As the sun set on Monday night, Keith Graber Miller, the recipient of the Young Center’s 2012 Dale W. Brown Book Award for Anabaptist and Pietist work, began his acceptance speech. Miller was honored for his authorship of “Prophetic Peacemaking: Selected Writings of J.R. Burkholder.”
Miller is a professor of ethics, theology, religion and culture at Goshen College. He is also an ordained minister for the Mennonite Church U.S.A. and has written numerous books and articles on what he has learned while being a Mennonite. His newest book, “Prophetic Peacemaking: Selected Writings of J.R. Burkholder,” is a collection of writings by Mennonite peace worker J.R. Burkholder and includes how these writings have made an impact throughout the world in different generations.
The book lecture started with the explanation of the award from the Young Center’s director, Jeff Bach. “Every year in October, judges review numerous books that recognize Anabaptist and Pietist studies. After review, the judges reveal the book of their choice and award the author,” Bach explained. “Miller was the recipient for the year 2012 and was asked to speak.”
Miller began his speech by explaining how he met J.R. Burkholder and why he wanted to write the book in the first place. “In the fall of 1985, I took a class with Burkholder. This course got me interested in the Mennonite teachings,” he said. “I continued to attend Burkholder’s lectures and readings and was convinced that his theories and practices were right.”
Later in the speech, the author stated that Burkholder was always involved in multiple projects at once. “This man was more of a fox than a hedgehog. Hedgehogs know one big thing and do not listen to other views. Foxes dart to every opportunity and know a little about everything,” Miller said.
Miller continued his lecture, explaining Burkholder’s early adventures through Brazil and Costa Rica. In these countries, Burkholder tried to explain his Mennonite peace teachings. He also helped organize the “Ban the Bomb” march in Philadelphia during the Vietnam War. He protested the ways of war and believed in national peacemaking.
Burkholder’s brain is very “fertile,” Miller explained. “He is always thinking. Burkholder is reading at least 6-8 texts at once, shifting from one book to another,” he said. “If you see his desk, he has hundreds of papers across it, with his drawers filled with newspaper clippings and books. He is a very busy man.”
Miller also said that Burkholder always wanted to help people and offered advice in many situations. According to him, Burkholder displays three life lessons in his numerous essays. First, you do not help people by embarrassing them. Second, the war is the enemy, not the soldier. Lastly, networking is essential in life to get you anywhere.
Miller explained that not only do these three life lessons need to be demonstrated to people who read the book, but many more of Burkholder’s teachings need to be communicated throughout the world too. “These essays are reflections of faithful living for future generations,” he said. “This book needed to be published for sake of the church and for the sake of the world.”
Miller was very grateful for the award. “This is like icing on my favorite chocolate cake!” he said.
After Miller was finished with his lecture, Burkholder began his speech. Burkholder said that, with Miller’s help, the book is a sampling of what he has learned over six decades between the church and the world. He said, “Peacemaking does not start with just me. It is the events and the people I am writing about in my essays.”
Burkholder clarified that along his peacemaking journey, he has had the help of three past Elizabethtown College students. First, Etown graduate Millard Richard Shaw met Burkholder in Brazil. Shaw helped spread the word of Burkholder to Chicago. Charles C. Walker, another Etown graduate, helped Burkholder on campus. “When the Vietnam War broke out, Walker worked with the Brethren group spreading peace on campus,” he said. “He also came to Philadelphia for the ‘Ban the Bomb’ March. He inspired one of my essays.”
Etown graduate Ernest Lefever also helped spread peace with Burkholder during the years of President Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Lefever was very influential in the formation of views on foreign policy during his time.
The peacemaker was honored that his essays were written in a book for future generations to read and benefit from. “I have learned so much from the world around me,” Burkholder said.
For more information about Burkholder’s teachings, buy a copy of Miller’s book, “Prophetic Peacemaking: Selected Writings of J.R. Burkholder.”