Peace and Justice

The Quaker peace testimony holds that violence, whether physical, emotional, or verbal, is an injustice that harms all parties involved, and is never the means to achieving a just and lasting peace. The peace testimony extends beyond personal interactions to institutional and social structures that, while sometimes invisible or taken for granted, may do violence.

Many thoughtful and moral people disagree with the strong form of Quaker pacifism that deplores all forms of violence, but the Quaker peace testimony challenges us to seek non-violent responses to conflict and to look for just solutions.

Practicing Peace and Justice

We work actively for the just and peaceful transformation of conflict, and for the removal of causes of violence and injustice. We recognize and accept conflict as a necessary part of life with others, and work from conflict towards more just, nonviolent, and sustainable communities.

Queries

• When conflicts arise, do I make earnest efforts to resolve them thoughtfully and without delay?
• Am I careful to address violence and coercion in my relations with others?
• Do I take seriously and, according to my gifts and leadings, act on opportunities to further peace and justice?
• Do I think carefully about the ways Earlham as an institution can act as a local and global force for peace and justice?
• Do I think about power: who has it, and how it should be used? Am I careful to use my own power for just and constructive ends?