Religion is a power able to create international conflict, especially when the opposing parties are of different religious origin. It has become a determinant factor in the Middle East, Sudan, Indonesia and the Balkans. However, religion, being the major source of identity for millions of people, especially for those in the developing countries, can have an invaluable impact on peacemaking, promoting reconciliation and understanding. Today, the potential of these factors’ positive force in resolving conflict situations has grown due to an increasingly powerful role of religion in shaping international and local policies, and the public opinion. This paper, using the example of developing countries, will attempt to analyze the ways in which religion and spirituality may have positive effect on the post-conflict reconciliation.
Numerous case studies, investigating the impact of religion and spirituality on reconciliation in South Africa, Mozambique, Syria, Nigeria an Cambodia, have shown the obvious positive impact of these sensitive subjects on conflict prevention and reconciliation. This paper will demonstrate the growing evidence proving that religious forces are able play a constructive role the post-conflict societies. It will also pay attention to the distinctive contributions of the missionaries and other religious workers in the conditions of peacemaking and reconciliation. The work will be structured into several parts. The first part will concentrate on defining and describing religion, spirituality and reconciliation, as the central concepts of the paper. Further a number of accompanying factors and elements will be discussed. Finally, examples of how religion and spirituality may positively affect reconciliation will be given. The works of Chapman & Spong (2003), Mbiti (2010), Gort, Jansen & Vroom (2002) and Scott R. Appleby (1999) will constitute the theoretical background of this paper.
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"The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Reconciliation".
- Appleby, R. S. (2000). The ambivalence of the sacred. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
- Chapman, A. R. & Spong, B. (2003). Religion & reconciliation in South Africa. Philadelphia, Pa.: Templeton Foundation Press.
