JUSTICE, PEACE AND THE INTEGRITY OF CREATION: A CHALLENGE FOR ECUMENICAL THEOLOGY
Abstract
The article offers in outline a proposal for an ecumenical and contextual theology of peace. The curbing of violence, the promotion of justice and the conservation of nature are all essential elements in the search for peace. But the conception of peace itself can have different, often conflicting connotations. The pax Romana, based on the logic of exclusion, represents in essence a system of domination, while the Biblical shalom, based on the logic of inclusion, is a design for living together. The latter forms the background for the ideal Ecumenical Peace Council. Because mankind is now in a position of wiping itself out entirely, the overcoming of the institution of war poses a special challenge to an ecumenical theology of peace and to the Christian community. The churches’ commitment to peace, therefor, should be characterized by a preferential option for non-violence, for the poor, for the conservation of nature and for a prophetic mission of the church.Authors retain copyright and grant the Journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this Journal.
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