Church Involvement

Religion is a very strong integrative factor for most people, although it can be divisive as well when different religious groups oppose each other. Nevertheless, churches can be a strong influence in moderating or resolving conflict. They tend to place a high value on human life and peace; many also emphasize the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation of differences.

A few religions--the Quakers and the Mennonites, for example--have a strong tradition of peacebuilding around the globe. But many other churches and religious groups have become involved in peace and justice issues as well. The Moravian Church in Nicaragua, for example, actively pursued peacemaking between the East Coast Miskito Indians and the Sandinista government during the Nicaraguan war. As is evident in the examples below, religious leaders have been active peacemakers and peacebuilders in many other parts of the world as well. Often they are considered more trustworthy than political figures because they do not have a conflict of interest as many political leaders do.  Given the extent of their influence, churches can be a very effective integrative and peacemaking force, when they decide to do so.

Links to Examples of Church Involvement in Peacemaking:

Links to Outside Sources of Information

Religious Nationalism and Human Rights - United States Institute of  Peace    

This article discusses the impact of religious nationalism on human rights, stressing the importance of tolerance of differences, rather than the intolerance which is common with religious nationalism.

US Institute of Peace--Balkan Religious Leaders Support Minority Rights

The Quaker Peace Education Project 1988-1994 Developing Untried Strategies

Community Relationships--The Churches and Inter

This is a summary of a study done in Northern Ireland by the Center for the Study of Conflict, University of Ulster.

David Little and Paul Mojzes--Religion and the Future of Intercommunal Relations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Former Yugoslavia