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Healing a nation's wound
Walter Wink
Walter Wink
Author(s)
Walter Wink
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Keywords
democracy
reconciliation
religion
reconciliation
religion
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Abstract
The process of transition from authoritarian to democratic modes of governance is taking place in many regions of the world. From Estonia to Ethiopia, from South Africa to El Salvador, political change offers new hope to oppressed people. Even after dictators are overthrown and peace agreements have been signed, however, the process of transition is often marred by conflicts that threaten to undermine newly-established, and often fragile, democratic political structures. In such contexts, moreover, the task of promoting reconciliation-healing societal divisions and creating new consensual political systems is a complex and longterm process. Churches are major social actors in many of the countries where democratic transitions are taking place. In some cases, they were major centers of resistance to authoritarian rule and committed to the struggle for change. In other cases, they were perceived as being allied with authoritarian regimes and are now struggling to position themselves in a new situation. Regardless of their position in the previous political system, churches are now called to define anew their role in supporting the transition and reconciling people who have been in conflict. Written by leading US theologian Walter Wink, Healing a Nation's Wounds is the introductory essay in the LPI report series Reconciliation and the Church in the Transition to Democracy. In a broad ranging survey of the theological and ethical issues involved in the process of democratic transition, Healing a Nation's Wounds provides a conceptual framework for the specific case studies from Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Central America that will follow in the series.
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Book
Date
2005
Identifier
ISBN
9187748622
DOI
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With permission of the license/copyright holder