On the evening of Tuesday (Dec. 10), Christian leaders from a variety of denominations and organizations gathered at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., to take part in an “Advent Not Arms” prayer vigil for peace. The event, sponsored by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), coincided with International Human Rights Day and served as a call for Christians around the world to stand for justice and dignity for Gaza and all people in the Middle East.
A promotional event poster courtesy of Churches for Middle East Peace.
Since Advent is traditionally a time when Christians anticipate the birth of the Prince of Peace, speakers framed the gathering as an opportunity to call on those in power to work towards a peaceful end to the current conflicts that are spiraling out of control. At least 45,000 people have been killed — women and children making up the vast majority — since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel last year followed by Israel’s retaliation, with over three million displaced across Palestine and Lebanon.
Those gathered repeatedly pointed to a practical way that American Christians can contribute to peacemaking: using democratic tools to demand that the U.S. government suspend its billions of dollars in arms sales to Israel and push for a ceasefire.
“As we collectively bear witness to the immense gravity and horror of the past 14 months, and especially to the utter devastation done to Gaza and Palestinians with American-funded weapons, we also stand resolute in the belief that light can emerge from the darkness,” said Sarah Sturm, program director at The Telos Group.
Sturm added it is important to remember that “light returns, even and especially when we don’t expect it. In places and in ways that invert assumptions about power and importance. In ways that show that love incarnate brings hope in the darkest of times.”
Jordan Denari Duffner, scholar and member of CMEP’s Catholic Advisory Council, added “We know that suspending U.S. weapons can have a real impact in ending violence abroad, as our friends in El Salvador have reminded us. The civil war there only ended when U.S. weapons stopped flowing.”
Denari Duffner then pointed out that one Salvadoran who was killed by American weapons is the now Saint Oscar Romero, a Catholic priest who was gunned down in 1980 while saying mass. She closed with the prophetic words of one of his advent homilies: “Some want to keep the gospel so disembodied that it doesn’t get involved at all in the world it must save. But Christ is now in history. Christ is in the womb of the people. Christ is now bringing about the new heavens and the new earth.”
Lisa Sharon Harper, executive director and founder of Freedom Road, explored the role of grace in understanding the violence before us.
“True grace doesn’t say ‘grace, grace’ to a genocide and not say ‘grace, grace’ to the massacre that serves as its justification,” she preached. “Is my point that we need to allow the worst things? No, my point is that we need to exercise grace equally. We need to allow all to be human, all to be fallible, all to be merely human and fully human. You see, grace doesn’t choose sides.”
Shane Claiborne, co-founder of Red Letter Christians, opened his remarks by mentioning that his day began with joining a group of people calling for an end to the death penalty. The people he was with included family members of folks who were murdered, together with family members of folks who have been executed or are currently living on death row.
“Together, they said so powerfully, ‘In a world with so much violence, why would we want more?’” Claiborne recounted. “And it feels like tonight, that same message of ‘we’re not going to build a better world by killing other people’s children, we’re not going to build a world of peace by using the violence that has harmed us.’ So, that defiant hope — I’ve been soaking it in all day.”
Other speakers included George Mensah, executive minister at host Shiloh Baptist Church, as well as CMEP’s own Kyle Cristofalo, Destiny Magnett, and Nathan Hosler. Mae Elise Cannon, executive director of CMEP, was scheduled to speak, but was unable to attend due to illness. Words from a devotional she wrote last Christmas were read in her absence.
The vigil was cosponsored by the American Baptist Churches USA, Freedom Road, The Telos Group, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Chasing Justice, and Global Ministries, a joint organization of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.
Before a closing benediction led by Sharon Harper, those assembled stood in a circle and sang the hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” with the repeating lyrics: the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
