What is the role of religion in conflict and peacebuilding?
Religious groups have been very active in peacebuilding in recent decades. Sampson suggests
several reasons for this increased activity. Religions are organized at national and international
levels, and so offer existing channels for communication and organization. Religions offer
ethical visions that can motivate believers to action. In cases where the central government is in
disarray, religious organizations may be the only institutions with some degree of popular
credibility, trust and moral authority. Indigenous religious groups are long-term players, who are
present throughout the conflict's lifecycle. Finally, issues that have traditionally been in the
domain of religion are central to many modern conflicts. Quoting John Paul Lederach, Sampson
notes "the primary arena of church activity and faith--that of the spiritual, emotional, and
relational well-being of people--lies at the heart of contemporary conflict."(p. 275)
Many religious actors have no formal training in conflict resolution. However, two religious
practitioners have contributed significantly to peacebuilding theory. Adam Curle, a Quaker
conciliator, has developed a peacemaking framework that emphasizes the importance of a
balance of power between conflicting parties. Building peace requires restructuring the parties'
relationship to empowering the weaker party and address structural sources of inequality.
Lederach is a Mennonite conciliator who focuses on transforming violent destructive conflict
into constructive, peaceful relationships. In facilitating such transformations, religious actors will
act both as mediator and as advocates. Religious advocacy in peacebuilding is always
nonviolent, and generally focused on promoting empowerment and human rights. Religious
peacemakers tend to focus on building relationships and community.
Sampson classes religious intervention under four roles: advocates, intermediaries, observers,
and educators. She offers examples of each role. Advocates work to empower the
disenfranchised, and to restructure relationships and unjust social structures. Independent
advocates are able to promote the weaker group's cause to the opposition and to the greater
community. Activists are a subset of advocates. Activists are affiliated directly with the less
powerful party, and so may be less credible to the opposition or general community. Another
subset of actors are truth-tellers, who identify and speak out against injustices. The Catholic
Church played a truth-telling role in Rhodesia's war of independence. The Catholic Church
helped lead the nonviolent opposition to the Marcos regime in the Philippines, monitored
elections, and ultimately declared that the Marcos regime has lost its mandate to govern. The
Evangelische Kriche church played an activist role in the East Germany's nonviolent revolution
of 1990. In Vietnam and Burma, Buddhist monks have been active opponents to repressive
regimes.
Intermediary roles include "fact finding, good offices, peace-process advocacy, facilitation,
conciliation and mediation, usually in some combination."(p. 284) Church leaders successfully
mediated a peace agreement in Sudan in 1972. When that agreement broke down in 1983and
fighting resumed, church leaders were again called upon to mediate a settlement. A Conciliation
Commission of religious figures paved the way for Indian refugees to return to Nicaragua. The
Jain monk Acharya Sushil Kumar pressed for negotiations and mediated the Hindu-Sikh conflict
at the Golden Temple in Punjab.
"In a conflict situation, the observer provides a watchful, compelling physical presence that is
intended to discourage violence, corruption, human rights violations, or other behavior deemed
threatening and undesirable."(p. 286) Observation can take very actives forms--monitoring and
verifying elections, for instance, or even physically interposing observers between opposing
sides. Church organizations in Zambia cooperated closely to monitor the 1991 elections, and
later hosted a meeting between political opponents that resulted in a new national constitution.
The ecumenical group Witnesses For Peace, and Mennonite Christian Peacemaker Teams, have
been active observers in Central America.
Education may focus on training in conflict resolution, democracy, or living with diversity.
Educators may work to increase awareness of injustice, or to promote healing and reconciliation.
The Gandhi Peace Foundation, the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, and Nonviolence
International each provide training in nonviolent action at locations across the globe. Northern
Ireland is home to a number of ecumenical intentional communities, in which Catholic and
Protestant members work together to bring together their larger communities. In Mozambique
the Christian Council launched a two stage training program to educate regional church leaders
(who in turn trained local representatives) on an array of issues relevant to peacebuilding and
resettlement.
Some of the main institutional religious peacebuilders include the Catholic Church; the Society
of Friends, also known as the Quakers; the Mennonite Church; the international, non-
denominational group, Moral Re-Armament; The International Network of Engaged Buddhists,
and other followers of engaged Buddhism; and the Nairobi Peace Initiative, which, although not
itself a religious organization, actively engages religious groups across Africa in peacebuilding.
South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy involved more than twenty different
religious actors, ranging from individuals to churches to coalitions, from many different
denominations and active at every level of society. Many members of the Dutch Reformed
Church spoke out against their church's support of apartheid, and many clergy members were
defrocked for their opposition. Many other denominational leaders spoke out and organized
against apartheid. Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for
his advocacy of nonviolent opposition to apartheid. As other opposition groups were banned or
arrested, the churches and mosques became the only places where anti-apartheid activists could
meet. Churches issued theological condemnations of apartheid, and calls to action. Other
religious organizations worked to bridge social divisions, hosting conferences, interfaith
dialogues, and retreats. Several international interdenominational organizations and the Vatican
worked to oppose apartheid on the international level.
In conclusion, Sampson notes future trends in religious peacebuilding. Religious communities
are taking an increasingly systematic, intentional approach to peacemaking. Religious
universities have developed conflict and peace programs, and churches are incorporating more
explicit peacebuilding efforts into their outreach and development activities. Interreligious
organizations are also following that trend. Non-religious peacebuilding groups are targeting
religious groups as ripe for training and mobilization. Religious relief and development NGOs
are expanding their mandates and training to include peacebuilding activities. Indigenous
religious groups are being called upon to provide spiritual, emotional and psychological support
to people who have suffered from violent, protracted conflict. There is also an increased number
of religion based citizen's groups focused on bringing about peace, justice, and reconciliation.
The Internet has allowed people from across the globe to hold dialogues within and across
denominations and religions.
Fleeing persecution in 615, the disciples and followers of Prophet Muhammad found refuge in
Africa. In this “First Hijrah,” or migration, they had escaped Mecca and sought safety in Aksum
(now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea), the land of an African Christian king. It was a crucial
moment in the development of Islam. Africa, a place of many religions, was seen, rightly, as a
safe haven.
Like Islam, Christianity had faced opposition and persecution in its early years. The practitioners
of both religions knew firsthand what it meant to suffer violence from those who disagreed. How
can it be that religions born of persecution are now themselves used for extreme violence? And
why, specifically, in Africa today? How can Africans prevent and fight against extremism and
what can we all learn from this experience?
Disagreements are never straightforward, but if we pretend that everything's okay, our
relationships will suffer. When it comes to the church, conflict can threaten unity. The first step
to healing is coming up with a church conflict resolution in a way that honors God and keeps
agreement in mind. Conflict within your congregation will create toxicity and eventually lead to
a hostile environment if left unhandled.I
The good news is that acknowledging and dealing with conflict doesn't have to be complicated.
There are ways to work through it that everyone can be happy with. But how? Keep reading to
learn how to resolve your church conflict with these ten helpful tips on church conflict
resolutions.I
What Is Conflict Management in Church?
Without conflict management, it would be hard to retain church members. All leaders must have
a conflict management strategy.IIIRemember that a church is just a group of people with a
common interest in their faith. Like in all other groups of people, conflict will inevitably arise
from time to time.IIIThese conflicts can happen between churchgoers, staff members, or even
yourself and someone else. You need to know how to manage these conflicts without causing
more problems if you want the church to be a peaceful and safe place for everyone who chooses
to spend time there.IIA conflict-ridden church is sure toIlose members. While you may lose
members who are unable to be nice to others, you don't want to lose members who are victims of
other people's behavior.IIIConflict management means that you're going to step in to prevent and
diffuse any conflicts, even if they include yourself.III
Why Do Conflicts Start in Church?
Now that we’ve answered the question of what is conflict management in the church, it’s time to
look into why conflicts start in the first place. There are plenty of reasons that conflicts can pop
up. Again, a church is just a group of people. Just like disputes can arise at work, home, or
school, they can arise at church.II
Some conflicts between congregation members can happen due to a bossy church member,
someone acting up, or even outside conflict (like relationship problems or family issues) that find
their way into the church. Remember, you never know what issues people are dealing with when
they're not at church, and they can bring those issuesIto eventsIand services (even
unintentionally).III
When it comes to your staff, conflict can result from power struggles. Even though this isn't a
traditional work environment, it's normal for people to feel dis-empowered or even eager for
more control.IIISometimes conflicts arise simply because personalities clash. There's nothing
wrong with this per se, but it still needs to be handled if you want to maintain a peaceful
environment.III
Can You Let Conflicts Resolve Themselves?
There are situations where it can be more prudent to stay on the sidelines and observe a conflict
instead of stepping in right away. It's common for disputes to resolve themselves if they're minor,
and it's a good idea to allow people to gain their church conflict resolution skills when it's
appropriate for them to do so.II IWith this in mind, if a conflict is significant or if it's lasted for a
long time, it's a good idea to step in (or seek outside help if you are part of the conflict). This is a
situation in which you need to use your best judgment.
1. Set a Good Example by Modeling Christ
If you’re looking to understand how to resolve church conflict, the first thing you should do is
look to Christ as an example. Remember that it's your responsibility toImodel ChristIas a church
leader. This should be something that you aim to do, even when you're not trying to resolve
church conflict.III
Being Christ-like is all about modeling kindness and compassion for others. It's about being a
role model and setting an excellent example for the members and staff of your church to follow.II
When you model Christ, you'll also avoid conflict between yourself and others. Even when
problems arise, you'll have the self-control and understanding to move beyond them and express
yourself in healthy ways.IIYou should also encourage your church to model Christ. After all, if
they're not modeling Christ, how are they expressing and following their faith?I I
2. Include Church Conflict Resolution Content in Your Sermons
To educate your staff and congregation on modeling Christ, find ways to incorporateIconflict
resolutionIinto your sermons whenever you start to detect problems.IIWhat does the bible say
about the consequences of anger and poor conflict resolution? What are the benefits of showing
compassion instead?III
When you include conflict resolution in your sermons, you indirectly address the entire group.
This helps you avoid further conflicts, and staff or congregation members won't feel as though
you're calling them out.IIIWhen people recognize how their behavior may not alignIwith their
faith, they may start to resolve conflicts independently.I I
3. Talk to Your Congregation as a Group (Directly)
If there's significant conflict within your church, you may have to address it more directly. While
you should still try to set a good example and include it in your sermons, a heavier hand is
sometimes needed.IIAddress the group kindly and mention, in a broad way, things that you've
been noticing. Instead of leading with negativity, lead with positivity. For example, instead of
saying that you're disappointed in lousy behavior, talk about how you're looking for ways to
encourage better behavior and cooperation.IIAgain, by addressing the congregation and staff as a
group, you'll avoid calling out anyone specific. This will be a common theme whenever we're
discussing handling church problems. You never want to make someone feel inferior in front of
the group or embarrass anyone inadvertently.III
You can also do this in yourIchurch newsletterIif you'd instead not address the problem aloud.
4. Learn Active Listening Skills
Do you and your staff already have excellent active listening skills? If not, you might find church
conflict resolution challenging. When you display active listening, you show the other person
that you care about them and their situation. You display compassion.II
But what does active listening look like?
Make sure that you're acknowledging everything that the other person says. You don't have to
give verbal responses, but even nodding your head and using filler words like "okay" and
"really?" can be helpful.III
When it's appropriate to do so, add your opinion.
Ensure that you're paying attention to the other person'sIbody language. Sometimes the body will
say more than the mouth can. You can easily spot discomfort or tension if you're attentive.III
Do your best to avoid passing judgment, especially before the other person is done speaking. Let
someone finish their story before trying to determine a solution.III
Active listening will help you prevent and solve conflicts, so it's a crucial skill.
5. Don't Add Too Many Outside Parties
This can be tricky. When you're dealing with common church conflicts, it's in your best interest
to involve as few outside parties as possible (though it's a good idea to apply at least one extra
person, usually yourself, in most cases).IIIWhen there's conflict within a group, tensions are
already high. Several people with varying opinions and problems need to be resolved. When you
add more people, you add more conflicting views (even if the people are well-intentioned).II
Adding oneIneutral third partyIis a great idea, and often you'll be that neutral third party when
you're talking to church staff or congregation members. You're creating an environment where
everyone can say their piece to someone listening without any bias.IIIIf you add multiple people,
you're adding numerous opportunities for things to go wrong.III
Bonus tip: make sure that you brief people on conflict resolution strategies before adding them to
a conflict situation. If you're unable to mediate a conflict, another staff member can do it, but you
need to know that they're emotionally capable of doing so.I I
6. Provide (or go to) One-On-One Mediation
One-on-one mediation is often the best solution for conflicts within the church (or group
mediation if the conflict is between more than two people). This allows you to hear everyone out
and address their concerns individually while maintaining their privacy.I IMost of the time, you'll
be the best choice of mediator. Your congregation and staff members trust you, and they're more
likely to listen to you or take your lead than any other member of the church. I
If you have another person who's a delegated mediator, make sure they're up for the job. It's a
good idea in your church conflict resolution to bring in a dedicated counselor for this purpose if
you feel out of your depth. I
If you're the person who's having conflict with a staff member or someone in the congregation,
you should still go to mediation. This is another situation where it's a good idea to have someone
at the church with plenty of experience with conflict resolution.I IYou may not have the ability to
take a step back from your conflicts and view them with an unbiased eye. Have the humility to
allow someone else to help you.
7. Set Actionable Goals
While you're mediating a conflict, make sure that you help the people in question set actionable
goals for moving forward. These goals will vary depending on the conflict at hand. I
So what should these goals look like?I I
Help the people in conflict determine what would make them feel better about the situation.
What's the solution to the conflict? I
This means that they simply won't speak to each other again for some people. While this isn't an
ideal outcome, it's far better for people to reduce their contact than it is for them to be arguing.
For others, giving a specific timeframe of space is a great idea. This is a clear boundary that both
parties can follow and reassess later on when they've had time to cool down. IFor example, some
people may need three months of space to get through a stressful time in their life before they're
able to address the conflict again. When that time is passed, they may feel ready to reconnect.I I
If reconnection is the goal, what does that reconnection look like? Some people may want to
have weekly mediation sessions until they're in a good place again. Others may wish to reconnect
over activities or outings even if interactions are tense at first. I
Help them set these goals and stick to them.I I
8. Start and End Conversations on a Good Note
If you’re looking to understand how to resolve church conflict, it’s important to end on a good
note. No matter what you're discussing, conflict or otherwise, you should always do your best to
end with a positive tone. Use the model of the "compliment sandwich" here (even though the
context is different). IWhen you face a problem, you have to start it with an understanding that
both parties will get to say their peace. You could, in theory, have them both start by saying
something positive about the other person or the relationship as a whole. I
This will get everything on the right track. I
The middle of the conversation is going to be tricky. This is when people will discuss their
problems with each other, and it's normal for emotions to run high.I IOnce both parties have had
the opportunity to speak and you've done your best to meditate as a part of your church conflict
resolution, be sure to end with more positivity. Have them say something kind or, if that's not
possible, say something kind about them yourself.III
9. Set Clear Intentions and Expectations
If you're trying to figure out how to deal with church conflict, sometimes it's best to set clear
expectations instead of talking to people individually about their problems. This is helpful
regardless of whether the conflict is amongst the church staff or the other churchgoers.IITalk to
them about the kind of behavior that you expect to see. Don't threaten consequences. Instead, set
boundaries.IIThis is more useful for conflict prevention. When people know what they're
"supposed" to do ahead of time, they're less likely to get into conflict in the first place.I
10. Introduce Fun Bonding Activities
Conflict resolution can happen outside of the mediation room, which is sometimes beneficial.
While mediation is a valuable tool, try incorporatingIfun activitiesIto control conflict
further.IIPeople often forget that they can have fun or bond with the other person they're in
conflict with. When you arrange fun activities in which they're forced to collaborate, they might
be surprised at how well they get along.II
