Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace Fr. John Dear is offering a three-week class on Wednesday afternoons on his new book, The Gospel of Peace: A Commentary on Matthew, Mark, and Luke from the Perspective of Nonviolence, for those who would like to go a bit deeper into this work.
During these three sessions, held over Zoom, participants will explore Jesus’ practice and teachings on nonviolence in each of the synoptic Gospels.
- The first session, held on Wednesday, February 21, will start with the Gospel of Matthew, and will focus on the Sermon on the Mount as the centerpiece of the text, as Jesus’ basic campaign platform of visionary nonviolence. Everything in the rest of the Gospel will need to be understood within the framework of Matthew 5-7.
- On Wednesday February 28, the class will focus to Mark, who describes Jesus in non-stop, public, nonviolent resistance to every form of systemic injustice, violence, and empire.
- On Wednesday March 6, the final class will conclude with Luke, who shows Jesus proclaiming his nonviolent revolution in the synagogue at Nazareth, then launching a grassroots movement of nonviolence from Galilee to Jerusalem by sending 72 disciples in pairs ahead of him “as lambs into the midst of wolves,” to proclaim the coming of God’s reign of peace here on earth now.
Each session will start at 4 pm Pacific/5 pm Mountain/6 pm Central/7 pm Eastern time.
To register for this and other upcoming Zoom sessions, visit www.beatitudescenter.org. The three classes are $75.00 total; scholarships are available. Please contact the Beatitudes Center for information.
Registrants will be sent a zoom link for the event on the Wednesday before the event, so be on the lookout, and a recording link afterwards. If you have questions, email Kassandra at beatitudescentermb@gmail.com.