In today's episode of Good on Wood (*part two of two) we continue our conversation with Robert Ellsberg & Nancy Forest about the life and legacy of Jim Forest, lifelong peace activist, contemplative and prolific writer. We also spend some time in dialog with Dr Andrew Klager from the Jim Forest Institute for Religion, Peace & Justice, exploring the significant impact Jim had on his life and the the ways in which JFI continues Jim’s work by training a new generation of peacebuilding.
About Robert Ellsberg
Robert Ellsberg is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Orbis Books, where he has worked for 38 years. His friendship with Jim Forest endured for fifty years, including his work editing twelve of Jim's books for Orbis. In his youth, he served (like Jim) as managing editor of The Catholic Worker, and went on to edit six volumes of Dorothy Day's writings, including her diaries and letters. He has also written many books on saints and moral witnesses, including All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets and Witnesses for Our Time and Blessed Among Us (drawn from his daily contributions to Give Us This Day.
About Nancy Forest
Nancy Forest is a Dutch-English literary translator living in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. She and Jim Forest were married in 1982, although their friendship started in 1974 when they were both working at the Fellowship of Reconciliation in Nyack, New York. In 1989 they became partners in a business they called Forest-Flier Editorial Services, but their partnership extended far beyond that and included raising children, prayer, reading books and poetry together, editing each other’s work, travel, and trying to make sense of it all. In 2004 Jim was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and began kidney dialysis. In 2007 Nancy donated a kidney to him. As Jim wrote in his dedication to Nancy in his last book, Eyes of Compassion: Learning from Thich Nhat Hanh, they were “collaborators in just about everything.”
About Andrew Phillip Klager
Dr. Andrew Phillip Klager is the Provost & Vice-Chancellor of St. Stephen's University; founding Director of The Jim Forest Institute for Religion, Peace & Justice; and Professor of Religion and Peace Studies. He lives in Yarrow, British Columbia with his wife of 22+ years and three children, with another who has already flown the coop and lives nearby in Aldergrove, and is an avid Red Sox fan, loves to read, and has a deep appreciation for art, poetry, and music, especially as they intersect with theology and peacebuilding. Andrew earned a PhD in Religious Studies and History from the University of Glasgow focusing on Anabaptist-Mennonite history and theology including the 16th-century Anabaptist peace tradition(s) and has completed continuing studies in Interfaith Conflict Resolution and Conflict Analysis from the United States Institute of Peace.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Nancy’s obituary for Jim:
https://incommunion.org/2023/04/09/no-borders-remembering-jim-by-nancy-forest/
Robert’s obituary for Jim in the National Catholic Reporter:
Orbis Books Jim Forest Page:
https://orbisbooks.com/search?q=Jim+Forest&options%5Bprefix%5D=last
Robert’s reflection on his lifelong friendship with Jim:
https://incommunion.org/2023/05/03/jim-forest-a-pilgrimage-of-friendship-by-robert-ellsberg/
Jim's Flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimforest/
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To learn more about St Stephen's University and all of our program offerings in Theology & Culture, Peace & Justice, or Reconciliation Studies visit us at - ssu.ca
Music for this episode provided by John & David from The Brilliance & our own Steve Schallert