Introduction: Peace, Justice & Reconciliation
Derek Poole

Comment
Lesley Macaulay

From the Director
David Porter

Now and Not Yet
Stephen Williams

Grace: An Attribute of Reconciliation
Graham Cheesman

Reflections on ECONI
Ken Wilson & Brian Moore

Stanley Who?
Alwyn Thomson

Justice
Billy Mitchell

Peace
Ethel White

Reconciliation
Brian Cruise

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PEACE ... A Peace Personal Perspective
As I write this I am grieving for my mother, who died on 24 August after long years of suffering pain and enduring disability. What does peace mean when I have a broken heart because of our separation? What can peace mean for those who were so tragically bereaved or horrifically injured in Omagh on Saturday, 15 August? What does peace mean for the many who, during the thirty years of the Troubles, have lost loved ones or who have had to learn how to live with their own injuries or those of their loved ones?

Amongst the many helpful expressions of sympathy and encouragement given to me were comments about how my mother is at peace, at rest, her pain and suffering over. All this is true, but peace is more, much more. In heaven, with Jesus, my mother is now completely whole, completely healed, totally healthy in a way we can hardly begin to imagine. The peace she is experiencing is much more than the absence of pain and suffering. Forgiveness, repentance and reconciliation have been completed. She is now enjoying perfect, mature, deep and consummate relationships with everyone who is with her in God's presence, as well as with God.

Is this view of peace meant only for the realms of heaven? The bible speaks of peace on earth. The birth of Jesus was announced to the shepherds with the promise of peace from God (Luke 2:14). Jesus gives us his peace (John 14:27). We have peace with God because of what Jesus did in offering himself as a sacrifice for our sin (Rom 5:1).

What is this peace? Is it simply the absence of war, conflict, turmoil, torment, discomfort, disease? Or is it something more? When we are out of relationship with God we do not have peace with Him, or within ourselves. If I live in the same street as somebody from a different community but have nothing to do with them, is this peace? If I don't go into shops owned by, or use services provided by members of the other community, is that peace? If in my workplace I limit my friendships or restrict my conversation with those of the other community, is that peace? In other words, peace is not just the absence of conflict, but a positive relational engagement with former enemies. Jesus said 'Love your enemies' (Luke 6:27-36). If I only pray for my enemies and refuse to shake their hand, or to talk to them, is that love? When I am out of relationship with anyone, then peace is absent.

Our peace with God cost a great deal. It cost Christ his life and it costs us our self will, our ambitions and our dreams. God's desire is that we share a mutual relationship. What gets in the way is our sin, our selfishness, our self-centredness, our persistence in 'doing it my way'. Perfect peace involves the absence of all that comes between God and us, but it also includes all that is implicit in having a relationship with him. He tells us how special and precious we are to him, we tell him how special and precious he is to us. It is this kind of relationship that we recognise as peace - the wholeness, the completeness, the harmony, the riches.

As we enter into this peace, it affects us very deeply. 'Perfect love casts out fear' (1 John 4:18). Being loved, enjoying our relationship with God has repercussions on our whole lives. It affects our relationships with families, workmates and neighbours. The relationship itself becomes important. Wrong things we do are of significance because they disrupt, maybe even destroy, the relationship. Just as the healing of our relationship with God was costly, so the healing of relationships with others is costly. I can think of no relationship for which I have not had to pay a price, in giving up something or taking on something. When I haven't been prepared to do this I have lost the relationship and I have lost the peace.

What does peace-making involve?

Making peace is not the easy way out of a conflict situation or a hostile relationship. It is the difficult way, it involves taking risks and the cost will be high. When a war ends or when the fighting stops, peace hasn't come. There will be economic damage to repair as well as human injuries to deal with. On a personal scale, there will be emotional and psychological wounds as well as physical and mental injuries. Those affected will include not only the parties directly involved but also their circle of family and friends. Much has been learned over the last few decades about how to assist and direct the healing of emotional and psychological injuries, but even this does not bring peace. It is easy to remain out of relationship when we nurse memories of hurt, and keep to the company of those who think as we think. Peace will only come when the relationships themselves have been repaired and restored, and people enjoy each other and desire each other's company. It will involve putting the relationship first, rather than focusing on and reacting to differences.

Every relationship involves energy and effort, time and patience, the willingness to forgive, to be forgiven and to make allowances. When rough patches are encountered pride and self-pity will have to be sacrificed to maintain the relationship. It is not only marriage and family relationships where these costs are borne. Friendships and working relationships deepen and become satisfying and productive when we are prepared to pay whatever price is involved. When we enter new and unknown groups and situations, we will feel insecure and uncomfortable. Our misgivings and doubts may never completely disappear but the relationship and the person are worth it.

My story

Becoming a follower of Jesus revolutionised my life. My relationships with others, as well as with God, are continually being transformed with his help. As I have grieved for my mother and I am amazed and thankful at how God changed my attitude to her, particularly in recent years. I came to value our relationship and was prepared to make sacrifices for it. This has been costly, not just because I put a priority on spending time with my mother, but also now that we are parted, albeit temporarily, the pain of separation is much greater because we were closer than it would have been if our relationship had not been so intimate. The richness of the joy we shared in recent years along side her suffering can only be described as peace.

I have defined peace as good relationships and, although I did not realise it at the time, since I came to live and work in Belfast my desire and my lifestyle have revolved around making peace by developing relationships. As a volunteer youth leader in City YMCA, I was involved with bringing together young people from both communities and across the social divides. I found my prejudices challenged and shattered by learning to relate to Catholics who are Christians. I have been learning to listen to and respect the political and religious views of those who differ from me. ECONI and a study group of the Irish Christian Study Centre have been catalysts as I check values, attitudes and priorities with those of Jesus and God the father through bible study. More recently I have begun to identify with the pain and suffering of the other community, as I converse with and listen to them, in person and in media interviews. I am a slow learner but God is patient, thankfully.

For me peacemaking involves forgiving others the wrong they have done to me, seeking healing of my hurt from God, setting aside my pride and doing whatever is required to relate to the other party in a loving, caring, respectful way. I haven't found this easy. There have been battles of will before I have been able to take the first step in making peace, but only then have I known peace with God.

Peacemaking involves fostering relationships with anyone and everyone, all the people with whom we have contact as we shop, buy petrol, and eat out. I have found a joy and a richness, peace that permeates through the whole of my life, through learning to relate to all the people with whom I have daily contact. Try it and see for yourself.

Conclusion

The outcome of having peace with God is that we are willing to let go of everything to take up our cross and go where Jesus goes (Luke 9:23). 'Everything' includes our political aspirations, our sectarian attitudes, our competitiveness with others, whatever Jesus asks of us. Then we will have opportunities and space in our lives to discover what peace really is. We, who have peace with God through our acceptance of His gift, have insights that should enable us to work for a vision of peace. It extends beyond individuals to relationships within families, within and between communities (Eph 2:11-18) and with our environment (Rom 8:19-22). All of these are promised and all of them we are urged to seek.

Ethel White - research scientist in the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, and a lecturer at Queen's University. She is a member of Orangefield Presbyterian Church and the ECONI Central Co-ordinating Group.