“Despite everything, the challenge set forth by the prophets and Jesus—to speak to the enemy rather than threaten him—remains the best guide for those who seek peace

“This violates important international treaties, most notably the Two-Plus-Four Treaty, which is fundamental to the right of a united Germany to exist

“first, the prophets’ call for justice and peace—as such, but not in its theological rationale—can be directly linked to the demands of secular ethics

“Furthermore, the prophet Micah offers us a magnificent vision of the success of our commitment to peace: the beating of swords into plowshares

“It also establishes prayer as a source of courage and points to the coming Kingdom of God

“the Sermon on the Mount contains more than just practical recommendations

“The program of strengthening grassroots initiatives, cooperating with secular peace actors, and fostering a culture of nonviolence—these strategies are entirely in line with our approach

“This theology is most in line with grassroots Christian movements, but of course aiming at the entire church. These theological reflections were complemented by a critique of the “myth of redemptive violence” by the American theologian Walter Wink. Finally, we incorporated a political science perspective through Hanne-Margret Birckenbach’s ‘Peace Logic.’

“Within the team, we first decided to orient ourselves closely to the prophetic-Jesus tradition, following the example of the prophet Micah and the Sermon on the Mount

“the treatise attempts to offer the perspective of grassroots organizations