wfn.org | Renowned author/workshop leader addresses Peace Breakfast

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Note #6658 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

13-June-2001
GA01099

Renowned author/workshop leader addresses Peace Breakfast

Fellowship honors Walter Owensby with award

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE, June 13 - Before the scrambled eggs could get cold, the 400
people who turned out to Wednesday morning's Peace Breakfast were treated to
a course of Jesus' teachings on nonviolence.

The lesson was served up by the Rev. Walter Wink, professor of Biblical
Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. Wink is an
internationally known lecturer, workshop leader, activist and author. The
Methodist minister's areas of interest have involved the development of a
participative style of Bible study, an exploration of the Biblical theme of
principalities and powers and Jesus' teachings on nonviolence.

	Breakfast-goers at the annual event, sponsored by the Presbyterian Peace
Fellowship, also looked on as the Rev. Walter Owensby, a recently retired
staff member in the Presbyterian Washington office, was honored with the
2001 Peaceseeker Award.

"Our society and our world is racked by violence and seems to take all sorts
of forms," Wink said from a stage at the Galt House Hotel. "But the thing
that's most disturbing and came into such sharp focus in (Monday's)
execution of Timothy McVeigh, is that violence in our society is not
regarded as a bad thing."

Violence is a "religion" in our culture and the "thing that we trust," Wink
said, pointing to such examples as violence in public schools, young people
in gangs, and domestic violence in the home.

"Jesus had a response to this violence and to the domination system which it
protects," Wink said, adding that one should "turn the other cheek," as
Christ did, by not reacting with an "eye for an eye" approach when
confronted by violence.

 "Jesus always resisted evil ... ," Wink said. "Don't mirror the evil that
you're attacking. Don't become the very thing that you hate. Do not react
violently against the one who is evil."

Wink's interest in the Biblical theme of principalities and powers has led
to a trilogy of books and other writings. Wink has led non-violence
workshops in South Africa in 1986, 1988 and 1998. Refused a visa in 1988, he
entered South Africa nevertheless, taught workshops before turning himself
over to authorities, who deported him.

Wink and his wife, June, have also led non-violence workshops in then East
Germany, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Palestine and Mexico (around the
Chiapas struggle). The couple has also lectured and held workshops in New
Zealand, Chile, Scotland and England.
The two served as United Nations election monitors in El Salvador in 1994.
Wink was honored as a Peace Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace
in Washington, D.C., in 1989-1990.

Wink's books include The Bible in Human Transformation; Homosexuality and
Christian Faith; Engaging the Powers; Violence and Nonviolence in South
Africa; and The Power that Be, which is based on his award-winning Powers
trilogy.

Owensby, associate for international issues at the Presbyterian Washington
office until his retirement last September, was characterized by Peace
Fellowship officials as an intellectual force for justice as well as a
scholar. Fellowship members, among other things, celebrated Owensby's
pioneering work in following through on General Assembly policies regarding
Third World debt relief. They also pointed out his work on national issues
such as contributing to legislation for debt relief connected to the Jubilee
2000/USA campaign.

"I am deeply honored to be singled out by the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
for this award," Owensby said.

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