{{primarysources, date=June 2015 Lutheran Peace Fellowship (LPF) is an organization of

Lutherans Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...

who work for

peace Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...

and

social justice Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, Equal opportunity, opportunities, and Social privilege, privileges within a society. In Western Civilization, Western and Culture of Asia, Asian cultures, the concept of social ...

issues. It includes members and supporters in all the Lutheran denominations and more than a few people from other faith traditions. LPF is a nonprofit organization supported largely by its members as well as a variety of grants and honoraria from workshops, events, and trainings. Although not an official part of the ELCA, it has received funding from various units within that denomination.

History and priorities

Founded in 1941, LPF offers a wide range of resources, workshops, support, and encouragement. LPF's main priority is to support effective peace education and advocacy by its members and local chapters, networks, and congregations. Membership is open to any individual, chapter, or congregation. LPF periodically plays a significant role in the most pressing issues of our time. In recent years, these have included world

hunger In politics, humanitarian aid, and the social sciences, hunger is defined as a condition in which a person does not have the physical or financial capability to eat sufficient food to meet basic Human nutrition, nutritional needs for a sustaine ...

, landmines, and Senate ratification of the Chemical Weapons Treaty. In 1999, LPF's national coordinator served as the U.S. delegate to meetings in India to help plan the UN Decade for Peace, the largest peace education program in UN history. LPF's top advocacy priorities have included challenging militarism, ending hunger and extreme poverty, federal budget priorities, opposing war and militarism,

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, youth and military service, nuclear weapons, and gender, race and economic justice. Lutheran Peace Fellowship's leaders facilitate as many as 80 workshops and leadership trainings a year. Popular topics for LPF workshops include Current Advocacy Priorities, Biblical Peacemaking, Nonviolence for a Violent World, Leadership Training in Peacemaking, and How to Be a Bridge in a World Full of Walls. LPF has written many highly regarded peace education and workshop resources. For example, it is currently updating one of its computer-based education activities, two of which were included in one of the largest critical thinking programs in U.S. public education. Its eleven "PeacePoints" leaders' guides have been used to present over 1600 education forums and workshop sessions. The international LPF headquarters are located in Seattle, Washington, and there are local chapters and networks in many parts of the U.S.

References

Official website
* “Lutheran Peace Fellowship: Acting on Scripture's Challenge,” Aug. 2018 issue, ''Living Lutheran'' magazine (the official magazine of the ELCA, the largest Lutheran denomination, and the largest, most widely-distributed Lutheran publication) 1941 establishments in the United States Organizations established in 1941 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Lutheran pacifists Christian pacifism Lutheran organizations Christian nonviolence

History and priorities

See also

References