Jim Douglass
Jim Douglass (born 1937) is an author, theologian and peace activist.
Douglass was raised in British Columbia and attended Catholic schools. He studied nuclear physics at the University of California at Berkeley and served in the U. S. Army. He graduated from Santa Clara University where he met Catholic Worker founder Dorothy Day and started writing for that publication. He was also deeply influenced by Thomas Merton's concept of "the unspeakable" with regard to the world's evils.
Douglass participated unofficially as a peace lobbyist at the Second Vatican Council in Rome. He taught religion at the University of Hawaii ad joined the student-led Hawaiian Resistance in protesting the Vietnam War. He was arrested and jailed for obstructing a military convoy with that group.
In 1977 he and his wife, Shelley founded the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in Poulsbo, Washington to protest against the disposition of Trident missiles at Naval Submarine Base Bangor on the nearby Kitsap Peninsula. They and other activists established the "Pacific Life Community" as an experiment in living in an entirely non-violent society. The Ground Zero Center became involved in nationwide protests of the 'White Train" which carried nuclear warheads to the base in Washington. It was in that campaign that the Douglasses became acquainted with the Ensley area.
The couple soon moved to Ensley and established Mary's House, a Catholic Worker house which shelters the homeless and long-term indigents as well as the families of low-income patients at Birmingham hospitals. An active anti-war protester, Douglass is among those who demonstrate weekly at Five Points South. He has participated in several peace missions to the Middle East, including one sponsored by the Christian Peacemaker Team which stayed with civilians during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
In 1997 the Douglasses were given the "Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award" by the Quad Cities Pacem in Terris Coalition.
Publications
- Douglass, James W. (1968) The Non-Violent Cross: A Theology of Revolution and Peace. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock ISBN 9781597526081
- Douglass, James W. (1972) Resistance and Contemplation: The Way of Liberation. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock ISBN 9781597526098
- Douglass, James W. (1983) Lightning East to West: Jesus, Gandhi, and the Nuclear Age. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock ISBN 9781597526104
- Douglass, James W. (1991) The Nonviolent Coming of God. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock ISBN 9781597526111
- Douglass, James W. (2008) JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why it Matters. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books ISBN 9781570757556
- Douglass, James W. (2012) Gandhi and the Unspeakable: His Final Experiment with Truth. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books
References
- Anderson, George M. (February 26, 2007) "Interview with Jim Douglass: Believing in the Miracles of Peace" America
- Sherman, Karen Holsinger (2007) A Question of Being: The Integration of Resistance and Contemplation in James Douglass's Theology of Nonviolence. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock. ISBN 9781556351440
- Garrison, Greg (May 13, 2012) "Birmingham author Jim Douglass examines Gandhi path to martyrdom." The Birmingham News