Preface
CREATING THE BELOVED COMMUNITY
A Journey with the Fellowship of Reconcilation

Paul R. Dekar

In 1957 Martin Luther King Jr., member of the Advisory Council of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), wrote Fellowship, FOR’s official magazine, that "love might well be the salvation of our civilization. . . ." and that the end to be sought "is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community."

These profound words sum up the overarching purpose of the Fellowship of Reconciliation during its ninety-year history. This history is a "treasure in earthen vessels" (2 Cor. 4:7); we are humbled by both the exalted purpose and how far we need to go to reach it.

We are grateful that this nonviolent vision has inspired us to work boldly in the struggle for peace and justice, in season and out, through most of the twentieth century and now into the twenty-first. A powerful sign of hope is the way the philosophy and practice of nonviolence have spread throughout the world over the past century.

From its first beginning as a Christian pacifist organization in Europe and North America, FOR has spread around the world and has expanded its base and membership to include men and women who embrace the nonviolent path from other faith traditions.

We are indebted to Paul Dekar for writing this history of the United States FOR after personal interviews with FOR leaders around the country and diligent research in FOR records, particularly at FOR’s official archives at the Swarthmore Peace Collection and at Shadowcliff, the FOR National Headquarters in Nyack, New York.

It is my privilege to commend this fine history to you.

—Pat Clark, Executive Director
Fellowship of Reconciliation, Nyack, New York

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