KINGIAN NONVIOLENCE CONFLICT RECONCILIATION 

16-HOUR CORE TRAINING 

May 4-5 and May 11-12, 2023

This workshop is offered as part of On Earth Peace’s “1000 Brethren” Kingian Nonviolence Training Project. 

Come and join us in May for a transformational month exploring Dr. King's philosophy and methodology of nonviolence. This workshop has helped thousands of people in various social justice movements, prisons, schools, and other communities understand the depth of the philosophy of nonviolence and conflict reconciliation.

If you are a faith leader preaching and leading for justice and peace, an organizer working for social change, an activist working to reduce violence in your community, a youth worker/organizer, or just someone who wants to learn how to resolve their personal conflicts better, this workshop is for you! If you have attended a 2-Hour Intro to Kingian Nonviolence at On Earth Peace or come to any of our events, this is a perfect next step to deepen your Kingian practice!

While all participants will be warmly welcomed, we are specifically recruiting and designing for members and friends of the Church of the Brethren, a historic peace church.   This means that conversations and sessions will include application to Christian faith and church contexts. 

Dates: The 16-hour training takes place over four days in a two-week period: May 4-5 (Thursday-Friday), May 11-12 (Thursday-Friday)  Click here to find the start time in your time zone!

Times for each training day: 8am-12pm Pacific / 9am-1pm Mountain / 10am-2pm Central / 11am-3pm Eastern

Content: 

• 4 Pillars of Kingian Nonviolence 
• Social Dynamics of Nonviolence 
• 6 Principles (the will) how to view and transform conflict
• 6 Steps (the skill) how to engage with conflict and organize a campaign
• Definitions of violence 
• Types and levels of conflict, and how they escalate and de-escalate
• Dialectical Thinking 
• Historical context of the Civil Rights Movement 

• What to expect: Mini-presentations, small groups activities, large group conversation, multi-media/videos, opportunities for self-reflection and sharing. Homework will be assigned before and between sessions.  

  Facilitation Team:

  

Mandy Park is a member of Brownsville Church of the Brethren, where her husband is pastor. She has two Master's degrees in Old Testament and Biblical Languages. Mandy is involved in OEP's Gun Violence Prevention organizing campaign in co-facilitating the Church of the Brethren Action Team. She is also an author, fantasy fan, and has a keen interest in the correlation between spiritual and emotional health. She lives in Western Maryland with her husband and two children. 

Thomas Dowdy is currently employed with the City of Los Angeles as an Administrative Management Analyst in his second career. Thomas is the Pastor of Imperial Heights Community Church of the Brethren. He is very involved with local community issues and providing youth mentoring using Kingian Nonviolence, while constantly searching for better ways to restore peace and justice among neighbors. Thomas recently completed a term as a member of the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board and is a long-time member of the Intercultural Committee.

Rhonda Baker grew up in a Church of the Brethren household. She spent her early years at Beacon Heights in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is currently a member of Northview Church of the Brethren in Indianapolis. She and her husband write music and perform as the acoustic duo Rhonda and Greg as well the band SoulShine. Rhonda's goals are to use her music to inspire a spirit of peace and she plans to incorporate concepts of Kingian Nonviolence into her concerts.

Matt Guynn (senior faculty) is On Earth Peace's interim co-executive director and director of organizing for church and community groups. He is a member of the online training team for Training for Change, a social justice training center based in Philadelphia. For five years, he served on the Coordinating Committee for the Oregon Poor People’s Campaign. He is the co-editor of Resist, Organize, Transform: An Introduction to Nonviolence and Activism (2020). Matt is an active gardener who lives with his family in Portland, Oregon.  

Cost: The value of this 16-hour workshop is more than $500.   Because of our interest in accessibility, there is no set fee to attend. The workshop will be offered on a gift basis -- we will explain more during the workshop!  In short, you will choose your own level of contribution. Some may choose to donate $500 or more. Some may pay significantly less or nothing. Some may be in a position to donate extra to support other participants! All participants will be invited to help cover the cost of the workshop by fundraising within your own personal or social media network. 

Email us at [email protected] with any questions. 

RSVP on this page to indicate your interest and intent to participate in the course. We will follow up with people who RSVP here, sending a detailed registration form you can use to confirm your participation.