Pace e Bene

Speaking Tour with Terrence Rynne

Gandhi and Jesus: The Saving Power of Nonviolence, by Terrence Rynne.

Gandhi and Jesus  is an original exploration of the life of Jesus and the teachings of Gandhi that puts nonviolent action at the very heart of Christian salvation.

Dr. Rynne discusses the threefold purposes of this book: “First, to share my understanding and appreciation for Gandhi’s way of satyagraha; second, in the light of Gandhi’s satyagraha, to present the thinking of four Christian theologians who have embraced and make credible a nonviolent Jesus; and third, to reformulate “what it means to be saved” by making, not violent sacrifice, but nonviolent power, the root metaphor.

If our systematic theology, the way we explain the truths of our faith to one another, is soaked in violence, then our ethics or moral theology will surely be soaked in and unreflectively supportive of violence – as has been the case for centuries. Our ethics or moral theology may shift to the degree that our systematic theology shifts. This is, therefore, a work of systematic theology, an attempt to express one of the basic truths of our faith, salvation, is a way that opens us to hearing the call to nonviolent discipleship.

Supporting Comments:

“A sharp reminder of the strength of and critical need for embracing the way of nonviolence. It is my hope that readers of this important book will be inspired to embrace nonviolence as a way of life.”

—Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Recipient and Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town

“This fascinating book must be read by all those who wish to save this world from disaster.”

—Arun Gandhi, President, M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, University of Rochester

“An extraordinarily sophisticated account of Gandhi’s teaching. I highly recommend this book.”

—Stanley Hauerwas, author of The Peaceable Kingdom

“This book should be required reading in seminaries and universities.”

—James Douglass, author of The Nonviolent Coming of God

“Well-organized and clearly written, lending itself to a wide readership, layperson, student, and scholar alike.”                —Religious Studies Review

Brief Biography:

Terrence J. Rynne is the founder of the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking and a teacher of Peace Studies at Marquette. He was founder and president of Rynne Marketing Group, a nationally recognized consulting firm that has served more than 600 leading hospitals and health care organizations. He and his wife started The Sally and Terry Rynne Foundation dedicated to peace and to the empowerment of women. He holds a Ph.D. in Theology and pursue his passion for peace. He lives with his wife in Winnetka, Illinois.

Tour Dates

• The main part of the tour will be Sept-Nov,2010, and Feb-May, 2011.

Host Expectations

            Here are a few expectations for those hosting Mr. Rynne:

• Securing Venue – It is the responsibility of the host to provide venue arrangements, setting the time, location, and equipment for the event. It is up to the host to choose the most effective location for the event. Churches or schools may provide space free of charge, but if they require a rental fee, the host will assume the cost.

• Publicity – It is the responsibility of the host to publicize the event in your community and also utilize the local media. Pace e Bene has provided a flyer template and is able to provide other publicity ideas. 

• Resource Table – A table will be needed to sell materials from Pace e Bene. The host will provide a person to handle sales. Depending upon the location, we may be able to send someone to staff the table.

• Signup Sheet – Pace e Bene will provide the host with blank signup sheets. Having them at the door for when people arrive and leave works best, but they can also be passed around during the event if there is no entrance table.

Fees and Logistics

• Standard speaking fee is $500-$1,000, which is negotiable.Many hosts get some sponsorship before the event and ask for a freewill offering during the event. We will work with every group regardless of its financial capacity. We have found that seeking co-sponsors (for example, other local peace or church groups) helps share the costs and responsibilities of an event. 

• Airfare, if required, is the responsibility of the host but can be shared with other hosts if there are multiple events during the course of the trip. Many legs are shorter distances and only require a one-way bus fare. Transportation to and from the airport should also be provided.

• Hospitality for Mr. Rynne, including food and lodging if an overnight stay is the responsibility of the host. This can be a home stay and does not need to be a hotel.

• Once an established commitment has been made for Mr. Rynne to speak at your event, we will coordinate and confirm the exact schedule. Pace e Bene will also work with you to make sure that the event best meets the needs of your organization.

• The program usually consists of a talk followed by a question and answer session.