Shalom

I have been studying the Mennonite approach to peace-making for a little while now, and right now I am reading "Covenant of Peace, the Missing Peace in New Testament Theology" by Willard M. Swartley, who is one of the Mennonites' most important theologians. While I disagree with him on a few things, most notably his theological point of view of homosexuality, he is a "must-read" for people interested in peace and non-violence.

In the beginning of his chapter on the Hebrew word "shalom" he refers to that word as "iridescent" which I just love. He goes on to say, what other scholars have said, that "shalom" has many meanings, but that "well-being, wholeness, [and] completeness" are at the core of its meaning. He goes on to say that the word "ranges over several spheres and can refer in different contexts to bounteous physical conditions, to a moral value, and, ultimately, to a cosmic principle and divine attribute."

I read that chapter sometime last week and have been thinking about it ever since, especially as Election Day approaches. Here in New York State we have local elections today in which people are running for town and county levels offices. There are also a number of state wide ballot questions - some of which have considerable moral import.

But what I want to talk about is shalom in the context of local elections. Many people sometimes think about "peace" as an absence of violence. And that is, in fact, a necessary aspect of having a condition of peace. But peace is much more than an absence of violence. It is having a condition, in a particular location, in which all people share in well-being, wholeness and completeness, to borrow from Swartley. That requires a great deal more than people simply not shooting at each other.

So, what is this condition of well-being. First, that each person have adequate food, clothing, shelter. That each person have adequate health care, access to education, employment. A good question to ask as you prepare to vote might be, "does candidate x have the well-being of all my neighbors at heart, and how about candidate y?"

The first line of opportunity to build peace, that is, to have a condition of shalom, is at the local level. There is a great deal that needs to be done on the national and international fronts as well, but beginning with the local is always the most effective way to build a peaceful community. A community that is iridescent with the colors of shalom.

So, local elections matter. They matter because we get to vote for people who, hopefully, want to put the Scriptural value of shalom into action, without promoting a particular religion, but by promoting non-violence within the community, by promoting care for the poor, the neglected, the young, the elderly, the environment.

So, today, let us pray for all those running for office. And let us pray for those we elect that in their hearts, in their minds, and in their actions, the Scriptural values of shalom will be present and will grow. Let us pray that these women and men understand that their actions, their votes, their way of leading, can build peace or can further destroy it.

Peace be upon you.