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All Catholics are Zapatistas, all paramilitaries are Evangelicals, and Jesus is a member of the PRI party. These stereotypes may sound far-fetched, but to many involved in the struggle for land, food, and religious freedom in Chiapas, Mexico, they represent long-held truths. Religious divisions that do exist have been exacerbated by misconceptions such as these under a strategy of low-intensity warfare. Creatively seeking to induce further conflict among indigenous groups, and using 'religious divisions' as one label on which to pin responsibility for current problems, the Mexican government has systematically fanned flames of unrest between churches. Doing so has allowed the government to further justify its military presence as a 'peace-keeping force'. The situation is further exacerbated by the government's citing Romans 13 to keep evangelical paramilitaries under its thumb. Tensions exploded when, in 1998 in the highland community of Acteal, a predominantly Presbyterian paramilitary force slaughtered 45 men, women, and children, all members of the pacifist group Las Abejas (the Bees).

But into this maelstrom has blown a calming zephyr from the Holy Spirit. Seeking new ways to foster peace between churches in a conflict that is often Christian fighting against Christian, several United Church of Christ missionaries joined hands with the Diocese of San Cristobal to create a space for ecumenical dialogue. In 1998, with its first course on conflict resolution, the Ecumenical Bible School was born.

The school began with the idea of bridging Catholics and Presbyterians, but soon Baptists joined the mix. "And then," in the words of Eduardo "Lalo" Rodriguez, an MCC pastor teaching at the school, "something funny happened-- Catholics and Protestants started reading the Bible together."

And once these ecumenical weekend Bible studies began, old divisions and misunderstandings began to crumble away like so many inconsistencies in a logical argument.

A major supporter of this new dialogue in Chiapas was the then Bishop of the San Cristobal Diocese, Samuel Ruiz. In their first meeting, Ruiz had challenged Lalo to "be radically Mennonite", because of the peace witness Mennonites had to offer Chiapas.

"If you will be radical Mennonites and we be radical Catholics," Ruiz told Lalo, "we'll meet on the road to peace." Lalo doesn't hesitate to emphasize the importance of Ruiz's role in breaking down divisions in Chiapas, going so far as to call Ruiz the modern-day reincarnation of Bartolome de Las Casas, a 16th-century bishop in Chiapas who defended the indigenous peoples against the blood-thirsty Conquistadors.

The Ecumenical Bible School has tried to continue, in a structured setting, the kind of ecumenical reconciliation work begun by Ruiz. The school's theological approach is similar to that of the Diocese as well, applying a theology of liberation.

"We think that if a gospel is preached that doesn't liberate people," Lalo says, "it's not the gospel of Jesus."

The school's emphasis on the liberating nature of the Gospel is directly reflected in the kinds of courses it offers: ones that deal with all aspects of peoples' lives, from the mundane to the theoretical. There are courses in community health, women's issues, and organic agriculture, as well as courses more commonly associated with Bible schools, such as Christology, Pastoral training, and conflict resolution.

The school provides a place for men and women of different denominations to meet and read the Bible, to eat, sleep, and pray together, and realize that they are all brothers and sisters in Christ. The school is open to anyone who wants to come, be they Catholic or Protestant, Zapatista, or even paramilitary-all are invited.

"We believe in a peace very different from most people's idea of peace here in Chiapas," Lalo says. "Many think peace simply means getting rid of hostile groups. We believe that peace means healing the broken-ness between people."

When asked about the hardships of working with groups that hate each other, Lalo reflects that, "We (at the school) have had very rich experiences that make us forget the difficulties. For instance, we've had groups meet for a 3-day weekend Bible study. At the beginning Catholics and Protestants wouldn't even speak to each other. But by the end of course, people from one group were asking how they could serve the other group, even asking what specific ways they could pray for one another.

"We aren't a group of experts here at the Bible school," says Lalo, when asked about such successful meetings between previously hostile churches. "It's only the Spirit of God that guides us."

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit -- just as you were called to one hope when you were called -- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."