Trust, accountability, and a recognition that one does not have all the answers. endobj Two critical elements in religious life that are centrally important to peacemaking are empathy and compassion, and the value of tapping into these attributes is readily apparent in effective religious peacemaking. Rabbi Schneier affirms that we need to move from seeing religion as black and white, to more gray, explaining that there are different religions with different paths to God, and thus, no one should have the arrogance to think that their way is the only way or impose their religion on others. great unrest in the mind, resulting in physical outbursts of violence culminating Such religious leaders are particularly effective in working together for peace when they are from different faith communities. . By Ven. The Kashmir case uses interfaith dialogue. When communal identities, particularly religious identities, are key causal factors in violent conflict, traditional diplomacy may be of little value in seeking peace or conflict management. In its advocacy capacity, ARLPI has consistently called for an end to violence, dismantling of the IDP camps, and the use of negotiations to end the conflict. <>3]/P 6 0 R/Pg 212 0 R/S/Link>> promoting the inclusion and participation of youth in peace processes. Over the years of war in Acholiland, religious leaders in the region have moved from focusing on providing practical support and shelter to parishioners towards being proactive in bearing witness to the conflict and engaging directly in peacebuilding. And this was something that was not designed. Religion is often criticized for its role in fomenting tension and causing conflict, but the purpose of the Role of Religion in Building Peace 185 0 obj PBS NewsHour Correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro moderated the panel, which featured Pulitzer Center grantees Cathy Otten and Danny Gold as well as Oge Onuboguof the U.S. Institute of Peace(USIP) and Shaun Casey ofGeorgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, a Campus Consortium partner. We draw on our shared experiences to influence policies and improve peacebuilding practice worldwide. WebReligion and Conflict inNigeria Countdown to the 2015 Elections Summary Nigeria is by far the largest country in the worldwith a population of just over 180 mil-lionevenly divided between Muslims and Christians. Okello Lucima is an independent researcher and Kacoke Madit Regional coordinator for Canada. She notes that in Nigeria, one of the primary drivers of conflict are actually disputes over land. Connect Washington, DC 20006 It is time that That August, they organised a peace rally and issued an unequivocal message asking the LRA to stop its violence against civilians and calling on the government to seek a negotiated end to the conflict. AJOL is annually audited and was also independently assessed in 2019 by E&Y. When engaging religious leaders and communities, it is necessary to understand the complexities of local religious traditions. January 28, 2018. It has regularly organised large rallies and other events to promote the peace agenda. This intervention was able to offer practical ways of healing and transformation of individuals and society. She argues: If you deny justice then you are denying peoples histories, their losses, their pain. irrespective of race or creedwith a genuine feeling of love and @DGisSERIOUS In #ElSalvador churches are active in places where governments are not. happiness to the minds of people. 0k%>h$ o~DCh_w0N eMU%w>0~lO8#CfHr T-9 we pause and reflect upon the true values of religion and seek proper spiritual January 26, 2018, Response: Space, Social Justice, and Interfaith, Francesca Drumm Request PDF | On Feb 17, 2021, Peter Oghenefavwe Ottuh and others published The Role of Religion in Peace Promotion in Africa | Find, read and cite all the research you a sense of calling that often inspires perseverance in the face of major, otherwise debilitating, obstacles. <> Onubogu is senior program officer for African Programs at USIPwhere she leads programming in Nigeria. Brian Cox is senior vice president and Kashmir project leader of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy in Washington, D.C., www.icrd.org. endobj The conflict between the Ugandan government and the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) became infamous for widespread atrocities and the use of child soldiers. The term 'Interfaith Dialogue' refers to the positive and " When we follow Jesus in trying to put right order into the structures of our society, the tranquillity that results is peace. VMzR8Db^ mM(Z Rv6_V`.:2QAmXAqYkO ?$[>N 3 0 obj They must work in harmony and cooperate January 27, 2018, Response: The Nominal Separation of Church and State: Difficulties at the Dinner Table, Casey Hammond 16 0 obj Over time a greater consensus emerged amongst church leaders in the North on the need to be proactive in bearing witness about the conflict and to engage directly in peacebuilding. That the only means of achieving this noble task is through dialogue, organizing seminars and workshops. Edited by David R. Smock. He is editor of Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding (2002). %PDF-1.7 % forces of realpolitik have led to an extended paralysis of action. uuid:f909ed81-b1b8-11b2-0a00-80f6e5000000 p;4LWh.Q./j|OP:mOJwC 7X|PZIsO4d"#O"/r=Hy)Sh9q?l The Iraq example describes the establishment and operation of the Iraqi Institute of Peace to promote interfaith comity in that strife-torn country. (ANSA). )$tEDgA&WK. Since its inception, ARLPI has sought to draw the senior LRA leadership into peace talks. xdpd)?QE6WeF)F`qW~Sx6kA| TOnTJX(+2KMKN;5,+9CrRkWd{8_yt7PzGa Kw#d( ^j^TqI \Yc} religion is a significant factor in the identity of one or both parts to the conflict; religious leaders on both sides of the dispute can be mobilized to facilitate peace; protracted struggles between two major religious traditions transcend national borders, as has been the case over time with Islam and Christianity; and/or. Drawing from the ubuntu reconciliatory approach, there is evidence of success at attempts of honest and transparent reconciliatory engagements by all parties concerned. WebThe study uld engage religious actors or faith-based organisations in formulating a policy program that is directed towards promoting social coexistence in a deeply divided society like ours to improve social well-being as well as critical In their blogs, they incorporate personal experiences and themes from the readings. Not all the cases presented here describe dramatic success stories, but even the less decisive cases provide experiences and lessons that are instructive for future religious peacemaking in other places. Given the desire for co-operation and engagement on all sides, there needs to be a genuinely fresh start bringing a sense of hope to those who have suffered through paramilitary activity and also pointing to a better way for those who have been involved in paramilitary organisations. endobj <> Webelements provide religious actors with immense potential as conflict managers and when translated into practical action can and do generate solutions to conflict. Many modes in the form of religion, spirituality, mythologies, folktales, music, AJOL is a Non Profit Organisation that cannot function without donations. This universal agenda, and the emerging understanding of the points of religious agreement in environmental ethics, can be the corner stones for a common vision that enhances the role of religion and Emmanuel LoWilla is executive director of Reconcile in Kampala, Uganda, an organization affiliated with the New Sudan Council of Churches. The Role of Religion endobj endobj DOI: 10.46743/1082-7307/2012.1135 the role of religious leaders and spiritual leaders in conflict management and resolution has been neglected in the study of international relations (Johnston 1994, 4). Democracy & Governance; Peace Processes; Religion, By: Think of Religion and Social Justice? Religion is often criticized for its role in fomenting tension and causing conflict, but the purpose of the Role of Religion in Building Peace panel was to highlight how it can be used to promote peace. Copyright for articles published in this journal is retained by the journal. Rabbi Schneier, a veteran at these Congresses, has had the opportunity to participate in and address the participants on various themes including interreligious and intercultural dialogue and cooperation, which, he says, are critical principles of coexistence in our world today. c/o Hive5, Cours Saint-Michel 30 B, 1040 Brussels, Belgium In South Africa, various churches were at the vanguard of the struggle against apartheid and the peaceful transition. For the cause of humanity Haar identifies these elements as: religious ideas (content of belief), religious practices (ritual People's conflict behavior is often based on more emotional considerations and thus may not be changed simply by rational negotiation processes and subsequent agreements. endobj endobj role to play in people's search for world peace. Webpeace: The churchs role in Zimbabwes crisis Ezra Chitando Ezra Chitando is an Associate Professor in History and Phenomenology of Religion at the University of Zimbabwe and Theology Consultant on HIV and AIDS for the World Council of Churches. WebBy asserting that addressing inequalities, marginality, and injustice constitutes the litmus test of the agreements efficacy in terms of peacebuilding, it will be appraised whether this Islam as described in the Quran is a modern enlightened progressive religion. Reverend Eric Nsenga; Monsignor Donatien Nshole. This is well documented and broadly accepted. I intentionally use the term actors in order to include people They participated in a variety of worship, service, and activism activities to explore these concepts as they develop their interfaith leadership skills. beliefs and practices should not hinder the progress of various religionists [ Placeholder content for popup link ] These dimensions can all be used in the service of peacemaking. 18 0 obj The politics of childrens rights in northern Uganda (2002), Key texts and agreements: Accord Northern Uganda (2002), Chronology: Accord Northern Uganda (2002), Further reading: Accord Northern Uganda (2002). The WebPromoting Peace and Communal Harmony that aims to comprehensively fulfill the set objectives (given below) as envisaged in the proposed series of seminars on the Role of Casey is the director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University and was formerly the director of the U.S. Department of States Office of Religion and Global Affairs. Reverend Gary Mason, a senior research fellow at Maynooth University, discusses how longstanding relationships between religious actors and their communities can open doors for dialogue that might be unavailable to other peacebuilders and how his experience in Northern Ireland can inform his new work to promote peace in the Middle East. The Catholic Justice and Peace Commission complements these policy efforts with human rights monitoring and documentation. loving-kindness; and to remove ignorance with the development of wisdom and Religion in many parts of the world is contributing to violent conflict, although exaggerated in many cases. The main focus has been around implementation of the amnesty law, which allows combatants to report to religious leaders. in the true spirit of servicefor the welfare and happiness of the many. values contained in the teachings of great religious teachers are essential The most dramatic and most frequently cited case is the successful mediation the Rome-based Community of Sant'Egidio achieved to help end the civil war in Mozambique in 1992. \oo 6b9qx(4tPtqH+"8 {)lz=.n_H).b. )G"?H@1uWtLuC` =O8 ]K FP9s#z4J#p|5hIMEmpCf|~w! until nations and people begin to reduce their selfish desires for more and guidance to develop our "goodness," to work for peace and harmony The Nigeria cases describe training religious leaders in peacemaking, and mediating between Muslims and Christians successfully in Plateau State to end bloody conflict. After fifteen years of brutality, the community has become weak and divided, and to address this challenge, the religious leaders are promoting a philosophy that sees the creation of peace as a long-term, group effort. WebThe Role of Religion in Promoting World Peace. It also emphasizes the importance of keeping issues of social justice front and center, so that religious peacebuilding does not merely make the participants feel better. By Ven. instead of war and disunity. So, by reason of her essential mission, the Church feels an obligation to go to the roots of the conflict in order to bring healing and to re-establish, so to speak, effective and true reconciliation. The newspaper, published weekly, provides a lively mix of news, analysis and informed commentary about the Church and social issues as they affect Ireland and the wider-world. The work seeks to draw the attention of religious bodies like CAN and PFN, state policymakers and researchers to the neglect of Copyright 2017-2023 Dicasterium pro Communicatione - All rights reserved. By Benedict Mayaki, SJ & Deborah Castellano Lubov. and guidance. WebAll religions, particularly ones that enjoy a cultural dominance, are capable of marshalling substantial resources for peace by employing their symbols and rituals, invoking their sacred texts and using their institutions to promote a vision for peace. The focus should be on making a positive contribution towards sowing seeds of hope to everybody. This African philosophy of unity in diversity stresses the unity or oneness of the whole of creation. WebReligious communities also directly oppose repression and promote peace and reconciliation. To do that is a huge, huge violence. I think it is wrong to allow perpetrators to get away with doing wrong as this might result in doing more. be good and proclaim the brotherhood of humankind. Web85 likes, 6 comments - Dhiraj Sindhi (@binge_bawse_) on Instagram: " 'Interfaith Dialogue' . 204 0 obj The Rabbi however seized the opportunity to highlight some of the remarkable progress made in the field of promoting interreligious dialogue, pointing to the impact of interfaith channels in terms of the Abraham Accords and the existence of interfaith centers in several Gulf countries, among others. as they really are. <>1]/P 15 0 R/Pg 212 0 R/S/Link>> So, the Church should not be afraid to draw from the message of Jesus who demands that faithful witness must be taken seriously especially by treating others as you would like them to treat you. For the Church to be effective in facilitating peace and reconciliation, at whatever level, this calls for truth and transparency especially by trying to trace the source of the conflict or tension. Visit Conciliation Resources is an international organisation committed to stopping violent conflict and creating more peaceful societies.
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