BYU-Idaho political science professor Medlir Mema, along with junior Caleb Washington, combined data from worldwide membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Uppsala Conflict Data Programs to find that more Church members are living with security concerns from intrastate, cartel, domestic and community violence.
After hearing this, one might want to hide away until Christ’s second coming, according to the study, but “(The Church) teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ, with the knowledge that living these principles limits contention and hostilities,” says the Church’s recently updated political neutrality and participation statement.
“How can a community create and maintain conditions for peaceful coexistence?” Mema and Washington ask in the study.
Mema and Washington propose that members turn outward to build Zion as a community and not just within the Church.
One step they suggest is measuring and reporting members’ community engagement.
“I don’t see how you can be a follower of Christ and not be involved,” said Trent Rose, a political science professor at BYU-I.
Melaney Tagg, a relief society president in Virginia, is an example of how Mema feels members should implement gospel principles of peacemaking in the community.
Tagg, after being abhorred by contention between members of the LGBTQ+ community and the religious community in a school board meeting, decided to build trust between the two parties by inviting them to talk together in a neutral setting, according to an article by Deseret News.
“Church has been instrumental in helping develop the skills that are required to be an effective leader,’ said a youth in an article by the Church newsroom.
BYU-I students can find suggestions for how to get engaged here.
“Peacemaking is a choice,” said Russel M. Nelson, President of the Church, in his April 2023 general conference address Peacemakers Needed. “You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.”
