Date of Award

3-1970

Degree Type

Master's Essay - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Theology

Abstract

The statement that the Church should by definition be a nonviolent institution would probably be unchallenged in contemporary society. However, a clarification of both terms of the statement is necessary. The "church" has numerous connotations: the church can mean a denominational organization, it can mean the hierarchical structure of such an organization, or it can mean a fellowship of all followers of Christ. In like manner non-violence can mean a political technique of an organized group to achieve an isolated political goal, it can mean a united stance, it can be equated with a refusal to kill or go to war, or it can be used as a description of total way of life which determines an individual's day to day human contacts as well as his political, social, economic activities . A separate argument for the church and non-violence could be offered using each of the above definitions . However, in this paper the "Church" will be used to mean the vague and intangible fellowship shared by all those who are professed followers of Jesus Christ. Non-violence will be used to mean a way of life based on mutual respect and love for every human being, a respect and love which deny power and coercion as a lawful means to achieve justice. Therefore, the opening statement could be rewritten as follows: Those who openly profess to be followers of Jesus Christ by definition profess to follow him in a non-violent way of life which denies power and coercion as a lawful means to achieve justice.

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