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.

Beyond Intractability Interview
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interview
Beyond Intractability Interview

A interview with Julian Portilla exploring themes of narrative and storytelling, insider-outsider models of mediation, and personal and professional formative influences in the U.S. during the Civil Rights Movement, in Nicaragua, and in Costa Rica.

2003
‘Reconcile’: Interview with Peace Activist John Paul Lederach
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interview
‘Reconcile’: Interview with Peace Activist John Paul Lederach

An interview by Christian Piatt about the book, Reconcile: Conflict Transformation for Ordinary Christians.

2014
Columbine Article
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document
Columbine Article

A short article co-written by John Paul and his daughter, Angie, that four simple ideas and requests following the Columbine shooting.

1999
Mennonite Central Committee Efforts in Somalia/Somaliland: A Brief Overview
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document
Mennonite Central Committee Efforts in Somalia/Somaliland: A Brief Overview

A paper outlining Mennonite Central Committee peacemaking involvement in Somalia/Somaliland between 1989 and 1993.

1993
Columbine Conversations from a Daughter and Father
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document
Columbine Conversations from a Daughter and Father

An article written in the aftermath of the Columbine shooting by John Paul and his daughter, Angie.

1999
Conflict Management in the Church: A Review of the Literature
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document
Conflict Management in the Church: A Review of the Literature

An overview and analysis of the literature aimed at the study of conflict management in the Church.

1984
Unmasking Evil: Religiously Motivated Peacebuilding and the Challenge of Terror
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paper
Unmasking Evil: Religiously Motivated Peacebuilding and the Challenge of Terror

A draft paper written for presentation at the First Annual Catholic Peacebuilding Network Conference held in 2004.

2004
Mercy: The Power of Unexpected Love Incarnated
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paper
Mercy: The Power of Unexpected Love Incarnated

A conference address reflecting on the relationship between Mercy and forgetfulness on the path toward healing.

2002
Pacifism in Contemporary Conflict: A Christian Perspective
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paper
Pacifism in Contemporary Conflict: A Christian Perspective

A commissioned paper articulating a Christian pacifist perspective on nonviolent approaches to contemporary conflict.

1993
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