The Need for Courage: Experiments with Peace

Creative problem solving is an essential skill in any peacebuilder's toolbox. In this series, the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking will interview peacemakers from a wide range of professions and disciplines to explore time-tested and novel ways that nonviolent action can infuse creativity and pragmatism into addressing pressing issues in our communities.

The Need for Courage: Experiments with Peace is a news podcast hosted by MU Center for Peacemaking, with 22 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

MU Center for Peacemaking hosts The Need for Courage: Experiments with Peace, a news show with 22 episodes published.

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  The Need for Courage: Experiments with Peace

  Courage, Nonviolence, and Becoming Fully Human with Martin Sheen

  Sep 4, 202623 min

  What does it mean to live courageously in a world shaped by fear? In this episode of The Need for Courage , the Center for Peacemaking welcomes acclaimed actor, activist, and Marquette University honorary degree recipient Martin Sheen for a wide-ranging conversation on nonviolence, spirituality, community, and the lifelong work of peacemaking. Drawing on his friendships with figures such as Daniel Berrigan, his reflections on Mahatma Gandhi, and his engagement with the nonviolent teachings of Jesus, Sheen explores how fear often limits our humanity and how courage can set us free. He discusses poetry as a “proxy language of the spirit,” the challenges and rewards of nonviolent living, and why authentic faith must be lived rather than merely professed. Whether discussing activism, faith, poetry, or patriotism, Sheen offers a compelling invitation to become more fully human by embracing courage, community, and the practice of nonviolence. Listen to the Martin Sheen Podcast: https://martinsheenpodcast.com/

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  The Need for Courage: Experiments with Peace

  Universal Love, Civil Disobedience, and the Nonviolent Jesus with Fr. John Dear

  Aug 28, 202631 min

  In this episode of The Need for Courage , host John Byrne speaks with Father John Dear, peace activist, author, and Executive Director of the Beatitudes Center for the Nonviolent Jesus. Drawing on decades of advocacy, more than forty books, and a lifetime of work for peace and justice, Dear reflects on the nonviolence of Jesus, the spiritual foundations of civil disobedience, and the challenges facing peacemakers in a time of war, political polarization, nuclear threat, and climate crisis. The conversation explores Dear's latest book, Universal Love: Surrendering to the God of Peace , his longstanding collaboration with Terry Rynne and the Center for Peacemaking, lessons from leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Andrew Young, and Cornel West, and his hopes for forming a new generation of peacemakers. Ultimately, Dear offers a vision of hope grounded not in optimism, but in faithfulness to the work of nonviolence and universal compassion. You can find Dear’s new book, Universal Love: Surrendering to the God of Peace, here: https://johndear.org/universal-love-surrendering-to-the-god-of-peace/ Dear’s podcast, The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast, is here: https://beatitudescenter.org/podcast/

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  Episode #20

  Witnessing War, Choosing Hope: Courageous Peacemaking with Kathy Kelly

  Aug 21, 202630 minS1

  In this episode of The Need for Courage , host John Byrne speaks with renowned peace activist Kathy Kelly about the challenges and possibilities facing peacemakers today. Drawing on decades of experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, Central America, and beyond, Kelly reflects on the human costs of war, economic sanctions, forced migration, and growing global militarization. The conversation explores the importance of bearing witness to suffering, building relationships across borders, and embracing nonviolent action in the face of injustice. Kelly also discusses her work with Voices in the Wilderness and World BEYOND War, her experiences engaging in civil disobedience and serving time in prison, and the lessons young people can teach us about courage, solidarity, and hope. From the realities of conflict zones to practical ways individuals can get involved in peacemaking efforts, this episode offers a powerful reflection on what it means to choose courage in an increasingly uncertain world.

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  The Need for Courage: Experiments with Peace

  Healing Trauma, Practicing Nonviolence, and Reimagining Peacemaking with Basir Bita

  Aug 14, 202623 min

  What does peacemaking look like in a world shaped by war, displacement, trauma, and division? In this episode of The Need for Courage , host John Byrne speaks with Basir Bita, a clinical counselor, peace educator, writer, and longtime advocate for nonviolence. Drawing on his experiences as an Afghan refugee, mental health professional, and collaborator with Marquette University's Center for Peacemaking, Basir explores the connections between healing, resilience, and social change. The conversation examines the ongoing challenges facing Afghanistan, including restrictions on women and girls, economic hardship, migration, and the lasting effects of conflict. Basir also reflects on the role of mental health in peacemaking, the importance of listening to one another's stories, and how communities can respond to trauma with compassion rather than fear. Basir offers a powerful vision of peacemaking as a way of living rooted in connection, dignity, and hope. You can follow and read Basir's writing on Substack: https://basirbita.substack.com/

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  The Need for Courage: Experiments with Peace

  Building Peace through Grassroots Justice in Northeast India with Fr. Owen Chourappa, S.J.

  Aug 7, 202625 min

  What does peacemaking look like when it begins with access to justice? In this episode of The Need for Courage, host John Byrne speaks with Fr. Owen Chourappa, S.J., Executive Director of the Legal Cell for Human Rights in Northeast India. For nearly two decades, Fr. Owen and his team have empowered vulnerable communities by providing legal education, advocating for children's rights, combating human trafficking, and offering free legal representation to those who cannot afford it. Fr. Owen shares how the organization trains local youth as "barefoot lawyers" and paralegals, equipping them to educate their communities, connect families with government resources, resolve local disputes, and assist victims of trafficking. He also reflects on the importance of dignity, community empowerment, and the role of international partnerships, including the Center for Peacemaking's relationship with the Jesuits of Northeast India. Join us for a conversation about justice as a pathway to peace and how ordinary people can become powerful agents of change in their communities.

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