Medieval and Modern NV Christian Sects; the Society of Friends (Quakers) I

by

Contents

00:00—04:05
04:06—08:16
08:17—09:09
09:10—11:14
11:15—16:27
16:28—17:32
17:33—19:47
19:48—29:45
29:46—32:16
32:17—36:07
36:08—37:16
37:17—38:05
38:06—41:52
41:53—46:37
46:38—49:45
49:46—53:35
53:36—55:09
55:10—1:03:08
1:03:09—1:08:23
1:08:24—1:08:25
1:08:26—end



 Introduction, resources on the Jesus of history, institutions of violence: scapegoating, the state, war
Clarification about non-embarassment, Gandhi story about humiliation (slap story), no fresh issue
Midterm review: knowing the details (strategies, outcomes) of the events of Gandhi’s mvt. 
Clarifications: Gandhi inherited his nonviolence from Indian spirituality, not from the West; ashrams
Clarifications: Afrikaaners are not “British,” Phalam and Detachment, function of ashrams, retribution
Clarifications: rhythm and escalation of nonviolence episodes in Gandhi’s life
Two things happen in a nonviolent climax: shock from the nv response creates a moment of openness
Islam and its relationship to peace, war, and nonviolence—excerpts from the Koran and Hadith
Story about Muhammed and the idea of “helping an oppressor by preventing him from oppressing you.”
Frog and Toad story about egotism, comparison to a nonviolence episode in Islam, Paris and the Huns
Nonviolent people power uprising in 1948 in Iraq against the British
First Intifada was a secular movement coordinated by people who had studied with Gene Sharp
Problem of (nv) religion being co-opted by the (violent) state, Dan Ellsburg story, positive approach
Absence of atheism in the ancient world, Peter Brock and pacifism, selective pacifism (and the Gita)
Retraction and clarification about how Paul represented Jesus, Jesus’s Kingdom Movement
Early Christians and their nonviolence, statements from early church, positive commitment to nv
Article 9 of the Japanese constitution outlaws foreign wars, but does not offer an alternative
Scapegoating in the Roman Empire: gladitorial games and unanimous violence
Nonviolence story: the outlawing of the gladitorial games (Telemachus)
Martyrdom: nonviolent, or not? Is martyring oneself the same as being a willing scapegoat?
Maximilianus: Christian pacifist in North Africa, story of Constantine and the co-option of Christianity

Readings

Lynd and Lynd, Nonviolence in America 1-5, 8, 10, 15a, 16, 25

Additional Resources

Vermes, Geza. Jesus the Jew: A Historian’s Reading of the Gospels, 1973
Pagels, Elaine, The Gnostic Gospels. Random House, 1979.
Ehrman, Bart D. The Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew 2003
Abu-Nimer, Mohammed. Nonviolence and Peacebuilding in Islam, 5-25 (recommended)