Religion as a Resource for Peace

Written by Trinity Autumn- Rawlings

Trinity Autumn-Rawlings is an undergraduate student of Social Anthropology at the London School of Economics (LSE), currently completing an academic exchange at the University of Toronto. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of policy, religion, and gender, with a focus on women’s rights and religious equality.

How does religion play a role in peacebuilding? There are many ways in which religion can be utilised to aid in building and maintaining peace. Firstly, religion provides a source of shared moral values. Although different religions have contrasting rituals, beliefs, and practices, the emphasis on humanity and its worth is central to them all. Using this shared belief can create a foundation for meaningful interfaith dialogues.

Interfaith dialogues are not simply people discussing religion; they are a structured process that helps communities move from mistrust to co-operation. This can be especially helpful in areas where religion is combined with history, identity and conflict. Conflicts thrive on misunderstandings and stereotypes. Having these interfaith dialogues allows people to share their own stories, correct misconceptions and humanise the “other”. Dialogue allows people to find empathy for one another, and empathy is a key predictor of peaceful behaviour. People often believe that peace is built through agreements alone however, peace is built through relationships. Interfaith dialogues allow for trust to be built and has
the ability to create networks and communication pathways that can prevent escalation through these relationships.

Religious leaders can also aid peacebuilding and shape conflict. In many societies, religious identity can be linked to ethnicity, trauma and political belonging. This highlights that religious leaders are not just spiritual leaders; they can also reduce tension through discussions, boundaries and messages. Religious leaders also have moral authority, which political leaders often lack; they have a consistent community presence; they are trusted public figures; and they are the individuals whom people turn to in crisis. Peacebuilding processes can fail when they only focus on territory, resources and power as many conflicts are also deeply connected to dignity, humiliation, sacred values and historical wounds.

Religious leaders can speak entirely on these more complex layers, by reinterpreting sacred texts in ways that support coexistence, frame peace as a moral duty and create rituals of reconciliation. Religious leaders also build bridges across communities, allowing open communication, modelling respectful relationships, and creating an interfaith alliance. This highlights to communities that coexistence is possible. Finally, religious leaders have the ability to transform the perceptions of “the enemy”, through teaching the importance of forgiveness, that the enemy is also a child of God, and violence harms the soul? Using religious leaders to aid in peacebuilding is an invaluable tool, as these leaders are already on the ground in the conflict and can provide urgent assistance in promoting peace.

Scripture can also be a powerful peacebuilding tool. Scripture reframes the “other” as human, highlighting the dignity of every human and the need for compassion. In many societies, scripture is seen as sacred and morally authoritative, highlighting how peace messages coming from scripture rather than politics can carry far greater legitimacy to many religious believers. People may accept peace because their faith tradition calls them to it, not because the government demands it. Scripture also highlights shared ethical commitments across religious traditions. These shared values can then become the foundation for interfaith cooperation across communities. Conflict is highly emotional, often rooted in fear, humiliation, and grief. Scripture can speak directly to religious believers. In the Bible “blessed are the peacemakers” speaks to the anger individuals feel. The Torah reminds believers that “God is a source of light and protection” and not to fear. In the Qur’an it is stated “with hardship comes ease,” acknowledging the legitimacy of pain but reminding believers it is not permanent and relief is promised. When scriptures are used to build the message of peace within societies, people can become more welcoming to the idea of peace as it is called upon them from God.

Furthermore, faith-based organisations are often effective actors in peacebuilding, not because of their religious nature, but because they sit at the intersection of community, moral authority, and humanitarian capacity. Faith-based organisations are often intertwined with communities before conflict begins; they run schools, food programs and youth groups. These relationships that are already created build a sense of trust, which is essential in peace-building; people are more likely to listen to messages of peace from someone they trust. Faith-based organisations can also host interfaith dialogues, which can be essential in building and maintaining peace as previously discussed. Faith-based organisations often
provide humanitarian aid in conflict zones; this in itself can be peace-building. When aid reduces desperation and shows compassion for both sides of the conflict, the message of peace is clear.

Peace-building isn’t only about political agreements or written agreements, it is the
everyday work on understanding, empathy and shared humanity. Religious leaders,
scripture and faith-based organisations can provide meaning, compassion and community in times of conflict. We can draw on these resources to create the conditions where peace isn’t only a possibility but is also sustainable.