Key Points on the Position of the Christian Churches in the United States on the War
Active nonviolence, also known as nonviolent resistance, is a strategy for social change that rejects the use of physical violence. Instead, it employs methods of protest, persuasion, noncooperation, and nonviolent intervention to achieve its goals.
Nonviolent resistance can take many forms, including, but not limited to:
- Protest and Persuasion: This includes marches, vigils, picketing, sit-ins, symbolic acts, and other forms of peaceful protest. It can also involve efforts to educate the public or influence public opinion, such as through speeches, publications, and public dialogue.
- Noncooperation: This can involve refusing to obey unjust laws, participate in unjust systems, or cooperate with authorities perpetrating injustice. Examples include civil disobedience, strikes, boycotts, tax resistance, and refusing to serve in the military.
- Nonviolent Intervention: This can involve physically or symbolically disrupting normal operations or directly intervening to prevent injustice. Examples include blockades, occupations, and forms of direct action that put activists in the way of harm to protect others or make a powerful statement.
The principles of nonviolent resistance have been used effectively in many social and political movements around the world. They were a key part of the Indian independence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, the American Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King Jr., and the fight against apartheid in South Africa, among others.
Many who practice active nonviolence do so based on deeply held ethical, philosophical, or religious beliefs. In the Christian tradition, nonviolent resistance is often based on teachings of Jesus Christ that emphasize love, forgiveness, and turning the other cheek.
However, nonviolent resistance can also be a strategic choice. Research by political scientists such as Erica Chenoweth has found that nonviolent resistance movements are twice as likely to achieve their goals as violent ones. Nonviolent movements are often more inclusive and participatory, and they can be more effective at winning public sympathy and causing divisions among the opponent’s supporters.
Still, nonviolent resistance requires courage, discipline, and strategic planning. It often involves significant risks, including the risk of violence from those who oppose the movement’s goals.