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Following up 'Who would Jesus shoot?'

By Press Office
November 26, 2014

For all those who attended our proactively titled ‘Who Would Jesus Shoot?’ public debate on war and nonviolence – we are planning follow-up discussion on line, both here and on Ekklesia's Facebook group. All material will be linked here: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/whowouldjesusshoot

This excellent evening was organised by a partnership between a number of groups, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves. Please see below for some links and further information that you may find interesting. We are especially grateful to the two speakers, Nigel Biggar, and Tom Yoder Neufeld, for their clarity and incisive exploration of this important topic.

We hope to have the audio recording of the debate available online soon, and also hope to see you again soon.

Major thanks to Karen Stallard and Simon Woodman (co-organisers of 'Who Would Jesus Shoot?') on behalf of all of us.

* Tom Yoder Neufeld (https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/people-profiles/thomas-r-yoder-neufeld) is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies (New Testament), having retired at the end of 2012 from teaching at Conrad Grebel University College. Previously he served as a hospital and prison chaplain and as a pastor in small Mennonite congregations. He is a frequent speaker in seminar and conference settings. Among his writings are a commentary on Ephesians, a text book on 'Recovering Jesus: the Witness of the New Testament', and most recently a book exploring the way violence intersects with the New Testament, 'Jesus and the Subversion of Violence: Wrestling with the New Testament' (http://www.spckpublishing.co.uk/shop/jesus-and-the-subversion-of-violence/).

* Nigel Biggar is the Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Christchurch College, Oxford
(www.chch.ox.ac.uk/college/profile/academics/nigel-biggar)
He is also the Director of the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Life (www.mcdonaldcentre.org.uk), and the author of In Defence of War. Oxford University Press, Sept. 2013 (http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199672615.do)

* Ekklesia is a Christian political think-tank that believes refusing to kill can be a core identity-marker of followers of Jesus in an (often religiously) violent world. We will be following up on this important debate about nonviolence and just war with a discussion area on our website and Facebook group, which can be linked here: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/whowouldjesusshoot Co-director Simon Barrow chaired and facilitated this event. We link fruitfully with all the bodies mentioned below.

* The Anabaptist Network (www.anabaptistnetwork.com) organises conferences on different subjects from time to time in various places. We are also publishing books in the 'After Christendom' series and have arranged a series of webinars featuring current and forthcoming authors (information at www.brethren.org/webcasts). If you'd like to receive information from the Network, we can send you newsletters by email three times a year. Please let us know if you want these. And we welcome any feedback on the debate. Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnabaptistsUK Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/anabaptistnetwork.uk

* The Mennonite Trust furthers understanding and engagement with Mennonite and Anabaptist thinking and action in a UK context. It sponsored the visit to the UK of Tom Yoder Neufeld, and was pleased to support the event 'Who Would Jesus Shoot?' Follow us on Twitter – https://twitter.com/MennoniteTrust

* Greenbelt Festival was pleased to have lent our support to a gathering that so eloquently and imaginatively opened up a space to ask important questions around faith-filled responses to militarism and pacifism in our current war-hungry times. More about us here: http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/

* Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church is an inclusive church in the heart of London, where Ekklesia is now headquartered. We welcome you from whatever walk of life you come. As a community we are made up of individuals from a great variety of backgrounds, lifestyles and countries. We gather in a spirit of friendship and acceptance to worship Jesus. We maintain an openness to different points of view, we search together for a better understanding of life and a deeper awareness of God. We hold that no one has a monopoly on the ‘right’ way and each of us travels by his or her own path. We are committed to our local area in all its diversity, from the homeless and vulnerable to businesses and community groups. We would love to welcome you. Our Sunday gatherings are 11am for a traditional service and ‘informal, multi-voiced church’ starts with food at 5.15pm for the service at 5.45pm.
Please browse our website for other meetings and activities. Website http://www.bloomsbury.org.uk/
Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Bloomcentral
Pray with us through Advent and Lent on Twitter - https://twitter.com/bloomprayer
Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BloomsburyBaptist

* Union Chapel, Highbury and Islington, is today a working church, an award winning venue and a centre for those homeless and in crisis in London. The Rev Karen Stallard is the minister, and she was part of the organising group for Who Would Jesus Shoot?, as well as speaking from the front as part of the plenary discussion. http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/

Although the views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Ekklesia, the article may reflect Ekklesia's values. If you use Ekklesia's news briefings please consider making a donation to sponsor Ekklesia's work here.