Bethany Center is a small group of Christian friends and companions creating a space for spiritual and personal growth according to Jesus’ teaching of nonviolent humanity. Our present core community has gathered over the past dozen years and is committed to the ongoing discovery of what it means to be Christian in this critical moment of history.

Our Story

The Bethany Center for Nonviolent Theology and Spirituality comes out of a long journey, its first steps going back with Tony and Linda Bartlett to Italy and England. The Bartletts had several experiences of Christian community including with the Little Brothers of Jesus (Carlo Carretto) in Spello, Italy. They also participated in a Catholic-Worker-based nonviolent peace activist group in London, and headed up an ecumenical group serving a mission for homeless people in East London. Prior to this Tony was a priest in a Roman Catholic Order and developed a youth retreat center and innovated a small group faith development program (RCIA) in the UK. In 1993 the Bartletts came to Syracuse, New York where Tony gained a Ph.D. in Religion and Linda developed her career as a nurse and later a nurse practitioner. The couple have always sought to create small-group Christian community experience and in 1999 founded an intentional study and prayer community called Wood Hath Hope. This community went through numerous changes and mutations but has existed continuously from then to the present. In 2015 the community gained a permanent home at Bethany House on South Salina Street in Syracuse. In 2019 we changed our name to one that more clearly expressed our character and mission – Bethany Center for Nonviolent Theology and Spirituality.

The heart and soul of Wood Hath Hope and now Bethany Center has always been Bible Study and Prayer. Anyone is welcome, at any stage of their spiritual journey and Biblical knowledge. People come from all sorts of denominational and church backgrounds, low and high, liberal and evangelical. What we share is a thirst for a new understanding of God free of the violence of past theologies and yet with a strong confessional content. Many hundreds have attended out meetings over the years. Some moved on quickly, many have stayed for years. All have grown in knowledge and faith and in return have always helped the community grow and progress. Our growth together has brought us to the physical space of Bethany Center as a sign and expression of peace. Our logo encompasses several images – a cross, a flower, a butterfly, a transformation. Together they demonstrate our experience where each person has been fed by our studies and spirituality, but in turn have helped propagate the life of Bethany Center.

Some people and names indelible to our present experience and story are first and foremost Heather Scanlon, prayer leader, healer and teacher of Jesus yoga; Dana, sister of Heather, massage therapist, overflowing with spirit, faith and joy; Kat Korba, inspirational guide behind the Bethany Garden projects, disciple of faith and nonviolence. Maggie and Jerry, (and Carola fondly remembered), constant presence of faith, love and support; Cathy Morton, long time Valley resident and spiritual seeker with a soul for social justice and the cosmic Christ; Tom Law, life long student of theology and spirituality, always at the service of others; Others who currently claim local Bethany Community membership are Anna, Chris, Zab, Luke, Marylyn, Maureen, Jude, Bobbi, Bryson and Stephanie. We also have now a growing number of on-line members - including Reuben, Mack, Gail & Dan, Elli, Ellen, Dixie, Marci, Adrienne, Gena, John K, Julia S, Patty, Laura, Clare & Sheelagh.

As well as those who identify as community members we have others who attend our meetings either via Zoom or in-person, follow us on You Tube or regularly receive our recorded Bible Studies or online monthly newsletter. In addition we have developed strong relationships with other faith communities, including an especially strong link with the local RISE Center - a Muslim community also embracing nonviolent theology and spirituality.

We are grateful to some key individuals who helped us to grow at pivotal moments, but have since moved away - especially Susan Wright, Georgina Hegney, Cynthia Tarbell, Virginia Rodhe, Brad Starring and Melanie Becker, Bill Sachok, Saorsa Wissman, Jessamyn, & Al Magri.

Bethany Board

We are a non-profit 501.C.3 organization with a Board that, along with the community, helps guide and develop our work and oversee our finances. Board members are legally essential to a nonprofit but we are with particularly supportive individuals who embrace the goals and vision of the community, at the same time offering an objective view and voice. Photos of present members are on the homepage.

Our current Bethany Board: Kat Korba, Mack Stirling, Heather Scanlon, Tony Bartlett, Reuben Rios, Dana Gibbs-Griffiths, John Kubat, & Maggie Carter.

Our Values

Community – We are a community focused on nonviolent relationship; looking towards a new way of being human as taught to us by Jesus.

Education/Bible Study – Our studies center around nonviolent Christian theology, which seeks to deweaponize the text of the Bible, revealing instead the life, the hope and the faithfulness of Jesus; and in so doing to enrich the conversation and life of the community.

Prayer – Our prayer practice aims to deepen our love for Jesus and for each other; create strong minds and soft hearts; and to help us to grow and be led in the Holy Spirit.

Healing – To build a safe space where healing can take place through restored relationships with God, the text, our physical selves and with each other.

Nonviolence - We seek nonviolent relationship in all aspects of our Christian journey including our theology, our prayer and our interactions with the world and with each other.

Our Mission

The Mission of Bethany Center is to be a Spirit-led community seeking to grow, nourish and teach nonviolent Christian theology and life.

Bethany Goals for 2025 

Here is the summary of the goal-setting meeting that took place during our annual Community Retreat on January 17th. Many thanks to all those who participated in person and over Zoom. We began by reviewing the goals and achievements of 2024. We also reviewed our Mission statement, and the consensus was that we had remained faithful to this and that there was much to celebrate. We especially value friendships and relationships. We are a small group that consistently “hits above our weight”. Size is less important than remaining authentic to our vision and mission. However, we also recognized that we are part of a broader movement developing a nonviolent theology across many faith groups. General agreement was to build upon what we have already achieved in 2024.  

1. Promote the Gospel of Nonviolence. 

Form a Steering Group to discuss content /approach to Bethany education goals for the year. Including:

(i) Potential New Seven Stories classes for different target audiences including those unfamiliar with the Bible. Developing condensed/immersive curricula & a teacher’s guide.

(ii) Continue work on completing sequel “10 Letters”, correcting errata of the original 7S Textbook, and completing the 7S Spanish language Version. Once completed to reach out regarding typesetting and publication including kindle versions. Potentially re-run the 10 Letters course as part of this process.

(iii) Friday night studies to continue including more structured/themed monthly Open Mic. This will encourage others to teach/co-facilitate classes so we are less reliant on Tony presenting. 

  • Grow the video library on our You Tube Channel and potentially adding prior study notes/guides to web site. Continue the monthly e-newsletter and continue to oversee and develop the on-line platforms

  • Reach out to podcasters regarding possible invitations for interviews.

  • Tony to continue to continue to work on his theological publications including Love’s Entanglement and articles and chapters in up-coming Girard-focused publications; his Hope in Time Blog & to present at Michigan University in March.

  • Tony to collaborate on an Islam-Christian nonviolent theology book.

2. Deepen Prayer & Spirituality

  • Continue Sunday Spirituality including 3rd Way and related half-day retreats at Bethany House. Develop the Rosen approach to community growth through sharing circles and individual therapy.

  • Monthly "Sheep Dip" - discuss how our community can witness nonviolence in our world, building on the banner project and exploring new ways.

  • Every 3 months to have a Silent/Contemplative Saturday retreat at Bethany House

  • Begin an online Mid-week prayer for peace with invitation to collaborate with Muslim community.

  • Publish J-Yoga on You Tube and regularly update 3rd Way page on website.   

3. Grow & Strengthen the Community

2025 is a year of transition ahead of the planned relocation of the Bartletts to Pennsylvania in Fall 2026, and subsequent transfer of the property to other community members. This involves beginning to clear and prepare both homes for sale and re-imagining the space at Bethany House. The community will pray and work towards this transition to make it as seamless as possible. In addition to previously stated goals the local community will also plan for:

  • A Youth Event in the summer; on-going Peace Banner Project & Garden Days with veggie box repair and clearing the Buckthorn.

  • Continue Cana Meals every 2 weeks

  • Maintain/grow links with the local Muslim RISE Center

  • Begin planning for a Beth Fest Summer 2026 which will serve as both a celebration of the Bartlett’s time at Bethany House and an introduction to the next part of the Bethany House journey under the new leadership.  

 Plans to strengthen the online community include

  • Bartlett trip to Michigan in March to connect to online members in the upper mid-west.

  • Discuss other regional Beth Fest events/locations.

  • Monthly Open Mic and weekly online peace prayer and other ways to encourage on-line community involvement/participation in activities and decision-making processes.

Can I be a Bethany Community Member?


The Bethany Center for Nonviolent Theology & Spirituality is based in the belief in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as the living template of a new humanity. The Bethany Center community embraces collectively and personally the belief in the death of Jesus as the revelation of human violence and its transformation into love. His resurrection after three days is God's life-filled revelation of divine non-violence and love.

An individual who wishes to be considered a member of the Bethany community embraces its belief expressed in the statement above. This embrace does not mean individuals do not have doubts or unresolved questions but that they are radically open to the community's spiritual and human reality. The relationship of the individual with the community involves openness to practical personal disciplines including self-giving through the individual's gifts and talents.

It is not necessary to be a member in order to be a friend or companion of the Bethany Center community. A friend or companion is on a journey in company with the Bethany community learning its belief, opening one's heart to its meaning and spirit and sharing in its way of life.

To be a member someone must attend Bethany Center meetings on a regular basis. Regular means frequently enough to learn the essentials of Bethany Center theology and embrace the spirit of its fellowship. On-going membership implies current regular involvement in the meetings and/or life of the community.