Skip to main content
search
0
Tag

blessed are the peacemakers

What Does It Mean To Be A Peacemaker?

By 2015 Festival, Goose News

John Dear QuoteIf you haven’t heard already, this year’s theme for Wild Goose is Blessed Are The Peacemakers. And, for one of our keynote speakers, that’s more than just a theory.

John Dear is a Catholic priest who has been arrested over 70 times in acts of civil disobedience against war. He spent eight months in prison for a Plowshares disarmament action and has been nominated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu for the Nobel Peace Prize.

This will be John’s fourth time at the festival; he’s only missed one festival on the east coast.
He loves meeting all the wonderful people that attend, says John. “Going gives me hope.”

This year, he is scheduled to be the morning keynote speaker. “I will reflect on Jesus as a peacemaker and the calling of any Christian to be a peacemaker,” he says.

For John, peacemaking is more than a good idea: it’s all encompassing. “We must make peace with ourselves,” he says, “and everyone we know, all creatures, the whole world. And we must join the global grassroots movement of nonviolence.”

Making peace is at the core of what it means to follow Jesus.

John Dear“It’s not enough to just sit back, say your prayers and complain,” he says. “You have to get involved in the struggle to end war, poverty, nuclear weapons, and environmental destruction and put Gospel nonviolence into action.”

It’s a challenging message, but a challenge John believes Wild Goose, on its fifth anniversary, is ready to meet.

“If American Christians are going to become mature, they must become universal. That’s how peace begins,” says John. “We must move into Saint Paul’s vision of citizens of the Kingdom of God.”

“I expect people at Wild Goose Festival to not just listen, but prepare to go home after the festival and take action. To start working to change the church. We must actively work to create peace, otherwise the church may as well close up shop.”

Are you ready to start making peace?

 

Blessed are the Peacemakers

By 2015 Contributor

We are happy to announce the 2015 Wild Goose Festival Theme: Blessed are the Peacemakers.

From Ferguson to Pakistan, 2014 was a year full of angst and strife around the world and in our communities. When we gather this summer we want to reaffirm our place in the world as people of peace. As we plan Wild Goose for 2015 we are hoping to present a variety of speakers and offerings that will encourage and support us in our vocation as peacemakers.

While we’re still going to cover a wide range of topics at the Wild Goose, the focus of our being together will be on bringing peace to the world. In addition to the inspiring speakers, music and art Wild Goose is known for, we are excited to tell you that we are also going to incorporate more worship experiences this year.

With this theme announcement, we are opening the submission process for volunteer contributors. If you are interested in submitting an idea for a worship experience, talk, performance or art exhibit at the 2015 festival, please fill out our Contributor Submission Form by Saturday, February 28th.

blessed are the peacemakers wild goose festival

Close Menu