The United Nations: History, Accomplishments, and Current Challenges         Email a friend

Almost a century from the outbreak of World War I, the dream of peace among the nations still seems far away. Is the United Nations the solution, or just part of the problem?

The United Nations is an organization with grand goals, yet is frequently undermined by the weakness of its structure. Without nation-state political force of its own, without jurisdiction or fundraising ability, it still attempts to do the work of providing food for hungry people, peace for beleaguered nations, and hope that the world might move past its violent tendencies toward a safer, more equitable future.

This one-session study looks at the genesis of the United Nations, its successes and its continuing missions and challenges. Using the prophet Isaiah’s vision of the “peaceable kingdom,” the Leader’s Guide offers options for participants to engage the topic through conversation, “mock” congregational hearings, art, and litanies of peacemaking.