Religion and Peacemaking: Reflections on Current Challenges and Future Prospects

An event marking the tenth anniversary of USIP's Religion and Peacemaking Program

Religion has been a source of conflict throughout human history, but religion can also be a tremendous force for peacebuilding. For ten years, USIP’s Religion and Peacemaking program has helped lead an evolution of the field. There has been a demonstrated interest in engaging religious leaders in efforts to advance conflict management and peacebuilding. Religious peacebuilding is now integrated into U.S. government policies. To mark the program's anniversary, USIP hosted a workshop to reflect on what the wider field of religious peacebuilding has achieved and how best to move forward over the next decade. On November 9, a panel of practitioners, policymakers and academics addressed the challenges and opportunities of religious peacebuilding and how outside actors, including the U.S. government, can support such opportunities.

Start Date: 

November 9, 2011 - 9:00am

End Date: 

November 9, 2011 - 1:00pm

Location

U.S. Institute of Peace
2301 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20037

Speakers:

·         Richard Solomon, Introductory comments
U.S. Institute of Peace

·         Joshua Dubois
White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

·         Suzan Johnson Cook
Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom

·         Scott Appleby
Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies

·         Rabbi Michael Melchior
Mosaica Center for Inter-Religious Cooperation

·         Jackie Ogega
Religions for Peace

·         Qamar-ul Huda
U.S. Institute of Peace

·         Mohammed Abu-Nimer
American University

·         David Smock, Moderator
U.S. Institute of Peace

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Joshua Dubois 

•          Religious engagement

•          Inter-religious cooperation

•          Religious freedom

There are great interests about inter-religious cooperation from world leaders (religious leaders) in order to work together for social works such as fight against AIDS etc.  And USA is a part of this new movement, which is an outrageous engagement among different religions but still it is sporadic.

Suzan Johnson Cook

•          Goal of her office - religious freedom, peace (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/irf/)

-          Turn down the temperature in religious conflict

-          Work together for the national and international issues such as climate change.

-          Hatred, violence, oppression -> peace, tolerance (personal, organizational)

-          Fostering strong binds with different religions

o   85% joined some kind of religious activity.

•          Declaration of human rights - everyone has the rights to choose the religion. Any kind of public evangelism is prohibited.

-          Protect the universal freedom of expression

There are ridged points (incompatible points) from different religions and the only way build a bridge between them is to come together and open their hearts and try to meet with 21st needs, which is peace and cooperation.

Scott Appleby

•          How far has it come?

Rabbi Michael Melchior

•          Some people think religion has no constructive role to build a peace inter-religiously.

•          Middle-East: peace building is going nowhere. (cf. Israel-Palestine) It is because people don't really deal with real issues - cultural, ethnically, faith etc.

•          Good news: raising next leaders (young folks)

•          Jewish has the fundamental dogma (thirteen; main dogma is walking humbly with God) that couldn't be change. It continued Jewish faith and culture out of numerous difficulties throughout the history.

•          Thus, to build a true cooperation inter-religiously, creative, innovative and constructive thoughts that would bring compromise from both sides' faith are essential. 

Jackie Ogega

•          Outside factors - NGO, academia, etc.

•          Inside factors

-          Respect of different local leaders

Questions and speculations –

•          Is there any similar movement in the history?

-          Indian history: the origin of Sikh.

•          Ongoing discussion and movement about inter-religious cooperation is a form of initiation of another religion.

      •          정부가 (인간이) 인간을 선도할 수 있는가? 

          아니면 오로지 절대자만이 할 수 있는 일인가?