Workshops, Classes, and Retreats Offered:

Praying at the Roots of Violence: How can we proactively address violence and injustice in ways that grow out of our spiritual lives? In what ways do issues of justice and peace connect with our spiritual practices and experiences? By looking at the causes of violence in and around us and the ways we each open up to God, these sessions will explore possibilities for spiritually grounded peacebuilding. Stories, interactive discussions and activities will be used to respond to these questions.

The History and Strategies of Nonviolent Alternatives to War :  How have nonviolent social movements overthrown dictators, gained independence for their nations, and fought for civil rights? What are the methods and principles of nonviolent action that make them work? When and where have the methods of nonviolence been effective and when have they failed? This course will examine the strategies for nonviolent social change put forward by Gandhi, King, and others – and apply these ideas to contemporary case studies. Special attention will be paid to the current war on terrorism. Is there a nonviolent solution to this struggle?

Nonviolence in the Next 50 Years: Previous nonviolent action campaigns have brought down dictators, gained civil rights, and much more--but compared with military strategy, the development of nonviolent action is still in its infancy.  What have been limits of previous nonviolent campaigns?  What are the growing edges of nonviolence as it is applied to contemporary struggles such as the prevention of terrorism and movements for global economic justice?  This workshop will interactively explore visions and possibilites for nonviolent action in the next decades and look to what steps we could take right now to move toward those visions.

Many additional topics offered.  Contact Michael to discuss possibilities.  Previous training titles have included:

Nonviolence and Hitler
Minneapolis Police/Community Conflict Resolution
Justice, Violence, and Prayer
Class, Race, and Protest
Conflict Resolution in the Workplace
Spreading the Technology of Interpersonal Nonviolence
Simple Living
Welcoming Diversity in Friends Meetings
Martin Luther King and Nonviolence
Conflict Resolution Skills Needed for Mediation
Creating Dialogue for Positive Change among Progressive Student Organizations
Transformative Approaches to Justice and Peacemaking
Criminal Justice and Peacemaking
Voices from the Inside [Inside Prison]
Principles of Restorative Justice
Claiming the Power of Nonviolence, Personally and Politically

Michael Bischoff does training, facilitation, and research about social change as an independent consultant. Last year he completed a Masters degree in Conflict Transformation at Eastern Mennonite University. He is a Quaker, a new Dad, and loves God a whole bunch. Michael was formerly the Executive Director of Friends for a Non-Violent World, a peace organization in the Twin Cities. He currently lives as part of the Visitation Neighbors community, who are committed to being a prayerful presence in North Minneapolis.

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