On March 5, 2024, the Boniuk Institute’s Religion and Public Life Program hosted a Religious and Civic Leader Gathering featuring religion scholar John D. Barton, author of Better Religion: A Primer for Interreligious Peacebuilding, a call to open our minds to the possibilities of interreligious peacebuilding by acknowledging differences and actively looking for areas of commonality.
Barton argues that religion will play a role in shaping conflict outcomes for better or worse, but religion is only one ingredient of many in ongoing world challenges. To move toward a “better” outcome, Barton says there will need to be structural change and, more importantly, grassroots-level groups forming powerful networks to work toward similar goals. He argues for more grassroots efforts rather than top-down structural solutions to conflicts. He says that grassroots efforts often start in places with harsh realities.
Barton used the analogy of a bridge to illustrate. We do not stand on common ground but on separate shores and need to build bridges to create pathways. Sometimes these bridges are built by institutions, but most often they are built by individuals who have a shared interest in peace.
In order to reach beyond the “choir,” he advises starting with receptive people and working outward to reach people who are more skeptical. Barton cautions that voices for peace will never reach everyone, but asserts the significance of the minority: a dedicated small group (5% or less) can have an overwhelmingly large impact in a large community.
When asked how one starts the process of peacebuilding, Barton advised doing a little research to see what kinds of organizations and efforts already exist and plugging into them rather than reinventing the wheel with a new group.