We equip, support, & amplify the work of the Christian peacebuilding movement.
We envision God’s holistic peace and peacebuilding mission at the center of Church culture and defining the ways that we train, disciple, teach, pray, work, and partner for the just peace and flourishing wholeness of our world.
Conflict is not merely a challenge for a few of us; the culture of the church is steeped in unhealthy approaches to interpersonal and social conflict. Whether avoiding conflict and ignoring dissent, or “winning” through exclusion and aggression, our dominant culture and theology lead us to perpetuate harm even when we intend good. Following Jesus as participants in God’s shalom-building mission requires that we as individuals and faith communities choose to reimagine the culture of our faith communities and to be equipped for the sacred, healing work of peacebuilding.
Christian Peacebuilding Network (CPN) members believe that God’s very mission is to establish positive, just peace - the biblical concept of shalom in Hebrew or eirene in Greek. If God’s mission is to build holistic just peace, then the Church must reimagine discipleship so that Christians are trained to follow Jesus in the messy and complex work of peacebuilding. The Church must be equipped and mobilized with peace-oriented theology and skills in order both to help those in our communities experience God’s love, healing, and justice and to join Jesus in the sacred, healing work of peacebuilding in our communities and world.
The work of peacebuilding is both broad and complex, personal and communal, and as such, the challenge to reshape the Church to join in God’s mission is larger than any individual leader or organization. CPN exists to cultivate a network of relationships so that peacebuilding leaders, organizations, and everyday peacebuilders can coordinate more effectively in our work to equip and mobilize the Church for peacebuilding.