In search of solutions : the problem of religion and conflict / Clinton Bennett.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bennett, Clinton.

Contributor:

Charles H. Maxson Fund.

Series:

Religion and violence

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

War--Religious aspects.

War.

Northern Ireland.

Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Arab-Israeli conflict.

Physical Description:

xi, 263 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

London ; Oakville, CT : Equinox Pub., 2008.

Summary:

In Search of Solutions explores three conflict contexts in which religion is generally acknowledged to be a factor, although some minimize religion's role while others identify it as a major cause of violence. It evaluates what role religion plays, or has played, in the Northern Ireland, Bosnian and Israel-Palestinian conflicts (including the contribution of the women's movement in Ireland), and argues that religion all too easily lends itself in support of conflict.

Stories of how religion has helped to solve conflict are rare, a major handicap when advocating that religion can play a peacemaking role. The author argues that scriptures can be used to justify conflict and that an alternative interpretative paradigm is needed if this tendency is to be reversed. Given that, for religious people, the reduction of scriptures to totally human constructs is hugely problematical, this book proposes a hermeneutic that is more helpful than viewing all scriptures as a human response to the divine. Drawing on post-modern theory, the author also observes that, though scriptures may be `divine', interpretation is always human. However, he rejects post-modernity's maxim that there are no single or authoritative interpretations of any text, that all interpretations are equally valid, including those that justify violence, on the basis that there is a higher moral ground on which humans should stand. Drawing on the philosophy of E.W. Hocking, this book concludes with the suggestion that peace will be best guaranteed when religions transcend their particularities and individuals commune directly with the divine, without the necessity of organized religions as mediators.

In Search of Solutions will be of great interest to both students and the general reader.

Contents:

Introduction : the problem of religion and conflict

Conflict in Northern Ireland

Resources and sources

Northern Ireland : 'the troubles'

Northern Ireland : religion and 'the troubles'

The history of the Bosnian conflict

The role of religions

History of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The role of religion in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The problem of violent scriptures : a higher hermeneutic

The end of history and God's purposes for creation

Conclusion : a religion-less future?

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [246]-251) and indexes.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Charles H. Maxson Fund.

ISBN:

9781845532390

1845532392

9781845532406

1845532406

OCLC:

133465505

Publisher Number:

99937299351