Gene Stoltzfus

Who was Gene Stoltzfus?

Mervin Eugene "Gene" Stoltzfus was an American peace activist, international development worker, founding director of Christian Peacemaker Teams, and pioneer in the international peace team movement. Drawing upon his Mennonite roots in pacifism and conscientious objection, Stoltzfus played a critical role in the anti-war movement among American aid workers in Vietnam in the 1960s, and helped shape diverse efforts of the global peace and justice community over the next forty years. As long-time director of CPT, he developed a practical vision of international justice-making through the use of grassroots faith-based peace teams, trained in the discipline of nonviolent direct action.