Quakers plan book on Gaza and Ukraine
‘Friends might have very different perspectives, but we all share that war is against the will of God.'
A group of Northern Friends Peace Board (NFPB) members are compiling a book of reflections on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Till Geiger, from Disley Meeting, who will edit the publication, told the Friend that the idea came when NFPB created a Ukraine Working Party after the war started. ‘In quite lengthy discussions we discovered we had a lot of disagreements about how it had come about, with some people attributing guilt towards the west, and others focusing on the Russian invasion. We thought if we disagree, we should open up a space to talk. That was a year ago and resulted in four pieces of prepared ministry from radically different perspectives.’
The aim of the book is for Friends to have their ‘mixed emotions affirmed’, and asking questions such as: ‘What does the Peace Testimony mean in this situation?’
‘Friends might have very different perspectives,’ said Till Geiger, ‘but we all share that war is against the will of God, and we need to make our voices heard that it is never the answer – even if we admit there is very little we can do to radically alter the situation.’
The group has already received submissions, with a final deadline of the end of April – although ideas are welcome as soon as possible. ‘We are seeking articles of between 300 words and 1,500 words but we might be prepared to accept longer contributions,’ said Till, adding it would be good to hear from European Friends.
The booklet is planned to be ready in time for Yearly Meeting Gathering in July, supported by a Special Interest Group. Contributions can be sent to: nfpb@gn.apc.org.
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