David Weaver-Zercher, co-author of "Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy" Click on image to download print-quality version
	Click on image to download print-quality version

GRANTHAM, Pa. (Sept. 5, 2007) — David Weaver-Zercher, whose expertise about Amish culture and faith was highly-sought after the tragic Nickel Mines school shootings last October, will give a lecture, “Amish Grace: Reflections on the Nickel Mines School Shooting One Year Later,” on Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in Hostetter Chapel on Messiah College’s Grantham campus.  The lecture is free and open to the public. 

The Amish example of forgiveness and the public response to this action will be the foundation for Weaver-Zercher’s lecture.  Weaver-Zercher, chair of the department of biblical and religious studies at Messiah College, is co-author of “Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy” (Jossey-Bass, 2007).  The book, available Sept. 21, examines how “the story of Amish forgiveness eclipsed the story of schoolhouse slaughter” by exploring the habit, roots, spirituality and practice of forgiveness among the Amish.  The book has already earned praise from “Booklist” and “Publisher’s Weekly,” who wrote, “This intelligent, compassionate and hopeful book is a welcome addition to the growing literature on forgiveness.”  A book signing will follow the lecture.

Donald Kraybill, senior fellow at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College, and Steven Nolt, professor of history at Goshen College, are the book’s other co-authors.