Frameworks for dialogue

Abstract

In a number of conflicts throughout the world, whether international or domestic, religion is often mentioned as one of the influencing factors. Even in wars without religious overtones, religious leaders involve themselves to various degrees. The legitimacy and credibility of religious leaders are significantly enhanced when they act jointly across denominational and faith divides. This paper looks at dialogue for interfaith action in times of war, based on the involvement of Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), together with the World Conference on Religion and Peace, in three cases: Ethiopia and Eritrea, Sierra Leone, and Kosovo. They are introduced in narrative form in the first part. The second part discusses interfaith dialogue and action within some conceptual frameworks of dialogue and conflict transformation. In the final part, the three cases are revisited in order to apply some of the frameworks discussed in the second part.