The Inconsistent Use of John 15:12 in Peace Shall Destroy Many

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Peace Shall Destroy Many, by Rudy Wiebe, is considered to be a groundbreaking novel. When first published in 1962, it became the, “first realistic novel ever written about Mennonites in western Canada” (RandomHouse.ca). The novel takes place during World War II, and is set in a community that has cut itself off from the rest of the world to strengthen their relationship with Christ. The founder of the community, Peter Block, leads this community to follow the traditional path of those before them, known as “the fathers.” It is the community’s Christian values of peace and love that are called into question by the 20-year old farmer, Thom Wiens, the main character in the novel. In John 15:12, the Bible states: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you” (New American Standard Bible, John. 15.12). By reading Peace Shall Destroy Many, the reader discovers that, in the Mennonite religion, this commandment means that everyone must be treated and loved equally. However, it is the inconsistent use of this commandant, by Thom's community that leads him to question the views and opinions of various influential people in his life. Thom sees that this commandment is applied inconsistently when trying to explain why certain members of the community were treated the way they were, why the Mennonites are pacifists, and why the Mennonites do not associate with the nearby Métis. It is through Thom's questions, on his quest to find truth, that he develops as an individual.

Thom first sees the inconsistent use of the commandment, stated in John 15:12, when trying to explain what happened with Herman Petkau and Peter's daughter Elizabeth. Herman is an orphan. Peter considers Herman to have a tainted ancestry ...

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...Métis as if they were someone from their own community. In light of this, Thom discovers that Bible is full of scriptures that are there to guide him through any uncertainty in his life.

Works Cited

BBC. "Christianity and the ethics of war." BBC - Religion. N.p., 3 Aug. 2009. Web. 14 Jan. 2012. .

New American standard Bible. Reference ed. New York: Collins, 1977. Print.

"Peace Shall Destroy Many." Random House.ca. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2012. .

Warnock, Adrian. "Loving God: A Guide for Beginners." adrianwarnock.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. .

Wiebe, Rudy. Peace Shall Destroy Many. 3 ed. Toronto: Vintage Canda, 2001. Print.

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