Over at the Emerging Scholars Blog, Tom Grosh (a friend of the search for piety and obedience) has been sharing the results of his research into Elizabethtown College’s peace-making traditions.
Here’s a taste of his most recent post, “Peacemaking Falls in the Face of Military Conflict“:
. . . although the Church of the Brethren maintained a strong peacemaking stance throughout the 20th century, a number of Elizabethtown College students were supportive of and drawn into military conflicts. Why? The broadening of the religious background of community members (i.e., students, faculty, administration) and the lack of peacemaking as an ideal permeated the campus culture as the institution matured.
Tom’s post leads me to think about peacemaking activities on the campuses of Messiah College and Upland (formerly Beulah) College, two schools started by the Brethren in Christ. Certainly the first and second World Wars, as well as the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, sparked some activity (and perhaps even controversy) on the campuses of these peace church-run schools.
Readers: What are your personal stories and recollections about peacemaking at Brethren in Christ colleges? Share them in the Comments section!