Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

PEACE "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9 During advent we witness peace represented as a baby. Evangelical preachers often speak of the power of God. But when I see a baby I think of a fragile and vulnerable life. New life needs protection and nurturance. Peace is like a baby. Peace is fragile and vulnerable to disruptions from many sources. Nurturing people affirm peace. Peacemakers nurture peace through gifts of time and talent. Like an infant, newly formed peace requires devotion. To survive, peace must be fed and clothed. People keep peace alive. People let peace die. Some people seek to destroy peace. When the Prince of Peace became a man, he made serious demands of his followers. When the light of Peace shone in the darkness, Peace was attacked and Peace surrendered. Peace died as did the hope of his followers. But then came life. Peace lived on in the hearts of his followers who shared the peace wit...

NELSON MANDELA RECONCILIATION  CONTINUES As I write this post, Nelson Mandela lies ill in hospital. People have gathered to pray. His example of forgiveness and reconciliation continues as reflected in a BBC news headline : Nelson Mandela is ‘uniting the nation,’ hears church service. In 2009, I joined my friend Johan Mostert on a visit to religious leaders and ministries in South Africa. I learned of the pain of suffering and the struggle to forgive from people who had lived through apartheid. Mostert, a clergyman and community psychologist and his colleague, Mervin van der Spuy, Chaplain, weave stories of forgiveness and reconciliation with historical events as they explain the value of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in healing the nation. (I’ll include the reference to their chapter at the end of this blog post.) The TRC was set up by the South African Government of National Unity to deal with the results of violent conflicts and human rights a...