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Article Review 2
COMS 560 – B02
Janice Hall
February 14, 2016
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Five Qualities of Practice in Support of Reconciliation Processes?
In this particular article, the author discusses what he believes to be the qualities of
process that have helped support the practice of reconciliation. The qualities help to be able to
understand an individual’s attitude and character. John Paul Lederach suggests five qualities of
process and practice that he feels provides support for the challenge of seeking authentic
reconciliation.
The first quality is reconciliation as relationship-centric. Lederach suggests that this is
the starting point for understanding and supporting the reconciliation processes. The
relationship-centric approach penetrates deeper processes of perceptions, understandings, and
interpretations of the purpose and the meaning of a relationship. Trust has to be built in order for
reconciliation to be relationship-centric. Trust is what allows one to look into the relationship
and help them to know that they are understood and valued.
Reconciliation as accompaniment is the second quality. The author uses the story of
Jacob and Esau from the Old Testament as an example of this quality. Sometimes reconciliation
is achieved thru separating and later reconnecting. This story illustrates reconciliation as a place
of destination and also as a journey. Reconciliation is a process or journey that individuals have
to go thru for themselves. Accompaniment focuses on discipline and the commitment to be
alongside the people in their journey.
The third quality is reconciliation and humility. Lederach believes that humility and
reconciliation are connected because humility is the understanding of one’s place and one’s
humanity. With humility being connected to reconciliation, humility is a continuous truth-
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seeking adventure. This requires self-examination, and a need to learn and accompany the
building of process that is rooted to the situation and the people. Humility also requires the
sharing of one’s self and ideas and the understanding of others journey.
Reconciliation: restoring the fabric of community is the forth quality. In many
communities you can find division and violence, which in turn leads to conflict. Healing needs
to take place but will be difficult because all members of the community are not on the same
journey. A healing social space will require truth, justice, and mercy. Members of the
community must work together and remember that more can be accomplished if they work
together and not divided.
The final quality is reconciliation as a wandering in a desert. Lederach using the biblical
metaphor and refers to the desert. In the desert there is wandering and waiting, as one attempts
to find their way. While being in the desert, we should take the time to for personal and
community preparation. This is the time when commitments should be made to support
reconciliation.
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