World News and Trends: Will this world ever see peace?
The 17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza said, "Peace is not an absence of war" (1670).
The 17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza said, "Peace is not an absence of war" (1670). The 20th century certainly proved his point. World War I was termed "the war to end all wars"; at least 10 million were killed with another 20 million wounded. Yet within 20 years, rumblings of a second world war were beginning to shake Europe.
Follow World War II with the Korean War, Vietnam, the first Gulf War, Sept. 11, Afghanistan and Iraq. Now we have North Korea and Iran, one with nuclear weapons and the other eagerly pursing them, to worry about. Meanwhile, terrorist acts continue above the din of nuclear threats.
Jesus Christ said that the end of this age would be marked by "wars and rumors of wars" (Matthew 24:6). In spite of mankind's best efforts, the world remains a very dangerous place. Yet this tired, battered old world will one day see lasting peace (Isaiah 2:4). God promised it; you can count on it.
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: November - December 2004
Course Content
Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
