Peacebuilding

Overview

"A uniquely powerful and important book. Its relevance begins with the Catholic community but it reaches beyond the church to other religious traditions to the role of states and international institutions and--most powerfully--to the lives of those seeking to build the structures of peace in conflicted communities throughout the world. For the church, these essays provide rich resources, building on the Catholic social essays offer a religiously grounded theology and ethics with secular relevance precisely because intrastate conflict has been so pervasive in this new century. The audiences for this book are multiple; the issues it confronts are compellingly important; the message it offers will be a sign of hope and a source of wisdom." --J. Bryan Hehir, Harvard Kennedy School of Government

"This much-needed contribution provides a well developed theology, ethics and spirituality that will serve as a firm foundation for effective peacebuilding programs. it will be of value not only for Caritas and other Church agencies, but for people of goodwill around the world who, with compassion and respect for the dignity of every individual person, recognize that we are all one humanity." --Lesley-Anne Knight, Secretary General - Caritas Internationalis

"The essays in this volume repeatedly return to the insight that, in a world of endemic and protracted conflict and tragic violence, peacebuilding matters. And because it has displayed the boldness of a pioneer, even to the point of engaging and confronting armed actors in many places and on many occasions, Catholic peacebuilding particularly matters. [Peacebuilding] breaks much new ground in opening up a constructive dialogue among multiple partners interested in religious contributions to peacebuilding, Because it renders such fine service in mapping a way forward to a more peaceful world, this book deserves a wide readership." --Thomas Massaro, S.J., in Practical Matters

"Peacebuilding" refers to a range of topics, ranging from conflict prevention to post-conflict reconciliation. In this volume Catholic theologians, ethicists, and scholar practitioners join to examine the challenge of peacebuilding in theory and practice. While many of the essays deal with general themes of reconciliation, forgiveness, interreligious dialogue, and human rights, there are also case studies of peacebuilding in such diverse contexts as Colombia, the Philippines, Africa and Indonesia.

This volume will be indispensable to all scholars and practioners engaged in developing a theology and ethic of just peace, as well as for students seeking to understand the interaction between theology, ethics, and lived Christianity.

Contributors include: John Paul Lederach; Maryann Cusimano Love; Daniel Philpott; William Headley and Reina Neufeldt; Todd Whitmore; Peter-John Pearson; Thomas Michel; Kenneth Himes; Lisa Sowle Cahill; Peter Phan; and David OBrien.

Robert Schreiter, C.PP.S., is the Bernardin Center Vatican II Professor of Theology at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

R. Scott Appleby is Director of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame.

Gerard P. Powers is Director of Catholic Peacebuilding Studies at the Joan B. Kroc Institute. For seventeen years, he was a senior advisor in the Office of International Justice and Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the last six as director. He lives in South Bend, IN.