Every Advent, the second candle flickers for peace. Yet like hope, this word has grown soft in the Christian imagination. “Peace” has come to mean inner calm, social quiet, or the absence of visible conflict. But throughout Scripture, peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice. The Bible’s peace—shalom—names the wholeness of creation restored, the healing of injustice, the reconciliation of enemies, and the overthrow of every false order built on domination and control.

Advent begins this Sunday, and this week's Advent theme is HOPE. Today, hope often sounds like wishful thinking. We use the word to describe personal aspirations, feelings, or a positive outlook. But biblical hope is not optimism. It's born in the midst of despair—in exile, under empire, among people who have every reason to give up.

At Peace Catalyst International, we believe that peace is not just an ideal—it’s a way of life, a calling, and a daily practice rooted in God’s mission to heal the world. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce our partnership with St. Stephen’s University (SSU)—a graduate school of theology, peace, and reconciliation located in New Brunswick, Canada. This partnership represents an exciting step forward in the formation of a broader ecosystem of peace theology, peace education, and peacemaking practice.

How can Christ’s teaching of neighbor-love — when taken seriously — offer a path toward a just, flourishing, and reconciled future? Watch our conversation with author and peacemaker Andrew DeCort to discuss his book, Reviving the Golden Rule: How the Ancient Ethic of Neighbor Love Can Heal the World. We explore the roots of this ancient yet essential teaching, reflect on examples of how Christians have lived this out in powerful ways, and discuss how Christians today can meaningfully model neighbor-love in our relationships, communities, and politics.

What if our view of sin is far too small? And what if it also misses the depth of Jesus’s confrontation with evil and his invitation to healing? Watch this conversation to explore how the Bible speaks about sin - not as personal wrongdoing, but also as something that entangles individuals and societies in patterns of harm… and how this all leads us to Christian peacebuilding.

In a world marked by horrific violence, rising authoritarianism, and toxic polarization driving people apart, many Christians want to be people of justice and reconciliation. Yet in the West, the church and its theology are too often known for supporting violence, not healing it. What lessons and challenges must the church in the West face if it is to truly be a source of liberation and worship in solidarity with those on the margins?

When reflecting on familiar biblical passages like Matthew 28:19 or Acts 14:21, I've long wrestled with subtle yet profound implications of translation choices. In particular, I've been considering the Greek verb often translated into English as "make disciples." Common English translations such as "make disciples of all nations" shift the focus onto measurable outcomes—how many disciples have been successfully "made." This interpretation, however, places the evaluation of faithfulness and obedience on the actions and decisions of others, which are ultimately beyond our control.

On March 25, 2025, video footage went viral showing a Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk, being arrested by ICE agents while walking to class. Her quiet, stunned compliance—the way she whispered "I'm a student at Tufts..." as agents pulled her away—echoed through social media like a lament. Though she was later released, the imagery haunts: an unarmed woman of color, quietly disappeared in broad daylight, on a college campus.

This is not an isolated moment. It’s part of a broader climate of fear and dehumanization toward immigrants in our country—especially those whose presence challenges dominant narratives of whiteness, power, or security. In the face of all this, a friend recently asked me, “What would Jesus do?” That question hits hard. And it’s worth flipping: What did Jesus do? Because we actually have a pretty solid record.

“Deconstruction” has become a bit of a buzzword in Christian circles, but it is in fact not an exclusively “Christian” phenomenon. Deconstruction is a very normal and natural process of unlearning and relearning, which all people all over the world experience at one time or another to various degrees throughout their lives. It is a natural part of human development. As peacebuilders and as Christians, we should embrace this process as an opportunity to mature.