III. Our Specific Peace Commitments

In most discussions of war and peacemaking, the debate becomes stuck between pacifists, who renounce all war and all use of lethal violence, and just war theorists who believe that war is sometimes a "lesser of evils" and, therefore, permissible under certain very limited conditions. While this debate is important, it often deteriorates into a debate over whether to go to war, and when, if ever. Lost in such discussions are the active practices which seek peace founded on justice. We affirm the emerging ethic of just peacemaking which advocates practices that actively promote peace and justice, practices which work to build a culture of true peace, peace which is the presence of justice and not simply the absence of visible conflict.⁴ Commonly agreed upon practices of just peacemaking include:

• Support nonviolent direct action in movements for social justice
• Take independent initiatives to reduce the threat to the adversary
• In situations of conflict, use techniques of creative conflict resolution
• Acknowledge responsibility for one’s own role in conflict and injustice and seek repentance and forgiveness
• Advance participatory democracy and democratic reforms
• Advance respect for human rights and religious liberty for everyone
• Foster just and sustainable economic development
• Work with emerging cooperative forces in the international system, including the United Nations
• Reduce weapons stockpiles and the weapons trade
• Encourage grassroots peacemaking groups and voluntary associations for justice⁵

We seek to state our peace convictions plainly and clearly, saying yes to God and no to the warring ways of this world: