faith-inspired peacebuilding

John Paul's work as a peacebuilding professional and academic has formative spiritual roots from his upbringing in the Mennonite tradition, found determinative mentorship with Quaker peacemakers, and deepened his contemplative impulses through significant Buddhist relationships. Faith-inspired peacebuilding, as he has come to understand it, exists at the convergence of spirituality and creativity. His engagement opens into the rich and complex pathways of religion, conflict, and interreligious peacebuilding. Faith-inspired has an inclusive quality, suggesting respectful engagement of diverse formative roots and the unfolding potential for creativity. The content in this section ranges from descriptions of religiously based initiatives to reflections into his own spiritual practices.

presentation

Ponencia de John Paul Lederach

A lectured delivered for a conference entitled, “Desarme integral en América Latina y el Caribe,” organized by the Alianza por el Desarme.

2022

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The Poetics of Building Peace

A speaking notes for a speech that explores the relationship between the practices of poetry and peacebuilding shared at Bethany Theological Seminary in March 2009.

2009

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Special Conversation: Building Peace in Divided Societies

A special conversation in contribution to the 2021 Korea Global Forum for Peace Education, themed 'Peace Education in Divided Societies.'

2021

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Compassion and Integrity in an Age of Fragmentation

A speech delivered at Hesston College's 2016 Homecoming celebration sharing stories from personal and professional experiences illuminating the transformative power of compassion and integrity in embodied presence.

2016

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The Great Conversation

An address at Hesston College's 2016 Homecoming Forum sharing three key important practices in approaching conversation across difference.

2016

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Dispatches from the Burning Ground: Compassionate Presence and Faith-based Peacebuilding

A lecture shared at Conrad Grebel University College for the 2014 Convocation celebration on the topic of compassionate presence and faith-inspired peacebuilding.

2014

presentation

Narratives of Care: The Social Echo of Community Transformation

A lecture presented at the conference, "Conversations on Attachment: Integrating the Science of Love and Spirituality," in which John Paul explores the nexus of conflict transformation, reconciliation, and attachment theory through the metaphors of sound and circularity.

2012