Unity in Diversity

Abstract

The field of conflict resolution has rarely been tested so frequently as in theMiddle East. Since 1948, internecine conflict has flared in Israel/Palestine,Lebanon, and Iraq, with neighboring states sustaining the consequences ofthe tensions.Applying interfaith dialogue (IFD) as ameans to promote peacefulrelations is thus, by its very nature, fraught with controversy and uncertainty.Yet this unique approach draws on peace-building mechanisms thatbear such religious nuances as reconciliation, mercy, and forgiveness. Byeschewing secular concepts for religious resources, IFD provides a pointfrom which individuals can transcend the religious divide in search of furtherunderstanding and peace.Accordingly, following the activities of IFD organizationsin Israel/Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon is a complex undertakingfor the authors of Unity in Diversity. Having previously addressedNonviolence and Peacebuilding in Islam: Theory and Practice (UniversityPress of Florida: 2003) and Dialogue, Conflict Resolution, and Change:Arab-Jewish Encounters in Israel (State University of New York Press:1999), Abu-Nimer, an associate professor with the International Peace andConflict Resolution Program, lends a revealing insight into faith-based resolution.Alongside Khoury and Welty, this book introduces IDF and analyzesits application, limitations, and recommendations.Opening with an overview of the “Potentials and Challenges in InterfaithDialogue in the Middle East” in chapter 1, the authors proceed to elucidatethe book’s themes in chapter 2: “Basic Concepts and Approaches.” Inwith pdfFactory ...