Faith and Practice
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Part I: Friends History, Belief, and Practice
Chapter 3—Faith in Action
F. Peace and Nonviolence
The teachings of Jesus, the whole spirit of His gospel, and the provisions of His grace call men and women to live at with one another. Life is sacred; therefore, war and violence are not consistent with the practice of Christian holiness to which believers are called by Christ. Members are encouraged to find nonviolent methods for achieving civil justice and the reparation of wrongs. (See the Richmond Declaration of Faith, Section N: Peace) An alternative to military service is to use the provision of the Selective Service Act in order to perform alternative civilian services.
Jesus taught that we should love one another. He consistently modeled loving actions. Jesus came to serve and to save. He challenges us to do the same.
Violence can take the form of physical or verbal abuse, intimidation, and manipulation. In the home, in our schools and neighborhoods, with family, friends, or strangers, we each choose how we relate and respond to one another. Even in those situations where we believe we are being wronged, Jesus calls us to respond with nonviolent, prayerful methods. must start in the home.
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