Chapter 5 Religion and conflict
28 February 2008
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Depending on the context, religion can be either a catalyst of violence towards other groups or a reconciling factor, bringing people together with a message of forgiveness and peace. The main question here is how religious organisations - ‘faith-based actors' - can help prevent conflict and build peace.
As part of its contribution to the Knowledge Forum on Religion and Development Policy, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioned four studies, which were conducted by researchers working for the Netherlands Institute of International Relations at Clingendael. This summary outlines the findings of these studies, their accounts of the role of faith-based actors in conflicts, their conclusions and their policy recommendations.
