding to grave needs in the wake of the 6 February earthquake. WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay (front) and ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria (back) visited communities in southern Türkiye from 4-6 April. They met with churches in Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch, including communities in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Latin Catholics and others. Photo: WCC/ACT Alliance 6 April 2023 Visiting communities in southern Türkiye from 4-6 April, the delegation met with churches in Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch, including communities in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Latin Catholics and others. “The visit is tremendously symbolic during western Holy Week, and during the last week of Great Lent in the eastern calendar,” said WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. “It is really sad to see the devastation and damage brought about by the earthquake in Türkiye. Apart from the destruction of buildings, homes, properties and churches are the emotional and psychological scars endured by many people who have lost loved ones and almost everything.” Pillay said: “We visited Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch. I was deeply broken to see most of Antioch totally destroyed and now very empty. Church leaders are very concerned about the diminishing numbers of Christians in Türkiye and now whether Christians will return to this land that has so much of biblical history.” He added “We pray that they would be able to continue to sustain a lively Christian presence in this very historic city.” “The greatest need right now is to provide housing for the displaced people and funding to rebuild the destroyed cities,” underlined Pillay. “The churches are trying to build temporary houses for people and seek assistance.”  In the wake of the earthquake, there is grave need related to the lack of food, water, and healthcare, and many first responders continue to work under extremely aggravated circumstances. The quake in Türkiye and Syria caused enormous destruction in terms of both lives and property: in Türkiye alone, 45 thousand people died under the over 230,000 collapsed buildings, 1.7 million were forced into tents, nearly 3 million were made homeless, and the livelihoods of some 9 million people were severely affected.  ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria said: “In the aftermath of the earthquake, churches did what they have always done—opened their doors, their hearts, and their hands to help their neighbours who were affected by this tragic event.” Bueno de Faria added, “During this visit, we have seen the commitment of the churches to this work, to continuing to serve those impacted by the earthquake in the spirit of ecumenical diakonia.”  He concluded, “The need of international financial support is critical, as the reconstruction will take time and will be costly.” ACT Alliance partners and many other churches across the world have raised funds and sent humanitarian experts to conduct assessments and prepare relief, many closely cooperating with local partner organizations in the region. According to an ACT Alliance situation report, the priority needs of earthquake-affected people are rehabilitation and repair of damaged homes, mental health and psychosocial support, food assistance, hygiene and dignity kits, shelter, water, sanitation, food, and cash assistance.  Many children continue to exhibit signs of distress, and there remains a significant need for psychosocial support services, recreational activities, child-friendly spaces, medical aid, and services for people with disabilities and the elderly. Pillay concluded, “We encourage the WCC members and others to offer continued prayers and support for the people in Türkiye and other parts of the world affected by earthquakes and disasters. During this time of Easter, we are reminded that the suffering servant is with the suffering people of God on earth. May the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, give us hope and peace in these troubled and difficult times. In Christ is our hope!” The WCC-ACT delegation is comprised of Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary, World Council of Churches; Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, general secretary, ACT Alliance; and Laki Vingas, archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and former elected representative of minority foundations in Türkiye. More photos of the solidarity visit "Churches appeal for aid as response to Turkey-Syria earthquake expands" (WCC news release 8 February 2023) ACT Alliance appeal: Syria – Turkey Earthquake ACT Alliance website See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

Change.org Petition: Save Jamshid Sharmahd!

Save Jamshid Sharmahd! 103,193 have signed Internationale Gesellschaft für Menschenrechte (IGFM)’s petition. Let’s get to 150,000!

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We are reaching out to the global community in desperation and asking you to save a human life. The life of US resident Jamshid Sharmahd, who has been held hostage by the Islamic Republic of Iran for 18 months, is in grave danger. Jamshid Sharmahd had to make a three-day stopover at Dubai Airport in August 2020 on a trip from Germany to India. There he lost contact with his family. The family learned a few days later through Iranian state media that Mr. Sharmahd had been kidnapped by the Islamic Republic’s secret service and taken to Iran. Jamshid Sharmahd is a political activist who has consistently criticized the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to his daughter, Gazelle Sharmahd, her father has been in solitary confinement for 555 days and has not been able to contact his family, nor has he had access to an independent lawyer or contact with family and relatives in Iran. On Saturday, February 5, Iranian state media reported that his trial would begin the following day. The family found out about the trial again only through the media. On February 6, Jamshid Sharmahd’s trial began, which must be judged a political show trial as it is partially broadcast in the Iranian state media. The family is extremely concerned: Jamshid Sharmahd is severely emaciated and "not himself anymore". He is before the Revolutionary Court 15, which is presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, notorious as the “death judge”. The charge is "corruption on earth," which means the death penalty in the medieval legal system of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Judge Salavati is known to impose the death penalty. The last victim was Ruhollah Zam. Journalist Zam was also kidnapped to Iran and hanged there in December 2020. It is of the utmost importance that the federal government act immediately to prevent the planned state assassination of Mr Sharmahd. We urge that the matter be given top priority, that a crisis management team be set up, and that governments around the world exhaust all political and diplomatic avenues to put pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran. A general condemnation of the death penalty and a call to respect human rights are not enough. We urge you to take immediate, serious and sustained action to save the life of the 66-year-old US resident and his family from this horrific act. With kind regards The signatories (in alphabetical order): Mina Ahadi, „International Committee against the death penalty” Masih Alinejad, Iranian journalist and activist Jamshid Barzegar, journalist Ulrike Becker, Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin Nazanin Boniadi, actor, human rights advocate, ambassador Amnesty UK Mariam Claren, daughter of German-Iranian political prisoner Nahid Taghavi Saed Dehghan, human rights lawyer and Member of International Bar Association „Frauen für Freiheit e. V." Guila Fakhoury, Co-founder Amer Fakhoury Foundation Rahim Hemmati, Member of the German Social Democratic Party Martin Lessenthin, spokesman for the board of the International Society for Human Rights Shiva Mahbobi, spokeswoman for Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran Rezvan Moghaddam, women’s rights advocate Dr. Kylie Moore-Gilbert, hostage in Iran from 2018-2020 Daren Nair, former board member of Amnesty UK Maryam Namazie, writer and activist Gissou Nia, human rights lawyer Majid Niknamamini, Journalist, founder of Sattar Beheshti Foundation und Amadnews Dr. Reza Parchizadeh, political theorist and security analyst Hourvash Pourkian , „International Women in Power“ Jason Poblete, US Attorney for Jamshid Sharmahd und president Global Liberty Alliance, 2020 recipient of the James W Foley Legacy Foundation Hostage Advocacy Award Ahmad Rafat, Journalist Kayhan News Richard Ratcliffe, husband of British-Iranian political prisoner Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Barry Rosen, former US diplomat and hostage in Iran from 1979-1981 Kaveh Shahrooz, human rights lawyer Gazelle Sharmahd, daughter of German-Iranian political prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd Xiyue Wang, former hostage in Iran from 2016-2019

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NCC Remembers the Legacy of MLK

NCC Reflects on the Legacy of MLK and Commits to Continue in the Struggle April 4, 2023 TWITTER  /  FACEBOOK  /  YOUTUBE  /  INSTAGRAM To receive our weekly newsletter, sign up here. Contact NCC: info@nationalcouncilofchurches.us

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Action Alert - Tell your Representatives to Support Human Rights in Israel/Palestine

Since the beginning of 2023, violent conflict has significantly escalated between Israel and Palestine in the occupied West Bank. Over 85 Palestinians, including 16 children, have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers, and at least 14 Israelis, including two children, have been killed.  In the first quarter of the year, fires set in homes, schools and businesses in the West Bank have injured an additional 300 Palestinians. Most of this violence is the result of increasing settler attacks and raids by Israeli forces.

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Underlying the escalation of these violent attacks are the new Israeli government's policies. The new government includes the most conservative and extreme political parties in Israel. Before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent reacquisition of power, many concerns were raised in the U.S. Congress about Israel’s military occupation in the Palestinian Territories and its heightened violations of Palestinian human rights. The Biden administration has met repeatedly with Israeli officials to discuss peace and freedom for all Israelis and Palestinians in the region, but with no significant effect. Since its formation in late 2022, the new Israeli government has continued to violate human rights through increased violence and plans to expand settlements and further annex Palestinian land.  In the wake of escalating violence, a congressional letter, led by Representative Jamaal Bowman and Senator Bernie Sanders, has requested the White House and the Department of State to ensure that U.S. aid to Israel does not contribute to human rights violations. Tell your representatives to sign on to this letter and support human rights in Israel/Palestine.

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