Violence in all of its forms must be condemned and stopped.
On Palm Sunday in the Ukrainian city of Sumy, a Russian airstrike killed more than 30 people and injured many dozens more while they celebrated the holiday in broad daylight.[1] Video clips from the scene show large explosions in a city center, significant damage to buildings and apartments, vehicle fires, and injured civilians among the dead scattered across sidewalks. The horrific scene is a terrible reminder of the violence others are regularly under the threat of at this very moment.
Attacks on civilians are considered war crimes under international law.[2] There is no justification for such egregious acts, and those who commit them must be held accountable. As people of hope and change, it’s our responsibility to promote the values of peace, justice, and nonviolence—in our neighborhoods and around the world. We do so with our voices, peaceful demonstrations, and commitment to creating change.
Violence in all of its forms must be condemned and stopped.
The tragic irony of Sunday’s Holy Day attack in Ukraine is what Palm Sunday commemorates—a nonviolent demonstration against those who insist on violence and oppression to achieve their goals. As the story is told in the New Testament, Jesus of Nazareth is given an impromptu parade by his followers through the crowded city streets of Jerusalem. In its first-century historical context, this was a political demonstration against the Roman Empire that used strict laws, force, and violence to maintain its authoritarian order and power. It was also a religious demonstration to claim that Christ (God’s chosen savior) has come from among common people, not a royal family, the political elite, or descended from the heavens.
If these claims weren’t radical and threatening enough for the autocratic rule of ancient Rome—and they most certainly were—Palm Sunday observes the climax of a new movement. That movement would eventually contribute to the fall of the Empire and create one of the world’s most prominent faith traditions, Christianity. At its core were its new beliefs and teachings for individual and social living: it’s better to build than do violence, better to do good than evil, and better to forgive than hate.
Direct military action against civilian homes, schools, libraries, hospitals, and places of worship is the epitome of injustice and evil. But this is not the only form of violence from recent days that must be condemned. Violence is any action that uses force with the intent to harm or destroy. An arson attack on the home of a sitting politician and his family[3], the destruction of a hospital in Gaza[4], and the unilateral upending of the global economy[5,6] are just some of the headlines on humanity’s propensity to violence that undermine our existence. These times do not call for panic but resolve to believe in and co-create a better tomorrow.
It’s better to build than do violence, better to do good than evil, and better to forgive than hate.
People of hope and change do not ignore the news or shy away from the harsh realities of life, but engage it with curiosity, compassion, and courage. The cure for violence requires a deep commitment to the values of hope such as holistic perspectives to understand and support the interconnectedness of the world, openness to create safe spaces for dialogue and diversity, progressive solutions that prioritize innovation and sustainable change, and equitable outcomes that ensure justice and goodness are upheld as the highest virtue. We are not wishful dreamers. We hope because we believe in our shared capacity to embrace the ways that promise to create a better world for ourselves, each other, and the world.
Hope is about action; creating the change we want in the world. That world is a reality free from senseless violence that targets the innocent and destroys lives, economies, and the environment, making everyone less secure and prosperous. In the spirit of Holy Week, let us be committed to condemning violence in all of its forms with just peace, community building, and compassion for our neighbors—whomever they may be. Such a movement has the power to turn the world right side up.
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/13/world/video/sumy-ukraine-russia-attack-palm-sunday-digvid
[2] https://unric.org/en/international-law-understanding-justice-in-times-of-war/
[4] https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/13/world/israel-strike-gaza-city-hospital-intl/index.html
[6] https://www.theatlantic.com/economy/archive/2025/04/bond-selloff-trump-economic/682363/
Matt Till 
2 responses to “Condemning Violence: A Call for Peace and Justice”
I had never really considered the “political philosophy of scripture” as an actual topic until today. Great reason for me to crack open a bible.
Thanks, Pastor Till!
Reading the Bible through the lens of historical political movements is an eye opening study! The New Testament is the most relatable given post-modernity’s fascination with ancient Rome and our constitutional framework for a democractic republic.
“Peace be with you.”