Christians hear call to be peacemakers

Tony Benn and Nims Obunge were among the peace campaigners challenging Christians last night to work for peace in their local communities and around the world.

Pastor Nims Obunge, Chief Executive of the Peace Alliance, told people at the Charities Parliament in central London that every person was called to be a peacemaker because God was a peacemaker.

He recalled presiding over the funerals of young shooting or stabbing victims who had never even entered his church.

“I felt I had no right to bury young people who I’d never tried to reach,” he said. “I felt I was doing something wrong just staying inside my church when I should be out there.”

Although the British Crime Survey shows that crime has halved in recent years, Mr Obunge insisted that one death as a result of violence crime was still “one death too many”.

He noted though that not every community was affected by gun and knife crime and that there were other kinds of violence needing to be confronted, such as domestic violence and threatening behaviour.

“Take time out to find out what the issues are in your community. We’ve all got different issues [and] sometimes the things that make peace in our communities are hidden so we need wisdom and to pray about it,” he said.

Recalling the African saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, Mr Obunge called on the whole community to encourage youngsters and help to prevent them from embracing violent lifestyles.

“Right now that [community] doesn’t exist. We have to be the community that takes the responsibility … We have to tell them they have value,” he said.

Addressing conflict on an international level, Mr Benn said there could be no peace without democracy and justice.

He condemned the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq, saying that he did not think either of them would be looked upon by future generations “as anything but a terrible mistake, if not a war crime”.

“We need to develop strong institutions, strong enough to see that war doesn’t break out and that injustice is dealt with peacefully,” he said.

Mr Benn went on to suggest that the world’s religions had a vital role to play in achieving peace.

He said: “The different religions could be a great source of strength and not division, and that’s why it is so important than we understand the different religions.”

The Charities Parliament, an initiative of Faithworks, took place ahead of the International Day of Peace on September 21.

September 19 has been announced as Peacemaking Sunday, when churches up and down the country will pray for peace.

The Baptist Union of Great Britain and Methodist and United Reformed Churches have compiled a selection of art, prayers, a sermon guide, meditation and a commissioned hymn to help churches focus on peace this Sunday.

The Rev Graham Sparkes, head of faith and unity, Baptist Union of Great Britain, said: “Too often people of faith use their religion to promote fear, hatred and violence. These resources are a call to churches to affirm our fundamental commitment to seek peace in all our relationships, not least with those of different faiths. We urgently need to create a culture of peace that deepens understanding and mutual respect.”

Find out more at: www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/peacemakingsunday/