On the Second Sunday of Advent, Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Christmas by reflecting on the peace that the coming of Christ was prophesied to usher in. Christ promised his followers, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, nor let them be afraid” (John 14:27, ESV). One of Christ’s many titles, including those gloriously sung at this time of year in Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus, is the “Prince of Peace.”
Yet peace remains elusive – both individually and especially at the level of communities, societies, cultures and nations. Unfortunately, this is especially true for people of faith around the world, regardless of their religious beliefs. Sincere believers from every faith tradition increasingly face restrictions on their human rights to believe and worship freely, according to the dictates of their conscience. In many cases, the situation is much worse and they face outright repression and persecution, often violent in nature, simply for choosing to exercise their right to religious freedom.
From Christians in Nigeria being slaughtered in sacred spaces, to Uyghur Muslims incarcerated in modern concentration camps in China, to the Baha’is and Jews in Iran, to Hazara Shia Muslims in Afghanistan, to Assyrians, Rohingya, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, Ahmadiyya Muslims, and the list goes on – for these faith communities, and for anyone who cares about international religious freedom, peace can seem like a fantasy.
THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT REMINDS US THAT HOPE IS OUR CALLING, EVEN IN THE DARKEST TIMES
Yet it is worth reminding ourselves that the Christmas story is only the starting point of a life story that provides a guideline, whether Christian or not, to seek and build peace. In the Christian tradition, Christ was not born in comfort and peace. Rather, his arrival in humble circumstances was an unusual beginning for an act of divine courage intended to change the course of history.
Christ preached peace while fashioning an active courage that sought to disrupt old traditions and offer a new way of seeing the world and the people in it. At the same time, he exemplified humility and the sincere desire to seek reconciliation, even with those we may consider our enemies. Peace, in the words of Jesus Christ, was not passivity, but a willingness to courageously stand up for what is right while choosing to see every person as divine, created in God’s image and worthy.
BIRTHPLACE OF JESUS TO RESUME CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AFTER THE WAR FORCES A TWO-YEAR BREAK
This Advent Sunday’s call to build bridges of peace with others can feel like a monumental task in this age of division. Peace can feel like a goal that requires a miracle, rather than something within the reach of mere mortals. Nevertheless, together we got a glimpse of what peace can look like through the privilege of co-chairing the annual International Religious Freedom Summit.
This Advent Sunday’s call to build bridges of peace with others can feel like a monumental task in this age of division. (iStock)
Each year, the Summit brings together thousands of religious freedom advocates from dozens of global faith traditions. These people put aside theological, cultural and political differences to stand together in support of human dignity and the basic human right of all people to worship according to their own beliefs. The point is not who you worship or how; it is that we all have a God-given right to believe freely and without restriction or fear of persecution.
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We cannot solve the many pressing challenges to religious freedom around the world in our short time together at the Summit. But this annual gathering does provide a model – and a source of hope – for what peace can look like in a world ravaged by conflict and division.
This Advent Sunday of Peace, we are inspired by the story of Christ who, as Scripture tells us, came to earth “to give light to those who sit in darkness and under the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).
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We also draw strength and courage to seek peace from the examples of the many dedicated advocates and activists who work alongside us in the international religious freedom community, and who provide living and breathing examples of what it means to actively, not passively, seek peace.
We cannot yet claim ‘peace on earth’, but now that we stand side by side advocating freedom of religion or belief for all, we can begin to imagine it.
CLICK HERE TO VAN AMB. SAM BRUINBACK
Sam Brownback served as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom (2018-2021) and is co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit.
