In a recent blog post I spoke of ecumenical and interfaith dialogue. A few days later I discovered the Facebook page for JustPeace, the Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation of the United Methodist Church.
JustPeace has gathered an impressive board of directors and they have embraced the spiritually transformative power of conflict resolution, taking a path parallel to our own.
The name JustPeace originated with the words of John Paul Lederach, cited numerous times in Taming the Wolf. (See his inspiring book The Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul of Building Peace.) Lederach, who comes from a Mennonite background, teaches at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame.
Years ago, I was privileged to attend a mediation demonstration performed by a member of the JustPeace board of directors, Eric Galton, whose recent book, Ripples from Peace Lake, is in the stack of books I am currently finishing.
In Ripples from Peace Lake, Eric presents touching firsthand accounts of mediation, accounts that serve as a valuable introduction to the process for those new to the field.
In a recent blog post for JustPeace, Father Ray Helmick shares the thoughts of St. Ignatius in a quote we will add to our Taming the Wolf toolbox. Father Ray writes:
At the very beginning of Ignatius’ book, he has this remarkable page, the Presupposition to the Exercises. It reads:
“To assure better cooperation between the one who is giving the Exercises and the one who receives them, and more beneficial results to both, it is necessary to suppose that every good Christian is more ready to save the proposition of another than to condemn it as false. If he is unable to save the proposition, the one who made it should be asked how he understands it, and if he understands it badly, it should be discussed with him with love. If this does not suffice, all appropriate means should be used so that, understanding his proposition rightly, he may save it.”
— Ignatius, 16th Century
When we “save the proposition” of the other we engage in precisely the type of relationship based on mutual caring and active listening that is critical to our efforts to tame the wolf. I send a big “thank you” to JustPeace for bringing this guiding principle from St. Ignatius to our attention.
Thanks Greg!
We’re very much enjoying your website and blog posts as well!
Looking forward to staying in touch and collaborating in this work.
- Adam
http://www.justpeaceumc.org