THE ETHICS OF PEACEMAKING: THE GENESIS OF CALLED TOGETHER TO BE PEACEMAKERS—REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MENNONITE-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE (2004)

Introduction A. A Latecomer I came to International Mennonite-Catholic Dialogue one born out of time. The dialogue had already been underway for two years when l was asked in 2000 to present a paper to dialogue members assembled near Karlsruhe, Germany, on topic What Is a Peace Church? l was then named as a consultant, not an official member, of Catholic team. In fact, I functioned as a full member, working even on drafting team of final report and serving as expert for both sides in 2007 meeting on World Council of Churches' Decade to Overcome Violence. I note my status simply to indicate that I do not have experience of those who participated in dialogue for full five years, nor do I have overview of process possessed by team leaders on both sides: Larry Miller, general secretary of Mennonite World Conference, and Msgr. John Radano, formerly chief of Western department of Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. They both are certainly more knowledgeable of dynamics of relationship between two communities and particularly of evolution of overall Mennonite-Catholic relationship, including behind-thescenes difficulties and decisions that affected final outcome. B. The Place of Ethics In addition, i bring to interpretation of our work perspective of an ethicist, who in his career has only accidentally been an ecumenist. I am not especially versed in ecumenical theology and documentary heritage of many dialogues. Most of my ecumenical work has been done with ecumenical collaborations on social- and international-policy matters, such as National Religious Partnership for Environment and Churches for Middle East Peace, rather than in conversation. As a result, ! have an incomplete view of dialogue. (1) In categories of field, I have participated more in the dialogue of action and the dialogue of life than in formal theological exchange or the dialogue of religious experience. (2) Nevertheless, peacemaking was a key component in Mennonite-Catholic Dialogue, as indicated by title of quinquennial report, Called Together to Be Peacemakers (3) (C.T.B.P.), a title not without its critics, precisely because of ethical tilt it appears to give whole document, obscuring much else of importance. The Mennonite commitment to peacemaking, however, was very much at center of Holy See's special hope for this dialogue and of growing interest of many Catholics, then and now, in Mennonite tradition as witnessed by Bridgefolk movement in United States and Canada. (4) So, as an ethicist, especially as one who had taught alongside John Howard Yoder, leading Mennonite theologian of last half of twentieth century, and as one who had staffed United States Catholic Conference positions on war and peace for a decade-and-a-half, I did hold some special qualifications for my involvement. (5) Also, Catholic teaching on war, peace, and nonviolence has been a specialty of mine. In years that I worked for United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (U.S.C.C.B.), 1991-2004, Catholic social teaching underwent an epochal shift in place nonviolence played in Church's teaching on conflict. (6) In addition, while historical section has great salience for Mennonites, and other sections are of interest to both sides, in action-oriented North American context, where issues of war and peace are contested both within and outside churches, issues of pacifism, nonviolence, and just war are of intense interest for members of both denominations. This is especially true at a time when ethics of character and virtue has increased popularity and theologians acknowledge co-penetration of ethics and spirituality. (7) Peacemaking also points to distinctiveness of this dialogue, namely, though there is extensive historical and doctrinal content to report, dialogue had not just an ethical but also a practical, pastoral turn somewhat rare in official dialogues in which Holy See has engaged. …

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