The February UCLA Monthly featured UCLA alumnus Ralph J. Bunche, a Nobel Peace laureate and undersecretary of the United Nations, who died recently. I was struck forcefully by a quotation from this man who devoted his life to the effort to bring peace. Dr. Bunche said: “One must believe that man can be saved—or salvaged—from his inevitable follies, that all problems of human relations are soluble … that conflict situations, however deep-seated, bitter and prolonged, can be resolved; that a world at peace, is in fact, attainable.”
Christians should always strive to be peace-makers, but neither history nor Scripture suggests that men can achieve world peace. The widespread peace at the time of the Pax Romana, when the Temple of Janus was closed, was brought about by Rome’s military power and all too soon yielded to bloody wars. What Bunche said would be correct if all men were saved and sanctified through Jesus Christ. But multitudes continue to spurn him and go their self-centered ways. Without Jesus there can be neither salvation, world peace, nor the resolution of all human conflicts.
Christians do believe that a golden age will dawn. But it will come only when Jesus breaks into history the second time. That belief is part of our Easter faith. “Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus.”
