Today, I am making a modest attempt at what I hope will grow into a new weekly feature on the Just Peacemaking blog: a roundup of articles from around the web that have an angle on something in our wheelhouse – one of our areas of focus, the practices of Just Peacemaking, etc.
Over the last few years, we’ve gone back and forth on what to do with such articles when we discover them. From time to time, we request permission and “re-post” features, especially where our new paradigm is mentioned by name, and other times we’ll share a link through social media channels (e.g., our Facebook fan page and Twitter feed). This will continue to be a part of our mode of operation, and we are continually working to build the writing base for original content here.
Next to that, now each week one JPi blogger will serve as curator (likely me at least in the short run) and present to the reader whatever details are especially salient in her/his selection. I would like to encourage the reader to engage with the blogger’s take on whatever articles/issues are on tap and also to let us know what sources we should be following when we’re missing something important. All of this can be done through the comments field below or in an email to the editor at admin@justpeacemaking.org.
Without further adieu, a small collection from the last week or so to get us started:
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July 27, 2013
Uri Avney, “The Turkey under the Table”
Avney dives into some of the difficulties posed to representatives from Israel and Palestine as well as any hopeful mediator during round table peace talks – namely that it’s easy for one party or another to get gobbled up (in Avney’s metaphor, like a wolf and a lamb locked in a negotiation room). He keys on whom Sec. John Kerry chooses to be present as a mediator, highlighting the importance of genuine support for each “side.”
July 30, 2013
“Will Samson – Christian hope for the environment”
In an interview with Duke’s Faith and Leadership magazine, Samson (Executive Director of the Seminary Stewardship Alliance) points up the importance of theological contributions to the climate conversation. With this, the potential of church communities is especially in view: “If we can really recapture a sense of the church as a community of moral formation, then I think we can begin to address some of the broader issues behind the environmental problems.”
July 31, 2013
Warren Clark, “The Impossible Dream – It’s Soon or Never”
Clark (Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace) recaps several notable recent factors in the lead up to peace talks between Israel and Palestine. He makes a strong case for this moment in history being an opportune time for honest and lasting negotiations: “As Christians we need to pray for success and do everything possible to help negotiations succeed, remembering that with God, all things are possible.”
Suzanne Ross, “Reza Aslan on Fox News: Punch, Counter-Punch”
After a week of uneasiness (or uproar?) about the recent Fox News interview with Reza Aslan regarding his new book about Jesus, Zealot, Ross calls attention to a less mentioned aspect of the interview – one that struck this editor throughout the interview: “His claim to being a scholar writing without any bias is indisputable. Historians are trained to be seekers after the truth, aren’t they, dealing only with facts they can verify? Let’s take a quick look at Dr. Aslan’s argument to see if he is indeed without bias.” Ross’ point is important, notwithstanding valid criticism of Lauren Green’s own assumptions leading into the interview.
