“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Peace comes as the result of the end of suffering. It is demonstrated for us in the Lord’s day of rest, the Sabbath, after six days of labor. To labor is to struggle, and the six days preceding the Sabbath are on one level an illustration of the process of spiritual regeneration, which takes place primarily through temptation and spiritual conflict.

The point of creation is a heaven from the human race, and so the Lord’s ultimate goal for everyone is the peace of the Sabbath. But the process of living in this creation is one full of struggle of various kinds, both because of the need to be reformed and regenerated, and also because evil is permitted in this world, which leads inevitably to suffering.

Light and Truth – The purpose of the church is to learn the truths taught by the Lord in His Word, and to use those truths as guides in the pursuit of a life of good. The truths are aids in the struggle against temptation, and in the work of repentance, and also act as beacons drawing people toward that life of good.

Affections and Love – The Lord also leads by means of affections. This means that our suffering is at times turned to good ends by acting as a warning that we need to change, either ourselves or the world around us. This means that our natural inclination to pursue what we find delightful is at times used to draw us into living that life of good.

The Opposite of Peace – So. When I look out at the world around us today, I see a lot of suffering. Depression. Anxiety. Addiction. Suicide. Mass violence. Divisive tribalism. And these are on the rise, some of them alarmingly so, especially among the young.

Yes, I see a lot of good, as well. But it is impossible for me to ignore all the pain. And the things I’ve listed as the ills of the natural world are all things I believe the New Church has a role in addressing. Because the problems are complex and often rooted in biology and psychology as well as in spirituality, I am not today claiming that the Church is the answer to them all. But I believe the Lord’s establishment of communities of faith must have some role to play. And I think I have some intimation of what that role could be.

Our Work – Learning & Connection – I believe the church has a role in terms of providing doctrinal instruction, as the Word’s teachings on repentance, forgiveness, regeneration, charity, the mind, hope, and many other subjects provide powerful tools for healing and growth. But what’s more, I believe that the social component of a church society is itself valuable as well. Participating in a church society expands one’s sense of “us”, it provides connection, support, love, and potentially the opportunity to practice simple acts of good in cooperation with others. How can we use truths and affections to cooperate with the Lord’s leading, such that we can earn the spiritual name of “peacemakers”?

People today are showing symptoms of a desperate lack of purpose, meaning, and connection. Our church society, through not only our sermons and classes and groups, but also our ritual worship, our social gatherings, and our shared uses, can provide all of these things. We can bring peace to people who suffer. 

The formula for realizing this vision is found in summary form in the Lord’s words:

“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Accordingly, the strategy of the Washington New Church is to combine the shining of light (the communicating of truths from the Word), in combination with good works (done both for our neighbors but also side by side with our neighbors), with the ultimate goal of helping people experience connection with the Lord’s love and wisdom.