BY MONICA RICE

Bethany Theological Seminary hosted its second annual Presidential Forum March 29-30 with the theme Weaving Wisdom’s Tent: The Arts of Peace.  Focusing on scripture from the Wisdom of Solomon 7:23-81, wisdom was invoked and examined throughout the forum.  Gathered together to weave poetry, painting, song and spirit, participants experienced varied forms of art in these two full days.

Presidential Forum participants meet "under the tent"

Highlights of this forum included three plenary sessions lead by inspired artists who embody peacemaking through their work.  Marge Piercy, accomplished poet and novelist, shared reflections on art affecting consciousness a little bit at a time.  She read several of her own poems including “The Art of Blessing the Day” and “To Be of Use,” all reflecting the reality of a world without peace, and hope for peaceful transformation.

John Paul Lederach, Professor of International Peacebuilding with the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, highlighted the “craft of noticing” and how this careful noticing and listening are then expressed through thoughtful words of poetry and artistic expression. 

A brilliant painter, Douglas Kinsey, displayed several paintings portraying places where justice is absent.  He shared his creative work as a way to bring about justice by exposing injustice.  All three plenary speakers stimulated thoughtful questions and fruitful conversations.

Outside of these sessions there were imaginative worships, creative workshops, and reflective conversation groups that engaged a variety of arts striving for Peace.  The Manchester College A Cappella Choir, with special guest James Hersch, offered a gift of inspiring music, and several seminary and college students had the opportunity to share their own creative works in a panel discussion. 

Participants in the "What You See Is What You Get" workshop on the care of creation and peacemaking participate in a role play. 

“There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear...” (Wisdom of Solomon 7:23)  Wisdom certainly was present and enveloping throughout the Presidential Forum as Bethany Theological Seminary invited space for the arts to speak of the things that make for peace.