Living Without Enemies: Being Present in the Midst of Violence

With senseless violence occurring throughout society, people are suffering and communities are groaning. Fear and not knowing where to begin hold many back from doing anything at all. But is "doing something" really what is most needed?Marcia Owen and Samuel Wells come together to tell the story of a community's journey through four different dimensions of social engagement. After attempts to seek legislative solutions led nowhere, a religious coalition began holding prayer vigils for local victims of gun violence. It was then that Owen discovered the beauty of simply being present. Through her friendships with both victims and offenders, Owen learned that being present was precisely the opposite of violence--it was love. And to truly love others as God loves us meant living without enemies and taking small steps toward reconciliation.Owen and Wells offer deep insights into what it takes to overcome powerlessness, transcend fear and engage in radical acceptance in our dangerous world. Your view of ministry will be altered by this poignant tale of coming face-to-face with our God who loves boundlessly and has no enemies.

Samuel Wells (Ph.D., Durham University) is dean of Duke University Chapel and research professor of Christian ethics at Duke Divinity School. He is the author of several books, including Improvisation: The Drama of Christian Ethics and Speaking the Truth: Preaching in a Pluralistic Culture.

Marcia A. Owen is executive director of the Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham (nonviolentdurham.org), a nonprofit organization actively seeking an end to violence in its community.