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Guest author: Alicia Herrick If anywhere needs conflict resolution and reconciliation, it’s the Middle East, right? For many Americans, the region containing Israel and Palestine is the first place that comes to mind when they think about international conflict and the need for peacemaking. Some Americans believe that this area has always been in conflict, since the “beginning of time” (as one family member told me when they learned about my interest in the area) and will continue to be in conflict for perpetuity. I was curious to visit Israel and Palestine for myself and gain a personal perspective on the events taking place there and was delighted when an opportunity arose through the Center for Peacemaking & Conflict Studies at Fresno Pacific University. As a student with CPACS, I would have a chance to travel with a group of FPU professors and students to meet with individuals directly affected by the conflict. I waited with anticipation for this chance to gain a new perspective on this area of the world so fraught with disagreement and violence. Our group traveled throughout Israel and the West Bank for two weeks at the end of May, and during that time we met with representatives from over twenty different organizations, political parties, communities or historical sites who could provide us with insights on their work and the nature of the conflict. As a student and practitioner of Restorative Justice, I was most curious to learn about any reconciliation efforts that were taking place. I, along with several other members of our group, longed to see people from the different sides of the conflict meeting with each other to gain understanding into the mindset of the other. I soon learned, however, that while there were numerous organizations leading talking circles such as these, some believed that it was not the appropriate time for efforts such as these. Here’s a bit of context for those who may be unfamiliar with the current situation there. In 1993, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin met with PLO leader Yasser Arafat and together with Bill Clinton they negotiated the Oslo Accords. This agreement arranged for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to transition into Palestinian control over the following few years. Although the Israeli government has since relinquished the Gaza Strip, they have maintained a significant military presence in the West Bank to this day, which leads many human rights organizations to refer to this region as occupied territory. We took a tour with one such organization, the Israeli Coalition Against Housing Demolition (ICAHD), and the tour leader showed us the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank as well as sites where the Israeli government had overseen the demolition of Palestinian-owned homes. Despite the opposition from the UN and international human rights groups, the current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel will never give up security control over the West Bank due to concerns about terrorist attacks. In the midst of this situation, groups such as the Interfaith Encounter Organization, with whom we also met during our trip, work to bring together Jews, Muslims, and Christians of various ethnicities to have constructive dialogue about topics of interest and about the conflict. They hope that through these conversations, relationships and empathy will build, leading to greater understanding and a greater capacity for peace processes between the various groups in the future. As a Restorative Justice practitioner in my mediation work at VORP/CJC, I was particularly intrigued by this group and others like it. However, in our conversation with Ruth, our tour guide from ICAHD, we learned that many in the activist communities working to end the occupation are opposed to reconciliatory efforts between the two groups. This is because they believe the focus on reconciliation is misplaced; as Ruth put it, “how can we work toward relationship building when the occupation is still taking place? Any such efforts simply normalize the current situation.” Another way that she put this was “co-resist not co-exist;” Israelis and Palestinians should be working side by side to end the occupation and bring justice, instead of reconciling with each other before this justice is achieved. I had to wrestle with this perspective, but after some thought, I began to understand it. After all, how could we talk about peace on an individual level when state-sponsored violence was still occurring on both sides? Alternatively, how can peace ever be approached if there are few significant relationships and little dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians? Many of the people that we met with informed us that there is very little interaction between these two groups, despite them living side by side in a region not much bigger than the state of New Jersey. Many cities are ethnically and religiously homogenous and even in cities that are mixed, such as Jerusalem, there is still much segregation. In the end, I concluded that there is a place for these reconciliation efforts. For peace to be achieved, there must be dedicated individuals and organizations working on all levels whether individual or institutional. But, if they only build relationship without also addressing the experiences of injustice that are taking place, perhaps they are missing a key component in moving the peace process forward. There can be no true reconciliation or peace without justice also.

Alicia Herrick is a graduate student with the Center for Peacemaking & Conflict Studies at Fresno Pacific University, pursuing a Master’s Degree in Peacemaking and Conflict Studies. Originally from Holland, Michigan, Alicia completed her undergraduate studies in International Relations at Hope College and then moved to California shortly after graduation. Through her work at a school in Oakland, California, Alicia began to take an interest in Restorative Justice and a curiosity to discover how this alternative philosophy for conflict management can be used to transform punitive school discipline culture and both US and international legal systems. She moved to Fresno to further develop these interests and to gain an understanding in practical applications of restorative justice through studying with CPACS. She has also taken a position as a mediator working with juvenile offenders at the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program/Community Justice Conferencing. Alicia recently traveled to Israel and Palestine to learn about how restorative justice can be understood in the context of international conflict and peacemaking efforts. In addition to Restorative Justice, Alicia loves to study other languages, to read good books and to try new foods. She hopes to travel to Guatemala this summer to work on improving her Spanish, and she is always looking for suggestions of great novels to read or restaurants to visit in Fresno or nearby.

Pivot Questions

1. What is your favorite word?

I don’t know that I have one.

2. What is your least favorite word?

I feel like the word “cute” is really overused.

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?

I think artists that are able to make theology more relatable through modern metaphors and people talking about theology and restorative justice.

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?

Patriarchal religious language.

5. What is your favorite CPACS word?

Equity.

6. What sound or noise do you love?

The sound of waves.

7. What sound or noise do you hate?

People filing their nails.

8. What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?

Either a hip-hop dancer or a civil engineer (something that's completely in a different direction).

9. What profession would you not like to do?

A vet.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Something that indicates that he recognizes me.  

  Jasmine Shedrick, Youth ministry Hello my name is Jasmine Shedrick. I am a recent graduate at Fresno Pacific University receiving my bachelors degree in Kinesiology. This is my very first missions trip and it has been such a great experience. I have had the opportunity to go out into different townships throughout Cape Town to share the gospel with youth from Kindergarten to High School. I have also had the opportunity of having small groups with young men and young ladies that were around the ages of 13 to 28. Through my experience I have been an encourager to all the the people I have come in contact with but also very informative on what God has for us on earth and what he expects of us while we are here. They have also helped me to realize that even as we struggle, putting God before everything can turn your life around. This is something I knew already but just seeing it in this way has definitely had an impact on me. I value to much on earth when there are so many people who don't have even close to half of what I have and am blessed with daily. I take life for granted and don't give God what he deserves, which is my entire life. Alexandra Green, Youth ministry Hello my name is Alex Green. When I first found out I'd be coming to Africa for a missions opportunity I didn't know what to expect or how to feel. I was excited and nervous that I'd be entering another continent. As I came and experienced this amazing country I fell in love. This country is beautiful and I love it. It was a blessing to be able to come and preach the word through ABI to the youth as part of the youth mentoring team. Being able to save someone and give them the word of God is the best gift you could ask for. Loved every bit of this trip and these amazing people. ABI deserves the world for being able to create these opportunities and help spread the gospel. Sharon Wilson, Women's ministry director Cape Town 2017 was an amazing work of God. The team was one in the spirit in servant hood in biblical sound teaching and the unity was powerful. This team was truly a dream team. God answered many of our prayers. The power that he gave us to teach as one unified the team, and helped to encourage the church in Cape Town. All that we were desiring was beyond our dreams and expectations as the men and women of God were discouraged, full of despair, and had almost given up hope. The students came with the power of the gospel reminding them that God has enough power to change Cape Town, their townships and their community. My heart was so heavy when I heard about the total despair many of the pastors and church members felt when they looked at their community playing with violence, murder, alcoholism and drug addiction. According to their leaders they felt powerless even though they have the gospel, they were so beat down and oppressed by the enemy that they had forgotten the power of the gospel is still enough. We thank God for the vision of Dr. Angulus Wilson to come alongside the church and encourage the men and women of God in desperate times, and the desperate situations that they may be feeling. This year was amazing we know that the work is only beginning. Many requests are coming and many needs are presenting themselves. I believe the gospel is able to fulfill them all, thank you Cape Town team 2017. Aaron Wilson, Youth ministry Throughout the Trip God was working on my heart. Months before the trip I saw myself as the Parodical Son. I was deeply struggling with my faith and everything around me. I was in the world trying to see if it was really what I hoped for. Sadly it lead me down a long and sad path. But because God lead me to Africa where I can teach to young kids about how bad the world is, I quickly came back home and grew in my relationship with God. Without this trip, I wouldn't be growing like I am now with God. This trip was such a blessing. Esmorelda Hernandez, Youth Ministry In the states we become so caught with ourselves and the latest models that we lose track of ourselves and put ourselves in what's called Alienated Labor. The word of God doesn't just bring hope it empowers the human race to strive for righteousness as we try to live by the word of God. I have had the privilege of witnessing Angelus Bible Institute (ABI) , equip the people of South Africa with The Lords armor. Coming into a third world country I was able to see worship has no price, what I mean by this is that we as individuals all have the ability to worship to the Lord with the Soul. The Holy Spirt is our most valuable possession ...yet we take for granted. We as believers of God no matter the religion come into conflict with ourselves when we begin to fall for the temptations of this world. John 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.) My eyes became open to worshiping with my soul when visiting the townships in Cape Town, South Africa. The people there lived in harsh conditions, but lived by faith, as they knew that no matter the situation God would never fail (Psalm 73:26; my flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion.)                                                                                    

One of the best things about travel, to my mind, is the unexpected events, sometimes very small things, that open your eyes and hearts. At the final dinner of the trip we each contributed at least one thing that struck us, maybe something we saw, realized, had never known before, or particularly enjoyed. Since this tour focused on the Reformation, naturally many had insights into Luther, Calvin, and Mennonite experience, but that’s not all. Here are a few of them. From Darlene, “when you order something to eat you have to be very careful. You might end up with mustard eggs in a bowl of potatoes.” We all tried the local foods. She added that she was struck by how the sun struck the coffin like shapes at the memorial in Berlin to the Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust. Janet noted that we walked the distance from Hanford to Fresno, but that may have been an understatement. And she added that she wondered whether she “would have been strong enough” to remain faithful under persecution like the Mennonite martyrs. Others affimed that they had the same thoughts. Anne was reminded of God’s faithfulness, and was grateful for how some of her family in The Netherlands where she was born traveled several hours by bus to spend most of a day with her. What a treat! Dick was struck by Corrie Ten Boom’s house, having stood in the very small “hiding place” and felt what it might have been like. He also appreciated the passion of the house guide for whom her work at the house was her ministry. For Terry, the Bonhoeffer house was especially meaningful, along with the “Wittenberg Door,” the experience of Gothic cathedrals and churches, the special Bach concert, and how to (and not to) eat fondue (which apparently our group failed to do correctly). Martin was struck by the burial monuments in churches and Buchenwald concentration camp. Martin spoke for many of us who were silenced by that experience. Pam sent a text to me just after we had been to Buchenwald with a picture of red wild flowers that said “These reddish orange flowers lined the road leaving the concentration camp. Bonhoeffer and many others lost there freedom within. Genesis 4:10 “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” We must never forget them.” Brian noticed the difference between East Germany which he visited 35+ years ago and now. Then, he says, "it was a gray dingy place" and "now you have to search out the location where the [Berlin] wall had been." He also mentioned the drive on the Autobahn with Johann at somewhere upwards of 130 miles per hour! (It wasn't the record for our group--140+--but memorable for us from the US.) Teri had the insight that our faith is so easy for us. We can do, and say, and believe whatever we want, and it doesn’t cost of anything. We are in danger of living by what Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace,” rather than the costly grace offered by Christ and experienced by many before us. Jon noted that as a teacher of Reformation history, the geek in him came out at times, and he was reminded of the importance of intellectual honesty in treating all of the Reformation traditions fully. As someone from a conservative churchly tradition, to be in Lutheran and Reformed settings, and with Lutheran, Reformed and Catholic Christians was a new and good experience. Ben enjoyed making a print of a page from the Bible on a replica of a sixteenth century printing press. It was not a quick as using a copier today, but much quicker than hours it had taken to hand copy a page from a manuscript before the printing press. Dave realized the magnitude of what had happen in the Reformation and enjoyed worshiping at a Reformed service, in French, in Deventer. Sandra thought of walking in the footsteps of the reformers and the sacrifice they made. Beth noted that the daily meals together were always something special. We had local and traditional meals, recounted the day, and planned for the next. She was right! Here is our last evening meal. Jennifer was struck by the symbolism in the needlework in Corrie Ten Boom’s house, and read a poem that we heard there. And me? If you’ve read through some of the other posts of our trip, you have heard quite enough from me. I was in “history heaven.” Much of what we experienced will end up in my courses, whether on Reformation topics or the Soviet Experience, of Holocaust. I also want to say a word of thanks to the group that arranged for all of our travel, Reformation Tours, and especially Rowen Drinkhouse, who had worked with me since last September to get it all put together. A tour like this relies on the expertise of many. Our expert guide, Gunther who hails from Munich, enlightened us not only on the places and events of the reformation, but on the history and contemporary scene in Europe including the twentieth century events—WWI, WWII, and the period of the Cold War, as well as current economic and immigration crises. He took great care of us and even spent evenings with us sitting on city squares enjoying the company and the evening in good European style.  Gunther and Flo with Terry and Jennifer: Our guide through The Netherlands and the Emmental in Switzerland, Ayold, who has been mentioned before took special care to explain the difficulties of the Anabaptist movement, and its faithful heroism. And our driver, Flo, took us places in a tour bus that I would not have taken my car. It was an experience.

The last three days of the tour of the Reformation have been back in the country of the Reformed and Mennonites, just as when we started, but this time in Switzerland. As we have moved from Reformation city to Reformation city I have realized how great the distances are when you are traveling by foot or horse, and not by a bus on the autobahn. Each reforming city turned large, tall cathedrals into Protestant churches, developed new church institutions like lay elders and deacons, and the cities took over the role of making law for religious observance in cooperation or antagonism with church leaders. We walked through these cities each with its own inheritance and genius. This is the Zurich Grossemunster. The Swiss Brethren, eventually to become Mennonites, developed self-governing congregations, deeply committed to being holy communities which involved a kind of internal legislation regarding behavior and the relationship of the congregation (perhaps not yet a church) to the world. First we stopped at Zurich the city of Ulrich Zwingli, the militant pastor and theologian, who opposed Luther on a number of doctrines. Between the two of them they helped keep the newly formed churches divided. But Zwingli’s successor, Heinrich Bullinger, was a wise and moderate pastor, the author of the famous “Second Helvetic Confession,” a confession which discusses the reasons for the shape of the new faith. He also was famous for a number or series of sermons which were influential in England. Zurich was also the city of one of the beginnings of the Anabaptist reformation. Our tour guide from The Netherlands, Ayold Fanoy, rejoined us to take us through Zurich, Bern, and the Emmental, a beautiful rural region of Anabaptist congregations and persecutions.  Here is Ayold with Teri and me. Conrad Grebel, a follower of Zwingli, broke with him over the question of adult baptism. He performed the first rebaptism in Zurich, and was imprisoned as a result. Some of his followers were executed. We saw his home, which happened to be the same building Vladimir Lenin used as a reading room in the early 20th century. The city leaders of Zurich might have seen this as a consistent development of radicalism, most Mennonites, I think, would not. We also stopped for a few moments at the memorial a couple hundred yards from the main church, right in the center of the city, where Felix Manz, one of the Grebel group, was executed by drowning in the Limmat river for his Anabaptist faith. We stopped at the city of with the oldest existing Mennonite Church, and at Trachselwald Castle to see where Anabaptist martyrs were held. We recited a long and famous Mennonite poem and hymn for Hans Haslibacher (from Hasle, and whose descendants still live on the farm where he lived) one of those held in Trachselwald, and executed in Bern on the Main Street just up from the Town Hall where his trial was heard. (The round pie plate with the face drawn on it represents Brian, who had to return  home early.  We did not want him to miss out.) Finally we spent a day and a half in Geneva, enjoying Fondue, seeing Calvin’s famous chair, and the church in which he preached and taught, St. Pierre’s. The memorial to the “Reformed” or Calvinist tradition of the Reformation at the base of the hill beneath the old city is a testimony to an international tradition, facing into France which was the center of Calvin’s concerns. He like many others was a refugee from persecution in France. The memorial pays tribute to Reformed developments in The Netherlands, Scotland, Hungary, England, and New England. The Museum of the Reformation in Geneva brings the story of Reformed Protestantism up to the 21st century. It was a fitting end to our journey. (In honor of the stern faces on the statutes of the reformers, we posed like them.) I almost forgot--along the way from Zurich to Bern, we stopped at the Kambly Cookie Factory in Trubschachen, which features free, all-you-can eat cookies. Perhaps a necessary break from our experience of the Mennonite martyrs.

We have been in two “Reformed” centers, two very, very, very beautiful cities, having left the Luther Towns of Germany. First we were in Heidelberg on the Neckar river, the old town wedged in a narrow valley. This is the city of the famous Heidelberg Catechism, which begins by asking and answering, “What is your only comfort?” “That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful savior Jesus Christ?” Did I say beautiful. Here is an evening view of the castle. And then a view from our hotel down to the city. I could not help but add a picture of the Student Jail. FPU doesn’t have one… Next we were in Strasbourg, another Reformed city, and one beloved by many. FPU has a Strasbourg quad for good reason. Strasbourg was lead by Martin Bucer, who spent his career as a reformer attempting to bring the newly forming church groups and society's back together. He tried to bring Luther and Zwingli together (but neither was willing to budge). He taught Calvin how to moderate himself and his reforming agenda. He convinced the leaders of the city of Strasbourg to allow Anabaptists safe haven from persecution elsewhere. And he worked with Catholics to produce a statement on justification that would accommodate the understandings of both Protestants and Catholics. We could use more Bucers in our churches. While there were persecutions in the Strasbourg—the Tower shown below is where some Anabaptists, like Melchior Hoffman was held—the city was known as one that brought many contending groups together for a generation. Strasbourg is still such a city. Our hotel was not far from the European Parliament buildings, and the European court of Human Rights. We have had an inspiring trip. And like Heidelberg, Strasbourg is beautiful. Here is its magnificent cathedral, and our group in the old city. We have walked many miles together, and discussed European society, Storks (!) which are prevalent in Strasbourg and the larger Alsace region, the various movements of the Reformation, the teachings of the reformers, and we have gotten to know each other and made new friendships forged in common understandings and experience. Our skilled guide, Gunther has had a wealth of information to share. Still a few more days to go in Switzerland.

Wittenberg, Erfurt, Eisenach, and Worms, these are the Luther towns we have visited. Erfurt was the town of the university he attended. He lived in Eisenach to attend the Latin school, and sang as a choir boy to earn money. At Worms he was examined before the emperor, Charles V, in 1521 and said the words (or maybe didn’t—they are in the first-hand accounts) that have become so associated with him as a the voice of conscience against unjust authority: “Here I stand, I can do no other.” You see signs for the 500th Anniversary all over this part of Germany. But in Halle where we spent an evening, and in Eisenach, we saw signs with Luther’s words, quotes from him. His off-hand comments, were printed in his Table Talk. He was a genius with language, if sometimes harsh and off-color. His was a big personality and it came through what he said. I asked the group for their favorite Luther quotes. Here are a good handful of them, in living color… (We are quoting from memory. So there may be a bit of paraphrase.) From, Dave, who is a choir director, “Why should the devil have all the good tunes?” “No one can live in this world without sin.” Luther reminds us that God asks not for good works, but to respond to his grace with faith. Sin is in us, a part of us. Trying to please God by asking for his favor because of our works is not faith, but leads us away from faith. He also said “Sin boldly, but repent mor boldly still.” And he said, “God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does.” The Protestant reformation brought a new emphasis to marriage and the family, “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” “The fewer the words the better the prayer.” And “to be a Christian without prayer is not more possible than to be alive without breathing.” There are a number of quotes about beer. “Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep. Whoever sleeps long, does not sin. Whoever does not sin, enters Heaven. Thus let us drink beer.” He also said other things about beer. For instance, it caused all kinds of problems in the Germany of his day. Not much different than today. “I have held many things in my hand, and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, I still posses.” And he said something that has become a part of the larger Protestant world, “We need to hear the Gospel every day, because we forget it every day.” Luther wasn’t the only famous person in Eisenach. It was also the town of Bach. We had an added treat of a private concert at the Bach museum, on eighteenth century instruments. Organ music and hymns are present everywhere in Luther towns. You can see the statue of Bach behind us if you look closely.  And with the umbrella is Johann Mathies, director of Mennonite Brethren Missions in Europe and Asia, who joined us for a day and add to our trip with stories of the church today and in the past.

The last two days for our tour have been overwhelming. As I write this, we are taking a brief break before dinner in our hotel in Halle, a Renaissance city which we will see this evening, the city of the composer Handel. Yesterday we spent in Berlin, a city still rebuilding after the fall of the Soviet Union and East Germany, and trying to find a way out of its Nazi and WWII history. We visited Berlin Wall sites, checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, as well as the Holocaust memorial to the six million Jews murdered during the wars. You can’t get away from the 20th century history—all still very much with us. Part of that history was the resistance of the church in Germany. We visited the Bonhoefferhaus, the family home of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and received both instruction in Bonhoeffer’s theology and his participation in the plot to assassinate Hitler. The decisions that people faced, the brutality of the time and of the Nazi regime, the loss of life and the destruction of the ware, and the courage of some like Bonhoeffer, those who plotted against Hitler, and those who sheltered and helped Jews escape were difficult to fathom.     Today we were in Wittenberg, a very different city. We visited the Lutherhaus, the monastery turned home and student residence of Martin Luther and his wife Katie von Bora and their family. The city has been refurbished over the last five or ten years—it is beautiful right now—for the 500th Anniversary. We walked the near mile along the university center, past and into the Melanchthon House (Philip Melanchthon--a very different person than Luther, though his closest collaborator), to the Cranach House (two for them) who illustrated Luther’s writings, to the Castle Church and the famous “Wittenberg Doors.” Luther was a larger than life figure, even in his own day, prone to excess in speaking and acting, and to extravagant insights as a theologian and politician. Luther’s presence is evident throughout this part of the former East Germany. Wittenberg is now called Luther-Stadt Wittenberg, and many other places are “Luther towns” as well. We saw 16th century books, drawings, and paintings. We walked where he and others walked, studied, taught, and defied princes and bishops. It will take some time to absorb.