Seminary students at Pacific School of Religion (PSR) in Berkeley, California held a week of events, PEACE WEEK AT PSR, leading up to the International Day of Prayer for Peace on September 21. The campaign of Seminarians to End War, Sow Peace (SEW Peace) and various other student groups focused the attention of the campus community on global peace and justice issues, including ending the US-led war on Iraq.

The week included three worship services, a teach-in on Friday, and a growing art piece, culminating in 24 hours of prayer from Thursday through Friday on the International Day of Prayer for Peace. Workshop speakers addressed pastoral care for veterans and military families, connections between the Iraq war and Israel/Palestine, and a caucus of US military veterans for peace. Worship preachers included First Congregational Church of Oakland Pastor Lynice Pinkard and PSR student Robyn Morrison, who coordinated this week of activities. The week’s theme, Balm not Bombs, relies on Biblical readings, including the passage from Jeremiah that asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored?” (Jeremiah 8:18-9:1)

“We want this week to be training ground for religious and spiritual leaders. Pacific School of Religion students, faculty, staff, and family members hold within them profound experiences of resisting past wars, in the U.S. and abroad, and we all have much to gain from sharing the lessons of our collective wisdom,” said Seminarians to End War spokesperson Audrey deCoursey.

“As part of my applied educational experiences, I had the honor of participating in the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq worship service, march to the Whitehouse, and civil disobedience in Washington, D.C. in March 2007,” said PSR student Robyn Morrison. “I was so moved by the experience that I vowed to the organizers that I would do something to spread the movement. We have over twenty five students actively involved in planning and leading portions of this week’s activities. By working and learning together, we are building the Christian and Interfaith Peace Movement.”