![]() ![]() Its effectiveness served as inspiration to Martin Luther King Jr., James Lawson, Mary and Charles Beard, James Bevel, Thich Nhat Hanh, and many others in the civil rights movement. Mahatma Gandhi propounded the practice of steadfast nonviolent opposition which he called " satyagraha", instrumental in its role in the Indian Independence Movement. In modern times, interest was revived by Leo Tolstoy in his late works, particularly in The Kingdom of God Is Within You. While modern connotations are recent, having been explicated since the 19th century, ancient references abound. A related term is ahimsa (to do no harm), which is a core philosophy in Indian Religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The word pacifism was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Wars in which one side is more evil than the other, such as the American Civil War and World War II, create special dilemmas.”World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, 2011 ![]() Each Friend must discern for themselves their relationship to the ethics of pacifism.Īs Carl Abbott wrote in Quakers, A Quick Guide: “Choices about whether and how to participate in the military are individual decisions. However, Quakers are not united on this issue, and there are no easy answers to be found. True pacifism is not inaction it is non-violent resistance to injustice. Some Friends have even called for decolonizing the peace testimony. This is a common topic of reflection for Quakers today. It’s worth remembering that there have been moments in Quaker history in which the peace testimony has been used to uphold the white supremacist status quo or excuse Quaker inaction. Reflection and Discernment is Important-We haven’t Always Gotten it Right ![]() These resistors remind us that violence is not the only possible response to violence. Those in Ukraine are confronting the Russian invasion in every nonviolent, creative way imaginable. Non-violent resistors in Ukraine, Russia, and around the world are not passive. Each resistance makes every tiny goal of the invaders a hard battle.” “Each act of noncooperation proves them wrong. “Militaries assume that because they have guns, they can get their way with unarmed civilians.” Hunter wrote. Their work is often overlooked in the media and-significantly in this case-by Russian invaders who have been quick to discount such efforts. According to Hunter, part of the power of unarmed resisters is found in their invisibility. A recent article by Daniel Hunter in Waging Nonviolence: People Powered News & Analysis highlights the importance of unarmed resistance. Peace is not only a moral stance it can also be a practical solution. Instead, Friends seek ways to engage and fight injustice without killing another human being. In the case of Ukraine, opposing war in such a time does not mean staying neutral, allowing injustice to go unchallenged, or doing nothing. While Quakers can all agree that war is not the answer and that nonviolent solutions to conflict are ideal, some moments test our values. From George Fox onward, they have directly challenged authority, laws, and customs they disagreed with through non-violent tactics. Instead, Quakers resist with nonviolent tools rather than outward weapons. This doesn’t mean that Quakers are passive in situations of injustice. Since the 1660s, when English Quakers decided to abstain from wars, Quakers have used non-violence as a powerful tool for seeking peaceful solutions to conflict. Pacifist but Not Passive in the Face of Injustice Watching the horrors of the war unfold has led many Quakers to reflect on what it means to be a pacifist and, for some, to question whether Quakers should be pacifist at all. ![]() Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many Friends have struggled to make sense of their pacifism and the morality of their non-violent stance. Each time a new conflict erupts, questions arise for many of us: Are our values moral? Can any war be considered just? Peace and pacifism are central tenets of Quaker faith and practice. ![]()
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