Description

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          Gerald Shenk has traveled to and lived in many difficult places. He goes to teach—and to spot people who act out of hope. When he began to feel fortified by what he discovered, even foolishly rich, he wrote what he had witnessed and heard for the rest of us. Hope Indeed! is his collection of stories of stunningly ordinary people behaving with extraordinary hope. Here are the stories of—           Ned Wyse, a farmer/pastor in Michigan, chosen randomly for a violent beating by some neighborhood kids, and what he did about it.           The Palestinian parents who gave their young murdered son's organs to ill Jewish children.           The Amish, who subverted the vicious violation of their innocent children in the Nickel Mines school by refusing to multiply the horror, and instead offered forgiveness and generosity.           Jewish Cantor Michael Weisser and his family who took carry-out food to the white supremacists who had harassed them mercilessly.           The German Lutheran pastor couple who offered their home to recently desposed and homeless Erich Honecker, who had ruthlessly ruled East Germany.           Brother Ivo who kept bringing former Catholic and Muslim neighbors together as war escalated in Bosnia.           Says Shenk, "Here are stories to rehearse if we want to become people who subvert vengeance with kindness."

About the Author

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N. Gerald Shenk has devoted his life to studying the dynamics of religion and social conflict, and promoting paths that lead to peace. He lived and taught for nine years as a young adult in the former Yugoslavia (1977-83, 1986-89), and partnered with local Christians after the break-up of the communist order created turmoil and ethnic warfare in the Balkans (1990-95). Shenk's work with peacemakers in the former Yugoslavia gave him a deep respect for the courage it takes to face down fears while moving to help heal the wounds of war. His 2003 sabbatical in Jerusalem gave him further insights into the complexities of dealing with deep religious tensions while praying for and pursuing true peace with justice. He participated in a theological conference in Iran in September 2006, and later that month also met the Iranian President in New York City with a religious delegation. Shenk writes and teaches on themes of Christian peacemaking, social transformation, and religious pluralism. Since 1989, he teaches at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Virginia, and also returns to teach in Croatia at the Evangelical Theological Seminary. He holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University.