Religion and Violence: A Challenge to the Unity of the Churches

Abstract

The article explores the relationship between religion and violence—both in the role religion has played in overcoming violence and in sometimes being at the heart of violence. Recent Indian history of religiously fuelled violence is the case study in this article. Additionally, the history of Christianity is dotted with violence—imperialism and colonialism have been justified by some historians. This should be the basis for a challenge to the imperial and implicitly ‘Christian’ designs that accompany the present war against Iraq.

The Bible and Christian theology contain violent images. There is ambiguity in defining violence, because sometimes it is difficult to name the more subtle forms of violence. The authority of the Church is questioned as it has sometimes been silent about the violence within its own life.

The Churches need to engage in intra-Christian dialogue so as to mutually focus on the ministry of reconciliation and healing. The Churches need also to engage in inter-religious dialogue, recognizing a common spirituality of non-violence present in all religions.     

美国中西部华人基督教会调查——以科罗拉多州丹佛都会区为例

论文以美国科罗拉多州丹佛都会区的几家华人基督教会为样本,分析了丹佛华人基督教会的历史与现状,教会的人员构成、参加教会活动的原因、教会运作模式及社会功能,反映了科州乃至美国中西部地区华人基督教会的基本情况。研究结果显示,以丹佛为代表的科罗拉多州华人基督教会历史不长,规模普遍较小,组织结构较为简单。教会信众来源广泛,目前以中国大陆为主体,涵盖了两岸三地及东亚、东南亚等地华人。华人基督徒多从事医学、网络信息、矿业、会计和厨师等专业技术工作。尽管参加教会活动的华人出于各种不同的目的,教会发展过程中也遇到了诸多问题,但作为丹佛华人社会的重要组成部分,华人基督教会仍是一个功能强大的社会组织,在团结华人,救助华人弱势群体,特别是在提供精神支持方面,具有无可替代的作用。     

美国华人教会的社会功能初探

近年来,美国华人基督教教会组织发展迅速,其在帮助华人新移民群体,整合华人社会资源等方面的作用已经超越了传统华人社团。本文依据实地考察并结合文献研究,探索美国华人教会组织的多方面社会功能。作者认为,华人教会在华人社会中的作用及其影响值得关注。     

Remarks on Some of the Churches of Anglesey

Reconsideration of three published reports about the ruined church at Stone-by-Faversham is shown to lead to some new interpretations of its structure and history 1 especially when account is taken of evidence hitherto left latent in the building and of evidence as yet unpublished from an investigation in 1926. Moreover a new weapon for interpretation of the sequence of the several phases of the building has been developed by study of the extent to which material .from the earliest phase has been used in the fabric of later phases; and reasons are given for re-interpreting as nave-altars the masses of masonry which have in the past been regarded as part of a very confosing east wall of the first stone nave. Plans and .floor-levels are shown for the four principal phases of development 1 and we make a suggestion for a small change in the way the monument is displayed 1 in order to make its history more easily understood and also to protect its most ancient parts .from unnecessary risks. The substance of this paper was delivered to the Institute at its meeting on 11 February 1981.     

The Archaeology of Missions in Australasia: Introduction

Missions have long been recognized as spaces of colonial contact and cultural exchange, and they are significant places in Indigenous landscapes today. However, archaeologists have only recently begun to explore such places across Australasia. This collection canvasses a range of approaches to this dynamic field.