This call is hosted by the Christian Peacebuilding Network (CPN), a multi-org group we helped found, and is part of a series of monthly conversations to help connect Christian peacebuilders and discuss themes related to peacebuilding and the Christian faith.

Many Christians long to follow Jesus faithfully in a fractured world. Yet we face a glaring and uncomfortable contradiction: a faith centered on enemy-love, humility, and sacrifice is frequently weaponized to secure political control, marginalize others, and justify structural violence. Whether historically through colonialism, or currently through nationalistic and partisan movements, the search for collective security consistently transforms the church from a community of reconciliation into an instrument of division. In this session, we will explore how the desire to protect our own interests—subtly and sometimes overtly—subverts the servant way of Jesus.

In this session, Bryan Carey will draw on theology, history, social sciences, and peacebuilding practice to explore how Christianity’s historic and ongoing relationship with societal power has shaped our collective imagination. Rather than viewing this history through a lens of simple critique, the conversation will examine the complex ways that proximity to political and cultural dominance molds our deeper instincts, institutional assumptions, and cultural narratives.

Instead of isolating a single theological doctrine, this session will look at broader systemic patterns. We will explore how core concepts—such as peace, mission, identity, authority, and salvation—are radically redefined depending on whether a community operates from the margins of society or from centers of power and legacy. Together, we will consider what it means to cultivate robust forms of Christian formation that remain resilient, self-critical, and deeply aligned with the instincts of Jesus.

Time:

3:00pm Central Europe & Central Africa (2:00pm UK & Western Africa, 4:00pm East Africa and Eastern Europe, 9:00am USA Eastern, 6:30pm India Time)

Facilitator:

Bryan Carey

Bryan is a peacebuilding consultant, conflict transformation trainer, and Director of International Peacebuilding at Peace Catalyst International.

Bryan and his family have lived in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina since 2017, where they have been learning alongside and supporting the work of Muslim, Catholic, and Orthodox peacebuilders. Bryan also hosts workshops, conducts training, and teaches about peace-oriented theology, peacebuilding practices, and how Christian groups can get involved in community peacebuilding. He regularly organizes learning experiences for international and regional Balkan participants that cultivate understanding and empathy for the narratives of other groups, ultimately with the aim to deepen relational connections that allow for collaborative work.