I am profoundly disturbed by the American evangelical response to war, terrorism and national security. Far too many evangelicals in the U.S. have blunted the moral edge of what it means to follow Jesus, especially in a Post 9/11 world. That's why five evangelical organizations are hosting the Evangelicals for Peace Summit. 

Sheena Iyengar, a leading expert in choice theory, speaks about the ways people from different cultures make decisions. She shares several interesting insights from case studies from around the world, revealing that not all cultures thrive on the belief that the individual is the locus of decision making, as most of Westerners have been brought up to enjoy.

Yale theologian and peacemaker Miroslav Volf spoke recently to pastors in Columbus, Ohio and told a story about the Common Word Dialogue between Christians and Muslims at Yale: “Prior to the dialogue, we inserted a brief apology, asking for forgiveness in the Yale response to the Common Word. People got so upset! They said you should not ask for forgiveness until Muslims ask for forgiveness first!” Miroslav paused, and with a big smile on his face asked, “Since when is my moral behavior predicated on the moral behavior of another?”

If you're reading this blog, there's a good chance you want to embody the peaceable ways of Jesus. Yet good intentions and loving aspirations frequently fail in the face of conflict (I can testify to that!). In reality, we are often peacebreakers. Some of us are even by nature peacefakers, and yet we long to be peacemakers. So let’s talk about the difference between these.

Dialog between various religious partners is not about melting differences into one tepid spiritual brew. Yet as we retain the distinctives at the core of our faith, we should enter the conversation with open hearts, attentive ears, and minds eager to learn.

Sam Richards, a sociology professor at Penn State, expounds upon the process of empathy. By leading the audience through a re-narration of history and their own identity, he invites the audience to step into the shoes of someone else’s life. After exploring new hopes, fears, and perceptions as “the other,” connections and relationships are more easily visible.

Working with Muslim refugees in Phoenix is a powerful opportunity for peacemaking and for promoting the peace of our city. Today we'd like to share the video story of Sally Harr, one of our faithful volunteer partners with the Somali Bantu.

What should we make of the Arab Spring? How should we view these revolutions as Americans, as followers of Jesus, or as people who want peace? Todd Deatherage, co-founder of the Telos Group and former staff member for the Bush Administration, provides some insight and understanding to these events.

Peace Catalyst's Jim Mullins has just finished putting together this ebook study on what the Bible has to say about culture. highly recommend it for all of our Jesus-following friends who want to know more about how to respond to diversity, how to obey Jesus's command to love our neighbor in a globalized world, and how to respectfully communicate what we believe.