In the pages of Blessed are the Peacemakers, you will meet more than 100 heroes, but most of them are not the kind of heroes our culture celebrates for muscle, beauty and wealth. These are peacemakers—and the world needs to hear their stories now more than ever. In his book, the Rev. Dr. Daniel Buttry describes the yearning for hope felt by so many of us today: “How can we dare to hope? How can we keep pushing against the tide of violence? When one war is finally brought to a weary end, another breaks out with horrifying ferocity. There is no end to the work of peacemaking.”
Buttry is an ideal guide, because he has worked with many of the peace movements he describes in this book. On the day his new book was published, Buttry was planting trees in Kenya as various sides in a deadly political conflict came together in a powerful demonstration of healing in that African nation. After planting the trees, Buttry distributed copies of this book to Kenyan activists. These stories are that important in the cause of peace.
Who Is Included in These Stories?
There are more than 60 inspirational real-life profiles in this book, plus dozens more shorter stories are grouped in the introductions to each section. Here are just some of the men and women appearing in this book:
Prophets & Visionaries: Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Jr., Helen Caldicott, the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu.
Litany of Martyrs: Anne Frank, Victor Jara, Stephen Biko, Jerzy Popieluszko.
Nonviolent Activists: Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Diane Nash, John Lewis, Bolivian Women Hunger Strikers, Daniel Berrigan and Philip Berrigan, Lech Walesa.
Artists: Pete Seeger, Arnold Ap, Vaclav Havel, Vedran Smajlovic, Zargana, Banksy, Bono.
Each section, above, contains more profiles. Plus, there are complete sections on Peace Theorists, Advocates, Trainers and Teachers, Organizers and Mediators. You’ll meet more than 100 peacemakers in all. Don’t recognize a lot of these names? That’s the whole point of this book. When you’re finished reading, you’ll find yourself freshly inspired by all of these unsung heroes risking their lives for peace around the globe. Check out the table of contents to see the full list of profiles.
Already Own a Buttry Collection of Inspiring Stories?
You may already own Daniel Buttry’s earlier books: Interfaith Heroes Volume 1 and Volume 2. Those books focus specifically on courageous men and women who crossed religious boundaries to save lives, make peace and build stronger communities. His new book, Blessed Are the Peacemakers, has a much bigger goal: Buttry now circles the planet, reporting the largely unknown story of how peacemakers from many backgrounds have shaped our 20th and 21st centuries. This book is a great choice for small-group discussion both in religious and secular settings. College students are especially drawn to this book, which now is in wide use on campuses.
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