In this new bi-monthly column called Missional matters, Julian Doorey explores a mix of peace, justice, community and witness. He and his wife Claire served in Bangladesh with Arotahi/NZBMS for 13 years. They worship at Caversham Baptist Church in Dunedin.
The world is increasingly polarised and violent. The ‘rules-based system’ is fracturing. From devastation in Gaza and Ukraine, to war in Iran and rising Pacific tensions, the world is reverting to a military invasion model. Nations are re-arming and alliances hardening. As a Christian, I find it distressing to witness nations claiming Judeo-Christian roots, gloating over the destruction of ‘enemies’ - innocent people made in God’s image. What happened to our Judeo-Christian ethic of fairness and love, often touted as having built superior Western societies?
Where do we find an example of peace? Ironically, not in the modern-day Holy Land, but rather in Aotearoa New Zealand’s own history - the story of Parihaka. Parihaka was an historic Māori village in Taranaki founded in the 1860s by two prophets, Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi. The community emerged during a period of immense upheaval for Māori. Large areas of land were confiscated by the colonial government - 1.2 million acres in Taranaki, often under questionable claims of rebellion. Villages were destroyed, crops burned and communities displaced.
*Photo of a Parihaka family household
Parihaka became something different: a refuge, a place of worship, a living experiment in Jesus’ teachings. Methodist Christian missionary teaching, especially Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, strongly influenced the community. Instead of responding to injustice with repeated cycles of violent Utu (reciprocity/revenge) they chose non-violent civil disobedience. This included rebuilding fences, removing survey pegs and ploughing previously taken fields. When government forces arrested people doing these actions, others replaced them.
On 5 November 1881 the government sent nearly 1,600 armed troops to invade the village. Expecting resistance, they instead encountered the community sitting peacefully, hymn singing, young people offering bread, elders praying and unarmed leaders. The soldiers destroyed homes and crops, looted property, abused women and girls, dismantled food stores, killed animals and dispersed the settlement. Te Whiti and Tohu were arrested for ‘sedition’. Hundreds of Parihaka men were imprisoned without trial and marched to the South Island for slave labour, some building harbour rock walls in Dunedin. From prison, Te Whiti preached peace, wrote of forgiveness, and taught that the future belongs to those walking the peace path.
Parihaka did not achieve an obvious victory for Māori. But, it left a powerful legacy: a community attempting to live out Jesus’ words in the face of injustice - loving enemies and making peace.
*Photo of government armed forces
That legacy raises uncomfortable questions for us today. In our current global climate, countries are increasingly framing international relations via defensive alliances and military power. Defence spending is rising dramatically. New Zealand is under pressure to increase its military budget from 1% to 2% of GDP. This might not sound much, but New Zealand’s overseas development assistance (ODA), that supports poverty reduction, education, health and climate resilience in mostly poorer Pacific countries, is shrinking from a miserly high of 0.34% in 2023 to 0.24%. Development practitioners have long argued that long-term peace is built far more effectively through cooperation, trust and economic opportunity, rather than projection of military power.
During 13 years of living and working in Bangladesh, I saw this at village level. Christians are a microscopic 0.2% minority living among Muslims (90%), Hindus (9.5%) and Buddhists (0.2%). Yet, church-based community development projects became spaces where people of different faiths worked together for improved education, health and livelihoods. A huge outcome was greater trust and cooperation between different religious communities that otherwise were more divided. This was the ‘gospel of peace’ in action - transforming individuals and societies.
With respect to South Pacific tensions between the superpowers USA and China, there is no better peace-making strategy for New Zealand, than funding sustainable development, working closely with Pacific neighbours. Peace grows when people work together for the common good.
Jesus’ teaching about peace-making, loving enemies and turning the other cheek has never been easy. Christians disagree about how literally it should apply to matters of war and national defence. Some believe Jesus followers should never take life (non-violent action). Others believe deadly force can prevent greater injustice (just war theory). Should we dismiss Jesus’ peace commands as unrealistic - exaggerations to make a point?
The local Baptist church I attend, participated in a survey after the Advent peace message (Dec 2025). Individuals confidentially answered the question: Did Jesus mean literally for his followers to ‘Love their enemies and turn the other cheek’ (Matt 5:38-45)? Out of 82 responses, 74% ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’, 14% ‘strongly disagreed’ or ‘disagreed’, while 11% ‘didn’t know / unsure’. This suggests a faith within our pews open to exploring practical peace-making.
*Results from survey question: Did Jesus mean literally for his followers to ‘Love their enemies and turn the other cheek (Matt 5:38-45)? One Dunedin Baptist church survey response (Dec 2025). 82 participants.
On reflection, the above survey question didn’t indicate how victims of violence could respond, for example, departing from domestic abuse. A better question might be: ‘Do Jesus peace teachings support only non-violent response to conflict?’ I wonder how NZ Baptists would respond?
I encourage you to take part in the anonymous online survey (click here to access the survey). This will be open for 4 weeks, followed by a report back.
Parihaka peace was not the passive sentimentality of a Christmas card. It was a brave, non-violent response to conflict. Parihaka is a taonga (treasure), in New Zealand’s history. In a re-arming world, drifting toward more conflict and war, I believe the role of Jesus' followers remains clear: we must be the peace-makers (if not us, then who?). Whether in our homes or our foreign policy, the future belongs to those walking the peace path. I invite NZ Baptists to reflect on whether ‘peace-making’ is an optional extra or at the very heart of following Jesus.
Images supplied.
