At Peace Catalyst, we’re working to equip and mobilize Christians for collaborative peacebuilding across lines of difference. In light of today’s hyperdiversity, church decline, and polarization, the need for a holistic, healing-oriented framework at a popular level among local pastors and their congregations has never been greater. With a shalom-centered theological framework and PCI’s peacebuilding toolkits, congregations have the opportunity to both reconstruct their faith in ways that fit with their core faith priorities and values and to collaborate with their diverse neighbors on issues that affect all of society. 

In a world rife with conflict and division, peacebuilding is a felt need in our families, communities, and wider society. Traditional approaches to conflict resolution often focused on political strategies and the most visible leaders, but there’s a growing awareness that sustainable peace requires a more holistic approach that involves everyday people like you and me. One innovative approach that we are leaning into at Peace Catalyst is the idea of a “peacebuilding learning pilgrimage” that includes active local participation. This transformative experience combines groups of foreign and local participants who learn from local peacebuilding practitioners about challenges and successes in their peace work. By including and valuing the voices of local participants, this approach empowers local populations in conflict-affected zones like Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH) while simultaneously creating a lasting impact on participants from foreign countries.

“Peacebuilding is not an elective that you can choose from your church’s course offerings; it is the essence of our calling as Christians and the motivator for all we do.” That feedback was one of many incredible responses we got from our last 6-week online small group: “Introduction to Christian Peacebuilding,” and we have another group coming up in September. Read what others are saying about it, and join us for the next one!

For the past 10 years I developed an interest in studying trauma. I must admit that my interest in the topic started from purely selfish reasons. I wanted to investigate and try to explain to myself the events that took place in my past. And try to understand why I jump and scream every time there is a sudden loud noise, thinking who is shooting, from what direction, and is my life under threat? Slowly, this interest grew to a much larger scale. I took on the ambitious task of trying and understand how trauma travels through generations. And what consequences it leaves behind.

Last Tuesday evening, I had the incredible privilege to attend a lecture at the University of Sarajevo by Dr. Ahmet Kuru, Director of Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies and professor of political science at San Diego State University. He spoke about his book, Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment: A Global & Historical Comparison. As a Christian listening in with scholarly, self-reflective, and inspiring Muslim thought leaders, I was incredibly impressed and left with several takeaways.

Last month, the Slovakia Missions Network invited me to lead two workshops to introduce peacebuilding and how it relates to God’s mission and how Christians understand the Good News and witness. Since so much of my work with Peace Catalyst is to help Christians catch a vision for God’s shalom vision and peacebuilding mission, I was very excited to see how these ideas might connect more broadly with others in Eastern Europe.

There is a constant battle between the individual longing for freedom and civilisation demanding conformity and repression of instincts. And so, individuals are constantly sending subtle and not-so-subtle messages about their feelings and this restricted freedom. I had this on my mind recently as I took the trolley bus through Sarajevo.

We all encounter circumstances, people, and conversations that scare us. It is natural for our defenses to automatically kick into gear, preparing us to fight or escape at any cost. This is why I am amazed whenever I meet people who instead manage to pause their defense reactions long enough to engage their curiosity and seek to better understand their partner in conflict. This kind of dialogue is truly courageous.

Over four weeks in the States while visiting family and friends, I was invited to preach or speak at a different church each weekend, in addition to speaking at several Christian small groups. The biggest takeaway that I have is how much American Christians are longing to hear about peacebuilding, and regardless of high levels of skepticism about how peacebuilding functions or whether it can be successful, Christians are interested to learn more and eager to put peacebuilding insights and skills into practice.