Just Ward Theory

This excerpt is adapted from a chapter in Proclaim Peace: The Restoration’s Answer to an Age of Conflict (Maxwell Institute and Deseret Book, 2021). See the online version of the excerpt for citations.

It’s tempting to think of peacemaking—or peacebuilding, as it is often called—as something done by diplomats and heads of state participating in elaborate ceremonies to sign treaties that end major conflicts. Although those formalities are important, they represent only the very tip of a peacebuilding pyramid. Sometimes peace comes from the top down, but more often than not it emerges from the bottom up. Latter-day Saint apostle John A. Widtsoe taught this principle in 1943 amid the ravages of the Second World War, when peace truly had been taken from the earth. He instructed the Church, “Each individual . . . holds in his own hands the peace of the world. That makes me responsible for the peace of the world, and makes you individually responsible for the peace of the world. The responsibility cannot be shifted to someone else. It cannot be placed upon the shoulders of Congress or Parliament, or any other organization of men with governing authority.” Peace can’t simply be something that other people pursue on our behalf.

So what does this mean for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? It means you are part of a potentially powerful but often overlooked resource for community-based peacebuilding. As a covenant follower of Jesus, what might you do to follow His lead and become more “blessed” as you work as a peacemaker? This essay offers illustrations and insights that we hope may inspire you to contemplate what you might do within your own context. For many centuries, Christians have used a set of principles called “just war theory” to determine if and when it is right to go to war. Somewhat playfully, we refer to the following peacebuilding principles as “just ward theory,” because the peacebuilding potential of the Restoration is most fully realized when our local congregations—from branches and wards to stakes and missions—are mobilized to bring about greater peace for individuals and communities.