Christianity is not some ideal toward which we ought always to strive even though the ideal is out of reach. Christianity is not a series of slogans that sum up our beliefs.
Stanley HauerwasRead
My way of putting it is that Christians are called to live nonviolently not because we believe nonviolence is a strategy to rid the world of war, but in a world of war as faithful followers of Christ, we cannot imagine being anything other than nonviolent.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Christians are called to practice nonviolence as a fundamental aspect of their faith, rather than as a mere strategy.
In this quote, Stanley Hauerwas emphasizes the intrinsic value of nonviolence in the Christian faith. He suggests that true followers of Christ are compelled to embrace nonviolence not simply as a tactical approach to conflict resolution, but as a core principle of their beliefs, particularly in a world rife with violence and war. This perspective challenges individuals to reflect on their moral and ethical responsibilities in the face of global turmoil.
Themes
NonviolenceFaithChristianityPeaceWar
In practice
Example use cases
During a peace rally, one might use this quote to inspire discussions on the importance of nonviolence in faith-based activism.
More from Stanley Hauerwas
All quotes →Advent is patience it's how God has made us a people of promise, in a world of impatience.
Stanley HauerwasRead
War is America's central liturgical act necessary to renew our sense that we are a nation unlike other nations.
Stanley HauerwasRead
To kill, in war or in any circumstance, creates a silence. It is right that silence should surround the taking of life. After all, the life taken is not ours to take.
Stanley HauerwasRead
The most creative social strategy we have to offer is the church. Here we show the world a manner of life the world can never achieve through social coercion or governmental action. We serve the world by showing it something that it is not, namely, a place where God is forming a family out of strangers.
Stanley HauerwasRead
Saints cannot exist without a community, as they require, like all of us, nurturance by a people who, while often unfaithful, preserve the habits necessary to learn the story of God.
Stanley HauerwasRead
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