Abrahamic Family Reunion

The following letter drafted by the United States Institute of Peace – Working Group on Religion & Peace, was recently sent to Secretary Clinton.

Robert Eisen, Marc Gopin, Yehezkel Landau whose signatures are below, have all participated in AFR activities at the Esalen Institute. Joseph Montville is director of the AFR project which has collaborated with almost all of the other signatories or their organizations.

May 18, 2009

Dear Secretary Clinton,

We represent a diverse group of American scholars and practitioners who have pioneered in the last fifteen years an area of research and practice that engages peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and the world’s major religions. This combined experience and research yields significant practical lessons regarding a broad range of challenges the Administration will face in areas of conflict or potential conflict.

Religious representatives and institutions are vitally important as contributors to international peacemaking and diplomacy. In our work with partners abroad we have witnessed both the potential and the reality of peacemaking that actively engages religious cultures across the globe. This is particularly true in countries where religion has been a contributor to the conflict. Unfortunately, policy makers in Washington have generally been slow to recognize the potential for religious peacemaking. But we would be happy to share some of our positive experiences with you that may substantially aid your efforts to resolve or avert conflicts.

Based upon our experience, we urge the Obama administration to include more local religious figures and institutions in its efforts to bring peace and stability to places like Israel/Palestine/Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and Afghanistan. Resources also need to be provided to American organizations that are promoting peacemaking that engages religious people and their cultural values.

Over recent years several sectors of the American government, such as the Pentagon and State, have been engaged, on ad hoc basis, with many of us, but the engagement has lacked consistency, depth, and high-level commitment. We urge you to change that reality by recognizing at the highest levels that religions and religious people must take part in the efforts to engage successfully places of conflict in the world today. We propose an “Inter-religious Council for Peace” to help guide government efforts in this realm.

We stand ready to assist in whatever ways would be helpful in advancing this critically important endeavor.

Sincerely,
Working Group on Religion and Peacemaking

Mohammed Abu Nimer
American University

Ari Alexander
Independent Consultant

Joyce S. Dubensky
Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding

Robert Eisen
George Washington University

Charles P. Gibbs
United Religions Initiative

Marc Gopin
George Mason University

Robin Gulick
Virginia Theological Seminary

Susan Hayward
U.S. Institute of Peace

Karin von Hippel,
Center for Strategic and International Studies

Qamar-ul Huda
U.S. Institute of Peace

Azhar Hussain
International Center For Religion and Diplomacy

Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana
American University

Yehezkel Landau
Hartford Seminary

Joseph Montville
George Mason University

RWB Ruffin
Initiatives of Change International

Gerald Serotta
Clergy Beyond Borders

David Smock
U.S. Institute of Peace

David Steele
Consultant

William Vendley
Religions for Peace