It’s awfully nice to think of the Other as someone far away and distant, someone from a drastically different culture or background, someone we don’t come into contact with very often, don’t have much in common with, and therefore don’t need to think about very much. But in my world, my Other is a woman […]

Resolution of the conflict is impossible without addressing its root causes: a brutal Israeli occupation and ongoing colonization now in its fourth decade in the territories, and systemic, legally sanctioned discrimination in Israel proper. But grassroots attempts to cultivate the seeds of cooperation can help further the larger goal, and make the transition to genuine […]

Here is an article from the newspaper about the programme Jarrod McKenna heads up for Western Australia that helps young people discover their faith in service with others from different faiths. http://paceebene.org/blog/jarrod-mckenna/multi-faith-youth-service-challenging-racism

The Nassar farm is surrounded by Israeli settlements, and like many Palestinians, the Nassars have endured harassment, threats and attacks from nearby settlers. In one such attack, Daoud Nassar’s mother was threatened with a gun. In another, settlers uprooted 250 olive trees from the property. It is acts like this, Nassar says, that may easily […]

Since moving from Taumaranui to Richmond three months ago, the couple have been placing advertisements in community newspapers encouraging mothers considering abortion to consider taking up the “exciting” option of adoption instead. The process is carried out through Child Youth and Family, and the adoptions are open, which means the child’s biological parents can choose […]

I have only known Veronica Brady through her public appearances. But she has always intrigued me. A slight woman who took on the ABC, the Howard Government over its treatment of Indigenous Australians, the Pope and Australian Church leaders over their treatment of women, and Australian society over its materialism, she belongs to the long […]

Over four-and-a-half days, the participants participated energetically in a program that gave introductory concepts in conflict analysis and avenues for nonviolent conflict resolution, religious dynamics and identity in conflict, religious resources for peacemaking, religious bias, stereotyping, and pluralism, and interfaith dialogue. Participants were especially moved by the USIP-supported documentary the Imam and the Pastor, which […]

ON March 11, 2007 Sekai Holland was lying broken and bloody in a Harare police cell after being brutally tortured on the orders of the Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe. Last month, she shook the dictator’s hand, accepted his congratulations and sat down to share a snack. The long-time democracy activist and former Sydney resident has […]

Ultra-Orthodox Jews took the Pennsylvania Amish on a walking tour of their world Tuesday, saying their communities are naturally drawn to each other with a commitment to simpler lifestyles. “It’s reinforcing to the Amish community to see us Jews living the way the Bible says Jews are supposed to live, and have lived since the […]

In Claiming the Beatitudes: Nine Stories from a New Generation, Howard asks the questions, “What would the beatitudes look like today? Is it possible to live a beatitudes life in today’s world?” Through nine remarkable stories of young pastors and seminarians, we are introduced to a world where the beatitudes are not an unreachable moral […]

Who might be the greatest living peacemaker? I acknowledge the question is a bit impertinent. It conjures competition, while by its nature, the word “peacemaker” bespeaks humility, equality, warm humanity. Even so, for the title of greatest I place my money on Hildegard Goss-Mayr of Vienna. If you don’t know of Hildegard, I urge you […]

These are inspiring and informative audio recordings of an all-day workshop involving lectures, reflections and Q&A, led by Jean Vanier (founder of L’arche) and Stanley Hauerwas, professor of theological ethics at Duke University Divinity School. This event was part of the Teaching Communities program, conducted Nov 8-10, 2008 at the Duke Center for Reconciliation. The […]