Peace Shall Destroy Many by Rudy Wiebe
"Peace Shall Destroy Many," authored by Rudy Wiebe, is a novel set in 1944 in a remote region of northern Saskatchewan, focusing on the struggles of a young Mennonite, Thom Wiens. The narrative explores Thom's journey as he grapples with the tensions between his faith, the expectations of his church community, and the realities of a nation at war. Central to the story is the authoritarian figure of Deacon Peter Block, who enforces strict adherence to Mennonite traditions while fostering a life separate from broader societal influences. As Thom becomes increasingly aware of the inconsistencies within these teachings, he begins to question the church's stance on nonresistance, language, and racial divisions.
The novel delves into themes of identity, truth, and the essence of faith, as Thom confronts his own beliefs against the backdrop of his community's practices. Through his experiences, he learns that the true nature of peace and faith extends beyond cultural norms and institutional authority. The narrative ultimately suggests that personal understanding and introspection are crucial for a meaningful spiritual life. "Peace Shall Destroy Many" not only reflects on the complexities of Mennonite beliefs but also invites readers to consider broader questions about faith, community, and individual responsibility in times of crisis.
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Peace Shall Destroy Many by Rudy Wiebe
First published: 1962
The Work
Peace Shall Destroy Many, set in an isolated area of northern Saskatchewan in 1944, details a young Mennonite’s growing awareness of the conflicting demands among his Christian faith, his church community, and his country at war. The novel is Rudy Wiebe’s first, and it aroused considerable controversy among North American Mennonites.
In the spring of 1944, Thom Wiens, working on his father’s farm and awaiting his military call, begins his quest for the truth within and beyond “the traditions of the fathers.” The acknowledged leader of the Wapiti Mennonite Church and community is Deacon Peter Block, who financed the trip and land for the Mennonites he brought to Canada from Russia. He controls the church and community with an iron hand, having led them to this isolated region where they can live separate from worldly influences and raise their children in peace. Thom, encouraged by the teacher Joseph Dueck, starts to question some of the trappings of their faith: their extreme position of nonresistance, the requirement of speaking German in all church services, and their disdain of their Indian and mixed-race neighbors.
As summer, fall, and winter proceed, Thom confronts his feelings about the war. He questions the practice of allowing others to fight and die so that he can live in peace. Simultaneously, events in the community affect his understanding of the Christian faith, and he wonders where truth is to be found. Joseph leaves to join the Restricted Medical Corps, an option the Canadian Conference, but not Deacon Block, allows. Thom, to be useful where he is, takes over Joseph’s Sunday school class of non-Mennonites, but has it impressed on him that none of those “half breeds and Indians” will be allowed to join the Mennonite church. Block’s desire to buy out the non-Mennonites raises the issue of Mennonite identity: Is it Christian and inclusive or ethnic and exclusive?
A significant issue for Thom is the base of his belief. Others trust the Mennonite traditions as interpreted by Deacon Block, although they say the Bible is their authority. Thom struggles to reconcile his understanding of Scripture with Mennonite teachings: Is truth what he has been taught or what he understands the Bible to say? Is “peace” simply to live “undisturbed by the world?” He realizes that the faith of his friend Pete, the deacon’s son, has no substance of its own to stand firm in a crisis.
In the end, the deacon’s authority is shattered by his children, for whom he has built the community. The deacon has not kept evil out by excluding external influences; evil has assaulted from within, from the fallen human nature. All in the community suffer and cause suffering from their own hidden, unconfessed sins. The community has an understanding of truth, however, that sustains it in the face of the deacon’s fall. Thom, recognizing his own “two faces,” forsakes the destructive, sham peace of Deacon Block to seek a true, inner peace and Christ’s path for himself. His questions are not all resolved, but the novel shows that faith is more meaningful than its cultural trappings and a leader’s rules.
Bibliography
Suderman, Elmer F. “Universal Values in Rudy Wiebe’s Peace Shall Destroy Many.” In A Voice in the Land: Essays by and About Rudy Wiebe, edited by W. J. Keith. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: NeWest Press, 1981.
Whaley, Susan. Rudy Wiebe and His Works. Toronto: ECW Press, 1983.
Wiebe, Rudy. “An Author Speaks About His Novel.” In A Voice in the Land: Essays by and About Rudy Wiebe, edited by W. J. Keith. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: NeWest Press, 1981.