At the Inter-Faith Trinity Conference on Religion and Violence

Dear Friends,

It was a great gift for many last week when the Trinity Conference on Religion and Violence presented four internationally known scholars who spoke on the relationship of religion and violence. What was especially meaningful was that each speaker came from a different religious tradition and spoke from a deeply personal perspective...one born out of years of experience and struggle. Present were James Cone, Suzannah Heschel, Tariq Ramadan, and James Carroll. As we sat and listened one theme came through again and again and again. Each religious tradition contains both the seeds of peace and the potential for violence. How we interpret and apply our sacred texts is what makes the difference.
For me , it was a hopeful moment when we all sat and simply listened to one another. We listened and sought to understand the other. Can we, in our different religious traditions ,come together to listen, to pray, to sing and dance the dance of peace? Can we meet often to deepen our common purpose, celebrate our differences, and nurture our growing friendship?

In the Hope of Waging Peace,
Stefan Andre