Berrigan remembers Rev. Jack Lewis during peace activism weekend

Berrigan

By Franklin Crawford

A talk and a tribute by legendary peace activist and former Cornell chaplain the Rev. Daniel Berrigan drew a standing room only crowd to Barnes Hall Sept. 20, as part of the "Celebrating Peace Activism: America Is Still Hard to Find" activities held over the weekend at Cornell.

Berrigan delivered a lyrical, sometimes cryptic, lamentation during an evening devoted in large part to the memory of the late Rev. Jack Lewis. Lewis led Cornell United Religious Work (CURW) from 1965 to 1981, serving as an agent of reconciliation and a stabilizing presence on campus before, during and after the volatile period of the Vietnam War -- a war that Lewis opposed -- and the civil rights movement -- of which Lewis was a powerful campus advocate.

Berrigan's address followed a 21-minute video honoring Lewis' life and work. The grassroots presentation was created by Ithaca resident Kenny Ritter, with help from Cornell alumnus Tim Marchell '82, and it included footage of Lewis and interviews with several Cornell community members, past and present. Among those interviewed for the film were Cal Walker, associate director of Cornell's Learning Strategies Center; and Kenneth Clarke, current CURW director.

Walker described Lewis, who died in 2002, as a "minister of reconciliation" who "practiced what he preached. ... A Jack Lewis doesn't come along very often," said Walker. "He was a sage and a visionary and he was ahead of his time in terms concerning the type of community we could evolve into."

An image of the late Rev. Jack Lewis is projected during a documentary on his life, Sept. 20, in Barnes Hall auditorium, prior to a remembrance by the Rev. Daniel Berrigan. Robert Barker/University Photography

Lewis helped nurture many extant programs at Cornell, including the Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy. He also helped create Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service and co-founded the Festival of Black Gospel.

Berrigan, an American Jesuit priest as well as a poet, playwright, teacher and civil disobedience activist, was chaplain at Cornell in 1970 when his anti-Vietnam War resistance activities -- including burning draft registration records -- resulted in a three-year prison sentence, which he went underground to avoid. During the anti-war "America Is Hard to Find Weekend" at Cornell that year, fugitive Berrigan appeared briefly before an audience in Barton Hall and, disguised, evaded authorities. He stayed underground for several months, until federal authorities tracked him down and he was imprisoned for 18 months. After that, he was arrested frequently for his continuing protest activities and still managed to author more than 50 books.

Of Lewis, Berrigan said, "When I lost my good friend, I lost a half of my soul." Berrigan also was referring to his brother, Phillip Berrigan, also a peace activist, who died in December 2002.

Riffing from the text of his 1996 book, Isaiah: Spirit of Courage, Gift of Tears, Berrigan gave a talk peppered with his signature neologisms, such as the "omnicide" of nuclear proliferation. His talk relied on tautological references to the famous biblical quote from the Book of Isaiah: "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Now in his 80s, the activist priest continues to push a nonviolent call to action against war in a militaristic world.

In a question-and-answer period following his talk, a woman in the audience said she was "in despair" and asked if Berrigan concurred that present social justice issues strongly resemble those of the Vietnam era.

Berrigan said there are many positive efforts throughout the world "against this horrible misadventure in Iraq" that are not getting much media attention. He also described his work with students in New York City and how their direct experiences at peace rallies, especially when confronting an aggressive police force, awakened their sense of urgency.

As for being in despair, he said, "at this point in my life, I consider it a luxury that's beyond my means."