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Christian Understanding of Warin an Age of Terror(ism)
A Vision and Study Paper from the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
with Study Guide
 
 A Vision and Study Paper from the2010 Centennial Ecumenical Gathering and General Assembly of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and Church World ServiceNew Orleans, Louisiana© 2010Study Guide by Jordan Blevins, Kathleen Kern,Liz Bidgood-Enders, Scott Thayer, and Rachel Stacy.© 2011 Church of the Brethren
 
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I. Introduction
 A Painful Wound in the Body of Christ
Dear Abby: My father is a businessman who travels.Each time he returns from one of his trips,His shoes and trousers are covered with blood- but he never forgets to bring me a nice present; Should I say something? Signed, America 
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The words of the poet disturb and provoke, yetthere is a truth in them that cannot be ignored. And what about the church?The
central message 
of the Church of JesusChrist is the message of grace and peace (Lk 10:5;2 Cor 5:19; Eph 2:17; Rom 1:7). Participating inGod’s reconciling work is the
central task 
of theChurch of Jesus Christ (Jn 20:21; Col 1:20; 2 Cor5:18; Eph 1:9-10, 3:10). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus are called to love likeJesus, standing with those who are at the margins,loving even enemies, and forgiving. This is a lovethat precludes violence and killing (Mt 25:52).Even more,
in its very life together 
, the church is afellowship of people who were at one time strangersand aliens but now, through the grace of God,have become brothers and sisters (Eph 2:19-22,Gal 3:27-28; 1 Pet 2:9-10). The church deliversthe message of reconciliation not just by what itsays, or even by what it does, but also by what it is.The Church of Jesus Christ is a peace church. Thisis both a gift and a calling.Many Christians regularly recall the fourmarks of the church when they recite the NiceneCreed. The church is one, holy, catholic, andapostolic. Peacemaking would be a fifth mark.
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 Who are we? We are one, holy, catholic, andapostolic fellowship (
koinõnia 
), knit together asthe body of Christ which embodies and carries thepeace of Christ into the world.But there are open and painful wounds inthe church in our land. Our Sunday prayers aredisconnected from our Monday realities. How do we hear the words “Be not afraid” while living onorange alert? We have said many things, but ourposition papers and pronouncements carry less andless weight, even among our own members. Every time we fill our gas tank, we are reminded how enmeshed we are in the projection of US military force into villages and homes on the other side of the globe. Parts of the church, often within thesame denomination, are marching in very differentdirections, but rarely, if ever, do we listen and speak to each other. When Christians attack and killothers, sometimes even brothers and sisters in the
Christian Understanding of Warin an Age of Terror(ism)
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,to which indeed you were called in one body”
Colossians 3:15
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