St. Bonaventure, in the introduction to The Tree of Life, notes the value of imagination: “…imagination aids understanding.”
Upside Down But Rooted
August 5, 2010 by |
Saint Francis of Assisi: Mediator or Political Activist? Part 3
June 10, 2010 by |
In the previous posts I argued Francis was more likely to act in the tradition of the Great Mediator, Christ, than he was to become a political activist. Francis’ activism, I concluded, would be limited to advocating for a gospel life, not for politics.
Saint Francis of Assisi: Mediator or Political Activist? Part 2
June 8, 2010 by |
In the previous post I asked the question: Francis: Mediator or Activist? In this continuation of the series I take a closer look at Francis in the role of mediator and in the role of advocate.
The Patience of Clare
May 24, 2010 by |
Have you ever noticed how a lesson you don’t learn the first time keeps coming back? and back? and back? One lesson I think Someone is trying to teach me is what I should do when other people don’t do what I want.
JustPeace
May 7, 2010 by |
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.
Deceptive Appearances
April 27, 2010 by |
Deception can present a significant challenge in conflict resolution. By the time parties “get to the table” the truth has taken a brutal beating and their versions of the facts differ. The difference in their expression of what happened often arises out of deception.
Assessing Opposition
March 19, 2010 by |
When we attempt to resolve conflict it helps if we dig below the surface to uncover fundamental factors driving conflict. We peel off the skin of the conflict to get at the skeleton in order to remedy basic structural relationship problems.
Revisiting the Manhattan Declaration
February 2, 2010 by |
There are few innovations that compare with Facebook when it comes to no-waiting-required social feedback, particularly the type of feedback that identifies your considerable character flaws in graphic detail. Dare to suggest a popular plan of action might suffer from flaws…
The Search for Happiness
September 26, 2008 by |
The primary barrier to happiness is unresolved conflict.
Mosque in Manhattan
The recent dispute regarding plans to build a mosque in Manhattan near “Ground Zero” demonstrates the need for mediated learning conversations that address flashpoints in society. Once such disputes are placed in front of the polarizing lenses of the media, the task of reconciliation becomes more difficult.