In October 2005, Duke Divinity School launched the Duke Center for Reconciliation.  The center is jointly directed by Emmanuel Katongole, a Ugandan priest who is an expert on sub-Saharan African conflict and political theology, as well as by Chris Rice, an associate of Voice of Calvary (a ministry established in Mississippi by John Perkins in the 1960s) and co-author of More than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel (InterVarsity Press, revised edition 2000).  InterVarsity Press is partnering with Duke Center for Reconciliation to publish a book series — Resources for Reconciliation — that is aimed at showing the many practical ways that theories of biblical justice can be applied in “real world” situations.  Each book is jointly authored.  In late 2008, InterVarsity Press released the first two books in the series, with a third and fourth on the way.  A more detailed explanation of the series can be found here.

Living Gently in a Violent World (September 2008) is jointly authored by Stanley Hauerwas and Jean Vanier.  For those who may be unfamiliar, Hauerwas is a well-known professor of theological ethics at Duke whose work is heavily influenced by the writing of Anabaptist scholar John Howard Yoder.  Vanier is the founder of L’Arche — an organization that establishes communities to provide physical, psychological and spiritual care for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

The two co-directors of Duke’s Center, Rice and Katongole, wrote the second book of the series: Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing (October 2008).   Using Rice and Katongole’s respective life and ministry experiences, Reconciling All Things is a larger look at neighborhood and urban justice, as well as what might be in some circles considered the jus post bellum — justice after [the waging] of conflict — topics of justice and the forgiveness of enemies.   Their initial ”theory chapter” can be found here.

The third book, Welcoming Justice: God’s Movement Toward Beloved Community.  It is being co-written by John Perkins — the creator of Voice of Calvary and the Christian Community Development Association — as well as by Charles Marsh, a professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia and the author of the The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice (Basic Books, 2005).

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