The “Path
of Hope” is a historical timeline of important events and people that have been
examples of nonviolent action and resistance throughout the world, (The idea
was motivated by the Lutheran Peace
Fellowship).
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| Members of the House of Peace and Reconciliation setting up their timleine at the local public library. Photo by Curtis. |
The House of Peace and Reconciliation is
currently holding a course called “Peace-builders” and the students of the
course were each given the responsibility of a section of the timeline. They
then studied the events and people in their section, so they would be able to
tell interested passersby about the history of nonviolence in the world. The
goal is to develop a consciousness of the possible and a hope that we can build a different world.
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| Pastor John Hernández with a group of interested library-goers, discussing some of the earlier examples in history of non violent resistance. Photo by Curtis. |
They explained the well-known like Gandhi ,
Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela; as well as less well known history like in 1845
when the Lutheran Franckean Synod in New York, declared themselves
abolitionists in no uncertain terms, arguing “with courage and clarity against
this great and heinous national sin”. They declared that communion was
impossible with any “ecclesiastical body that tolerates, apologizes for or
remains silent on the subject of slavery”. Or, the Indigenous Nasa People of
Colombia and their Indigenous
Guard, a non-violent force trained to protect their communities from the
different armed actors in Colombia’s conflict.
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| Members of the House of Peace and Reconciliation explaining the origins of Mother's Day as an anti-war protest by mothers who refused to send their children to war. Photo by Curtis |