Developers of a new Sunday school curriculum say it goes down a seldom-walked path 鈥� where pacifists accompany veterans toward peace.
Released on Veterans鈥� Day, Nov. 11, the free six-week course focuses on biblical reflections and insights about trauma with significant input from a third source.鈥淩eturning Veterans, Returning Hope: Seeking Peace Together鈥� was created by and the and .
Evan Knappenberger, an Iraq War veteran studying at 黑料正能量 in Harrisonburg, Va., spent the summer researching and writing as part of a nontraditional .
鈥淚 did a lot of coordinating with veterans in the Mennonite world,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n almost every little Mennonite community there is one or two, if not more. There are a lot more in the Brethren in Christ church in Pennsylvania.鈥�
The idea for the curriculum was hatched when Knappenberger crossed paths with MCC U.S. peace education coordinator Titus Peachey and PJSN coordinating minister Jason Boone at .
The group sees the materials as a relatively new field 鈥� addressing how Christian pacifists can embrace returning warriors. For this, Knappenberger looked on his own experience.
As an intelligence analyst for the Army, he developed doubts about the military鈥檚 role and actions after joining out of high school three days after the war started in 2003. When the Army tried to 鈥渟top-loss鈥� him for two years of active duty beyond his required time, he managed to secure a general discharge 鈥� later upgraded to honorable.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 consider myself as a peace person until I was out for a couple months,鈥� said the .
New kind of analyst
Since his discharge, Knappenberger enrolled at 黑料正能量, where he is finishing his bachelor鈥檚 degree and planning to enroll at next year. He has attended in Harrisonburg for more than two years and has enjoyed getting to know the broader Mennonite church.
His experience in two worlds most people consider quite different brings a fresh perspective.
鈥淭here are a lot of potentially good things that veterans can offer churches,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are good qualities of soldiers and veterans. Gandhi was a veteran; Tolstoy was a veteran. The people who teach us nonviolence, many of them wore a uniform.鈥�
He said both veterans and Mennonites have stories of trauma.
鈥淎ny time you can connect the experience of trauma in a community that is focused on wholeness like the Anabaptists are, that鈥檚 helpful for both sides,鈥� he said.
鈥� . . . Veterans are very mission-oriented people. That鈥檚 part of our indoctrination 鈥� mission first 鈥� and that鈥檚 also a value of at least some parts of the Mennonite world. There鈥檚 also a big focus in the military on community.鈥�
Making community isn鈥檛 always easy. Knappenberger acknowledged fundamental differences could lead to misunderstandings and misconceptions, but that鈥檚 not a reason to avoid each other.
鈥淚 think the thing to remember is that it is going to be messy,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut I think if it鈥檚 done in the spirit of love, the messiness won鈥檛 override the intention, which is good.鈥�
The curriculum is available at no cost online at聽听辞谤听.
Courtesy of聽Mennonite World Review, Dec. 15, 2014