peace

Summary

International Association of Educators for Peace

 

Much interfaith work to reduce conflict is essentially reactive. Can religions also be proactive and help to create a more just and peaceful world order. This is the new agenda.

The 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions was, perhaps, a turning point in interfaith work. The question was no longer whether people of faith could or should meet together, but what could they do together for the benefit of the world. Of course some interfaith activists had asked that long before. There was, for example, in the eighties an Interfaith Colloquium against Apartheid and there were various interfaith gatherings on ecological issues as well as interfaith prayer and work for peace, but the Parliament for a moment captured the attention of the world and sought to show, at a time of intense conflict in former Yugoslavia and of communal troubles in India, that religions need not be a cause of division but could unite on certain basic ethical teachings. Read more

At the same time as the focus of much interfaith activity has become more practical, those in positions of leadership in the political and economic spheres are both recognising the importance of religion in shaping the modern world and acknowledging that there is a spiritual and ethical dimension to the major problems facing humankind. For some examples read more

Just as nations slowly recognise the limits of national sovereignty and the need for agreed international action on major issues of global concern so as Professor Hans Küng predicted in 1990, ‘a post-confessional and inter-religious world is coming into being. In other words, slowly and laboriously a multi-confessional ecumenical world society is coming into being.’

This presents great opportunities for the world religions to share with a world in need the spiritual riches of their traditions and release the potential for peace which is at the heart of all great faiths.

There are, however, dangers. Read more

Too easily, religion can be hi-jacked by those with a different agenda. Like human sexuality, the religious instinct, can be the vehicle of great love and compassion or it can be perverted into cruel fanaticism. We can, together, take a lead in developing creative new interfaith understanding and co-operation which is a precious gift to be shared with people of all religions and in every continent.

 

Contents / Introduction / Prayers / Peace or Conflict / Peaceful Relations / Peace Issues / Conflict / Reconciliation / Peace Initiatives / Messengers of Peace / Summary / Inspiration / Real Peace / Resources