Fellowship of Reconciliation

Fellowship of Reconciliation
Name	Fellowship of Reconciliation
Founded	0 1914
Location	Nyack, New York, United States
Key people	Henry Hodgkin, Friedrich Siegmund-Schultze
Focus	Pacifism, Nonviolence, Social justice
Website	https://forusa.org

Fellowship of Reconciliation. The Fellowship of Reconciliation is an international, interfaith pacifist organization dedicated to promoting nonviolence, peace, and social justice. Founded in 1914 at the outset of World War I, it has grown into a network of affiliated groups in over fifty countries. Its work is rooted in the belief that love and active nonviolence provide the most powerful means for achieving lasting social transformation and resolving conflict.

History

The organization was founded in Cambridge, England in December 1914 by a German Lutheran pastor, Friedrich Siegmund-Schultze, and a British Quaker physician, Henry Hodgkin, who pledged to maintain their friendship and work for peace despite their nations being at war. An American branch was established in 1915 at a conference in Garden City, New York, with early leadership from Jane Addams and Norman Thomas. During World War II, it supported the rights of conscientious objectors and protested the internment of Japanese Americans. Throughout the Cold War, it promoted nuclear disarmament and dialogue, sponsoring delegations to the Soviet Union and Vietnam. Its long history includes consistent advocacy against militarism and for civil rights.

Principles and beliefs

The foundational principle is a commitment to nonviolence as a philosophy and a method for social change, inspired by the teachings of Jesus and other religious traditions. It affirms the sacredness of every person and the belief that evil is best overcome by love and active nonviolence. The organization is explicitly interfaith, drawing from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and other spiritual paths. Its beliefs reject all forms of war, preparation for war, and violence, advocating instead for the construction of a just and peaceful world order through reconciliation and nonviolent resistance.

Activities and campaigns

Its activities have spanned numerous social movements. It was a crucial training ground and supporter for the Civil rights movement, advising Martin Luther King Jr. and the Montgomery bus boycott. Members organized the first Freedom Rides in 1947, known as the Journey of Reconciliation, to challenge racial segregation on interstate buses. The group has consistently campaigned for nuclear disarmament, opposing weapons like the Trident missile and projects such as the Manhattan Project. More recent campaigns address Palestinian rights, immigration justice, police brutality, and closing the School of the Americas. It publishes the magazine *Fellowship* and conducts extensive nonviolence education.

Organizational structure

The Fellowship of Reconciliation operates as a decentralized network. The U.S. national office is located in Nyack, New York. Internationally, it is connected through the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, founded in 1919 and based in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Decision-making emphasizes consensus, and local chapters operate with significant autonomy. Affiliated groups include denominational fellowships like the Catholic Peace Fellowship and the Jewish Peace Fellowship. This structure allows for flexible, grassroots-driven activism while maintaining a cohesive international identity and shared resources.

Notable members

Throughout its history, it has attracted prominent activists, theologians, and thinkers. Key figures include pacifist minister A. J. Muste, who served as executive secretary for decades, and Bayard Rustin, the chief organizer of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Other notable members have included Dorothy Day of the Catholic Worker Movement, theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (who later dissented from its absolute pacifism), John Howard Yoder, and civil rights leader James Lawson. Authors like Thomas Merton and Daniel Berrigan were also associated with its work.

Impact and legacy

Its impact is profound in institutionalizing nonviolent direct action as a core tactic of modern social movements. The organization provided essential strategic and philosophical training that fueled the success of the American civil rights movement. It helped establish the legitimacy of conscientious objection in international law and public conscience. Its legacy includes inspiring and mentoring generations of activists and serving as a pioneering model for interfaith peace coalitions. The ongoing work of its international fellowship continues to address global conflicts, militarization, and injustice, upholding the vision of a world transformed by nonviolence.

Category:Pacifist organizations Category:Peace organizations Category:Organizations established in 1914