Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding

by David R. Smock (editor)

As the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish contributors to this volume have discovered firsthand, religion is better at fostering peace than at fueling war. Rarely, conclude the authors, is religion the principal cause of international conflict, even though some adversaries may argue differently. But religion can often be invaluable in promoting understanding and reconciliation-and the need to exploit that potential has never been greater.

Drawing on their extensive experience in organizing interaction and cooperation across religious boundaries in the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, Northern Ireland, and the Balkans, the contributors explore the formidable potential of interfaith dialogue. The first part of the volume analyzes the concept and its varied application; the second focuses on its practice in specific zones of conflict; and the third assesses the experiences and approaches of particular organizations.

When organized creatively, interfaith dialogue can nurture deep engagement at all levels of the religious hierarchy, including the community level. It draws strength from the peacemaking traditions shared by many faiths and from the power of religious ritual and symbolism. Yet, as the authors also make plain, it also has its limitations and carries great risks.

164 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2002

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not the most entertaining book but has a few useful excerpts and is structured in an easy to read format that is simple to reference. The first few chapters provide a good background of the author's (and contributors') perspectives on interfaith dialogue, the case studies are a somewhat interesting account of instances where these methods were tested, although the final section reads more like an advertisement or resume entry for the organizations that sponsored the sessions.

[Louis]

Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding is an interesting book. As with most edited books, some chapters are more useful than others. The book addresses the role that religion plays in conflit, largely focusing on international conflict and conflict that has escalated to the point of war, as well as the role it can play in promoting peace.

The contributors agree that religion is never the sole cause of war today, with one even saying it is never a contributing factor. Most agree that it is often a contributing factor, but not the sole cause. The chapter by Cilliers is particularly illuminating and the best chapter in the book. Cilliers believes that deeper engagement with one's own religious tradition is very important in engaging in interfaith conflict in a productive manner. As with many contributors, he points out that a core message of all the major world religions is peace, suggesting that religions role in war is part of a failure of religion.

A weakness, in my view, is that it did not address interfaith dialogue in the less dramatic settings. While it is very important that we engage in interfaith dialogue in places such as the Middle East, where religion is one factor contributing to war and terrorism, it is also quite important to engage in interfaith dialogue in many settings across the United States. Still, the models and lessons discussed in this book can readily be applied in these other settings.

Overall, the book is a good read and an important contribution to the peace literature as well as the literature on religious diversity.

[Katie Marquette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a good introduction to the practice of interfaith peace-making, but was somewhat dry - very academic. Nevertheless, an important read for anyone interested in the field.