In a world beset by violence and division, the story of Peggy & Art Gish unveil a radical, incarnational faith that challenges us to embody love in the midst of chaos. Their life's work - centered in peace activism, nonviolent resistance, and deep spiritual practice - demonstrates that transformation begins within and radiates outward in the pursuit of healing justice in Iraq, Palestine, Chicago, rural Ohio and elsewhere. Today’s episode of Good on Wood explores how living out the gospel’s call to radical discipleship can change not only hearts but systems which breed violence, inspiring a boldness rooted in love and faithful risk-taking. Joined by Peggy Faw Gish and Cliff Kindy, we hear powerful stories from their five decades of activism - Art standing unarmed before the tanks in Hebron, Peggy working amidst children in war-torn Baghdad, and their collective journey through civil rights, anti-war movements, and international peacemaking. You’ll discover how their Church of the Brethren spirituality - grounded in the teachings of Jesus and lived out in community - serves as a wellspring of courage and clarity in the face of systemic evil. Their insights illuminate the spiritual disciplines that sustain them: prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and fearless engagement with opponents, embodying a faith that refuses to remain abstract or personal but insists on active, sacrificial love. Our conversation hinged on a call for revolutionary change - deep-rooted change - which starts inside each of us. Peggy and Cliff illustrate how the Spirit’s power fuels activism that’s both passionate and strategic, living as if the Kingdom has already come and building communities that reflect that hope. Their witness urges us to visualize a future where justice flows like a mighty river, and change begins with the courage to boldly embody that love today. As Peggy reminds us, “You don’t gotta” - but you get to - partner with God for justice, love, and peace. Whether you’re inspired to take small steps or big leaps, their stories challenge us to be courageous, curious, and uncompromising in living out the call of Jesus. Peggy and Art’s lifelong commitment to peace, justice, and faith stems from their long roots in the Community Peacemaker Teams witness, the Church of the Brethren pietism, and a radical understanding of discipleship. Their witness is a testament to what it means to live faithfully in a broken world—pointing not just to hope, but to the active love that transforms all of us. ABOUT CLIFF KINDY Kindy is a Midwestern farmer who eschews swords and is familiar with plowshares. An organic market farmer alongside his partner Arlene in Wabash County, Indiana, Cliff has worked for more than thirty years with Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), on the Steering Committee, and in the conflict zones of the world. From Gaza to Iraq, Nigeria to Colombia, and back to the United States, Kindy’s witness for peace reveals a hidden truth behind the work of Community Peacemaker Team, a civilian 'nonviolent special ops, ' who for more than thirty years have been infiltrating war zones to de-escalate violence, accompany peacemakers, and serve the victims of war--all for the sake of Jesus,’ nonviolence is most effective when it intentionally retakes the initiative from the actors of violence. ABOUT PEGGY FAW GISH Peggy Faw Gish was born in northern Nigeria to American missionaries. She grew up in Chicago and has been active in peace and justice work all of her adult life. She volunteered in Iraq with Community Peacemaker Teams before, during, and after the March 2003 US invasion. Her first book, Iraq: A Journey of Hope and Peace (2004), covers the first year and a half of the Iraq War. Her second book, Walking through Fire: Iraqis’ Struggle for Justice and Reconciliation (2013), picks up the story from 2004 to 2011. Peggy is a mother, grandmother, community mediator, and member of the Church of the Brethren. She has been an organic vegetable farmer and lives on the farm near Athens, Ohio, that she established with her late husband, Arthur “Art” Gish, another veteran peace activist. She loves to walk in the woods and loves to hunt wild mushrooms, fruits, and berries. COMMUNITY PEACEMAKER TEAMS CPT places teams at the invitation of local peacemaking communities that are confronting situations of lethal conflict. These teams support and amplify the voices of local peacemakers who risk injury and death by waging nonviolent direct action to confront systems of violence and oppression. CPT understands violence to be rooted in systemic structures of oppression. We are committed to undoing oppressions, starting within our own lives and in the practices of our organization. CPT enlists spiritual communities and individuals in an organized, nonviolent alternative to war. CPT’s initial roots among Mennonites, Church of the Brethren and Quakers have spread into a broad multi-faith network that supports spiritually-centered peacemaking, creative public witness, nonviolent direct action, and protection of human rights. TO LEARN MORE VISIT - cpt.org FOLLOW US * @goodonwood.podcast * @ststephensuniversity * @jfi_ssu * @steveschallert * @jarrodmckenna To learn more about St Stephen’s University and all of our program offerings in Theology & Culture, Peace & Justice, or Reconciliation Studies visit us at - ssu.c This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodonwoodpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
