From Suffering to Solidarity: The Historical Seeds of Mennonite Interreligious, Interethnic, and International Peacebuilding - Softcover

Andrew P. Klager is on faculty at the Centre for Mennonite Studies, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, and is an adjunct professor at the Anabaptist-Mennonite Centre for Faith and Learning, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia. He holds a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Glasgow, focusing on sixteenth-century Anabaptist history, and is the author of several articles and book chapters on Anabaptist origins, history of Christianity, Mennonites and peace and conflict studies, and interreligious peacebuilding between Muslims and Christians.

''Oppression, injustice, suffering, violence are everywhere. So are rays of hope that these plagues may be alleviated, even some day brought to an end. Among those who have been in the forefront of nourishing these hopes throughout our sad world, are the Mennonites. In my own much too limited experience in trying to confront these tragedies, I have repeatedly found that Mennonite activists and missions are there on the ground, living and working in solidarity with the victims, supporting and protecting them, showing by their own lives and activism the power of nonviolence, empathy, dedication, moral integrity. Their work is an inspiring demonstration of what we can achieve if we can find the strength and the courage to commit ourselves to the kinds of efforts that the Mennonites have shown to us in such an exemplary way. Andrew Klager's fine collection on the Mennonite way of proceeding 'from suffering to solidarity' provides a most enlightening and instructive guide to these impressive contributions, and what we can learn from them.''
--Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor & Professor of Linguistics (Emeritus)
Linguistic Theory, Syntax, Semantics, Philosophy of Language, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

''This unique, compelling, and richly textured volume derives its vitality from a powerful question: How has the Mennonite historical context shaped contemporary Mennonite peace work? Together, Klager and his varied team of contributors trace the arc of the Mennonite story from shared suffering to empathetic solidarity with others, and offer inspiring examples of how a particular experience of oppression and violence can be transformed through conviction, love of enemies, a spirited work ethic, and moral as well as narrative imagination. The result is a nuanced appreciation of Mennonite peacebuilding at its best, and in its many different forms. Highly recommended.''
--Nathan Funk, Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo

''While Mennonites--one of the historic peace churches--have wrestled with processing painful collective memories, they are on a journey of pursuing peace with justice as they engage those suffering around them. From Suffering to Solidarity traces many steps and stories of peacemaking in this tradition. The interdisciplinary collection of articles is written by a diverse group of North American Mennonite scholars, reflecting experiences and strategies from different contexts globally. Practitioners, laity, students and specialists in peace-theology and -ethics will find inspiring gems of just peacemaking efforts throughout this collection. The repeated hearkening back to historic origins and development provides a critical resource, not only for Mennonite self-reflection and identity formation today. It is a most welcome contribution to the ongoing ecumenical 'Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace' of the World Council of Churches, a gift from the tradition of peace churches.''
--Fernando Enns, Professor of Peace Theology and Ethics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Director of the Institute of Peace Church Theology, University of Hamburg --Wipf and Stock Publishers