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peace
Reconciliation
The poet Edwin Muir wrote that if we fail to face the evils of the past, ‘long since rusted knives’ stab us from behind and ‘revengeful dust rises up to haunt us.’
Where there has been conflict, faith communities have the opportunity to play a healing role.
The most striking recent example is South Africa. Desmond Tutu, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, has said, ‘We here in South Africa are a living example of how forgiveness may unite people’.
The example was set by Nelson Mandela. When he was released after twenty-seven years in jail, he declared that his mission was to the victim and the victimiser. ‘Our miracle’ Tutu continues, ‘almost certainly would not have happened without the willingness of people to forgive, exemplified spectacularly in the magnanimity of Nelson Mandela.’ It was recognised that the evils of the apartheid era had to be faced. Read more
It is not easy to help those who
have been deeply hurt to let go the injury. For religious leaders to
call for reconciliation instead of revenge and to affirm the common
humanity of oppressed and oppressors will require great courage.
It may also be difficult to know when it is right to call for reconciliation
and when it is right to confront cruel and immoral misuse of power.
The poet W H Auden wrote, ‘All
I have is a voice to undo the folded lie.’
Faith communities have considerable strength to speak out against the abuse of human rights, the spiralling arms trade and the widespread use of torture. The power of prayer, fostered by the Week of Prayer for World Peace, the Peace Prayer Movement and other groups, should also not be underestimated. The impact of faith communities would be greater if they spoke with a more united voice and were more willing to join together in prayer for peace.
Some people of faith may even be peace messengers.
Religions still have considerable moral authority and can seek to activate world opinion, but there are limits to what religions can hope to achieve, because power rests with the politicians, armies and militias. There may also be divided loyalties when victims of oppression resort to arms and even use terrorism against their aggressors. There will be those who sympathise with the injustices they suffer, but do not condone the use of force, although, as we have seen, none of the religions which have had most influence in Europe have totally rejected the use of force to protect the innocent. The twentieth century saw the development of the use of non-violence, especially by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, but this may only be successful in certain situations.
There are many issues which need further research and discussion among faith communities to help bring about reconciliation in our world.
Read Ibrahim Issa's letter of reconciliation after his arrest in Palestine.
Read Nelson Mandela's speech on receiving the Juliet Hollister Award.
Do you have a reconciliation story to share? |
Contents / Introduction / Prayers / Peace or Conflict / Peaceful Relations / Peace Issues / Conflict / Reconciliation / Peace Initiatives / Messengers of Peace / Summary / Inspiration / Real Peace / Resources
| © International
interfaith organisations network 2003 |