Peace and Justice Courses at AMBS

Shalom sculpture, located in AMBS Waltner Hall

The AMBS call to be a learning community with an Anabaptist vision that educates followers of Jesus Christ to be leaders for God's reconciling mission in the world requires that we attend to issues of peace and justice. The biblical vision for shalom—of right relationship with God, with creation and with each other—shapes our overall curriculum and several of our fall 2008 courses.

If you are interested in taking one of the courses below, please complete our online one-course registration form. People who wish to take more than one course at a time or intend to earn a degree should review our admissions application process or e-mail registrar@ambs.edu.

All courses are 3.0 credits unless otherwise noted.

HTE644: Christian Attitudes Toward War, Peace and Revolution

Tuesdays, 1:45–4:30 p.m.
A historical survey of the variety of ways of perceiving God’s will concerning war from the biblical times to the present. Special attention is given to common logical attitudes recurring in diverse cultural settings, to pacifist groups, and to the originality and implications of Jesus’ ministry.
—Ted Koontz, Ph.D. is the Professor of Ethics and Peace Studies; Director of Peace and Justice Studies

CHM633: Conflict, Communication and Conciliation

Tuesdays, 1:45–4:30 p.m.
This course explores approaches to conflict management and conciliation skills from the perspective of communication theory and the dynamics of interpersonal and intra-group conflict. It considers the role of the pastor and the dynamics of conciliation within the context of the congregation. Training in basic mediation skills is included.
—Arthur Boers, D.Min. is the Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology; Director, Spiritual Formation Program

HTE654: Decade to Overcome Violence (seminar in ethics)

Wednesdays, 1:45–4:30 p.m.
The Decade to Overcome Violence program of World Council of Churches will conclude in 2011. In preparation for the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation to be held at that time, the World Council of Churches has invited seminaries to comment and reflect on issues of peace and violence. This seminar in ethics will respond to that invitation, focusing especially, but not exclusively, on questions related to the responsibility to protect, humanitarian military interventions, and just policing (as opposed to just war). Our questions will be: What should Christian pacifists affirm in these developments, and in other parts of the work of the Decade to Overcome Violence? What should be challenged? Why, and how?
—Ted Koontz, Ph.D. is the Professor of Ethics and Peace Studies; Director of Peace and Justice Studies

HTE633: John Howard Yoder’s Theological Legacy

Thursdays, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
Widely known for his writing on pacifism and the politics of Jesus, John Howard Yoder influenced not only a generation of Mennonite scholars but also challenged and learned from evangelical and ecumenical Christians around the world. This course will review and assess Yoder’s broad-ranging contributions to the church, including not only work on Christians, violence and the state but also on biblical interpretation, Anabaptist history, the church, Jewish-Christian relations, religious pluralism, and missiology.
—Gayle Gerber Koontz, Ph.D. is the Professor of Theology and Ethics

HTE516: Reflections in Ecology, Theology, and Spirituality