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.

‘Reconcile’: Interview with Peace Activist John Paul Lederach

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

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.

Columbine Article

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

Columbine Conversations from a Daughter and Father

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

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.

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.

Foreword, Disarmed

The foreword to a biography about Mennonite peacebuilder Michael "MJ" Sharp.

Foreword, Satyagraha and Nonresistance

The foreword to Satyagraha and Nonresistance, which explores tensions and resonances between the Anabaptist notion of nonresistance and Gandhian views of nonviolence.

Foreword, Practicing the Politics of Jesus

A foreword penned for Earl Zimmerman's book Practicing the Politics of Jesus: The Origin and Significance of John Howard Yoder’s Social Ethics.