Article Review 2: Five qualities of practice in support of reconciliation processes
Annette Reed
Liberty University
Reconciliation involves dealing with a change or conflict within a relationship among
individuals; we use reconciliation as a process of forgiveness, brokenness, and healing. The
author suggest in this article that what we know and learn of reconciliation is interpret within our
religious framework however it is not certain that those criteria and approaches may be
generalized into a broader social and political processes remains an interesting debated question
(Lederach, 2002, p.194).
Furthermore, in reading this article, the author suggests what has been put forward as the
approach for enhancing and building reconciliation emerges first within individual as well as
interpersonal processes. The author raises a question in his personal experience while working
as a third party in peacebuilding initiatives when looking at reconciliation. What qualities of
process appear to have been pivotal in supporting the practice of reconciliation in settings of
deep-rooted and violent contexts? Therefore, Lederach gives five qualities of practice that he
suggests will provide support for individuals for the complex challenge in seeking reconciliation,
reconciliation as a relationship-centric, reconciliation as an accompaniment, reconciliation
humility, restoring the fabric of the community and lastly reconciliation in the desert (Lederach,
2002, pp. 194-202).
Lederach first quality is reconciliation as relationship-centric is based on relationships
and not on any issue. In addition, the author believes that if reconciliation is relationship-centric,
then the defining quality of practice is the building of trust. The second quality is reconciliation
as accompaniment that is conceptualize reconciliation as a multifaceted relational journey, one
filled with paradoxes and vulnerability (Lederach, 2002, p.196). However, we think of
reconciliation as a coming together of individuals but it is just a small piece of the process
therefore reconciliation can be looked at as more of a journey than a destination. Only the
individual involved in the reconciliation can take that journey, however, the individual that goes
through this journey seek and have the need for support while going through their journey.
Reconciliation and humility the third quality of practice in support of reconciliation
process according to the author is primarily connected and humility is individuals learning their
place. Humility is the opposite of arrogance that characterizes an attitude of superiority,
therefore humility as a practice for understanding reconciliation processes there has to be a form
of caution taken. Therefore, according to the author humility requires the sharing of one’s self
and ideas, but not the imposition of them (Lederach, 2002, p. 198).
The fourth quality of practice in support of reconciliation is reconciliation restoring the
fabric of community. According to the author reconciliation is a personal and interpersonal
process that goes into the community, whether it is local or seen in a broader national terms, are
the settings where divisions and violence are played out in conflict (Lederach, 2002, p. 100).
However, in both instances, interpersonal and community healing takes place at both levels with
the themes of truth, justice, and mercy.
Reconciliation as a wandering in a desert is the last quality of practice in support of
reconciliation, being in the place of wandering and waiting. The author compares reconciliation
to the geography of human experience located between the rush for liberation and the arrival at
the promise land of reconciliation. This metaphor is used to understand the time frame it took to
get into a conflict and the time frame it will take for reconciliation. Therefore, the quality of
practice wandering in the desert points to two ideas, the first being individuals should take
seriously the idea that there is a need for personal and community preparation, which often takes
a great deal of time. Secondly, commitments must be made for longer periods for individuals
who wish to accompany and support reconciliation.
Reference
Lederach, P. J., (2002). Five qualities of practice in support of reconciliation processes.
In Helmick, R. G. & Petersen, R. L. (Eds.), Forgiveness and reconciliation:
Religion, public policy and conflict transformation. (pp. 193-202). West
Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Foundation Press
