Throughout human history, peace has always been among the highest values of humanity that has been nurtured by communities, individuals, and countries.
Peace has always been and remains an ingredient that ties people together and enables them to co-exist peacefully, with a spirit of respect, togetherness, and considerateness, irrespective of differences.
Bearing this in mind, people around the world have been paying the highest price to preserve peace at any cost. Mainly, those who are determined to ensure it through well-established fashion and forgiveness as well as productive dialogue are able to materialize it.
On top of this, religious institutions and leaders play a significant role in conflict resolution and promoting peace. Principally, given their power to advise, influence attitudes, behaviors and practices among their faith communities, religious leaders play an incalculable role in promoting peace and reconciliation, as well as resolving conflicts through peaceful discussion. Taking this into account, countries have been trying to effectively and respectfully engage with the religious realm.
Just to mention, according to documents, the United States Institute of Peace’s Religion and Peacemaking program has worked with local partners to promote religious peacemaking in many parts of the world, including Sudan, Nigeria, Iraq and among others.
Ethiopia, as a diverse nation where various religious values are entertained, religious leaders play a vital role in promoting love, tolerance, and forgiveness and can serve as a potential agent for peace building through instilling the values that bring diverse people together.
The Ethiopian Herald approached a member of the Bole Arabssa Full Gospel Church, Pastor Dereje Mulugeta to share his view with regard to the role religious leaders can play in terms of nurturing peace among the people.
As to him, religious leaders should exploit the values contained in great religious teachings because they are instrumental in addressing and eradicating the root causes of conflicts, promoting forgiveness and reconciliation among conflicting parties, and mobilizing communities for the common good. It is high time to work and teach the value of peace and the ways people can nurture forgiveness, love, and peace in order to coexist peacefully.
Religious leaders are responsible for providing spiritual guidance to their respective devotees and wider communities. Enforcing moral conduct within them, teaching the ethos and the core values of religion, such as love, forgiveness, and tolerance, among followers is crucial, as religious leaders have the power to influence their followers, the pastor added.
As to him, past frictions and harms could create trauma on individual citizens; the only way out to healing from such pain is taking courage for forgiveness, love and compassion rather than engaging in the activity of vengeance.
“In my view, religious leaders should fulfill their spiritual responsibilities and serve their followers in accordance with the values of the faiths, refraining from serving the interest of some groups. Our moral standard should stem from the Holy books and religious teachers should teach their followers to be good citizens.”
Religious leaders have publicly stood for societal peace and harmony and against violence because they are well aware that violent conflict is the major hindrance to sustain peace, love and togetherness as well as to advance the development of the nation.
He finally said: “peace should be the epicenter of any activity, therefore, we should preserve it, and teach people to consider and exercise forgiveness because it is an act that leads to banishing resentment and grudge and creating peace as it is the highest integrity.”
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald Yekibir Kidan International Church President Pastor Mekonnen Shiferaw said that ensuring peace and stability should take the center among religious leaders.
Religious leaders should be role models to their followers and preach about forgiveness, love and kindness to all to keep away the sentiments of hatred, selfishness, greediness and the like. “True, we are facing a number of challenges with regard to upholding peace and security for a number of reasons across the world. But love and humanity may heal themselves and solve all the problems.”
“As religious leaders, we do have lofty responsibilities to share the burden. I am well aware that today, Ethiopia is in dire need for national dialogue than ever before because we are witnessing a number of conflicts throughout the country.”
No one denies that such inconveniences and disagreements could harm all citizens that have been coexisting for long. In this regard, religious people should take bold action and play a constructive role in preaching the word of God, peace, love, forgiveness, reconciliation, tolerance and unity.
He further noted that some politicians focus on the younger generation to make sure their goals are served. They know that the youth is undeveloped in a number of ways, like emotionally, physiologically, and physically.
In this regard, religious leaders should acquaint the young generation with high moral values and the core principles of the religion. They should teach how rifts and hikes of the past could be closed and the value of forgiveness and tolerance.
Religious leaders should not let followers remain in trauma for the reason that past experiences cannot change the past or predict the future.
“Over the years, we have learned that no nation is able to ensure peace from the barrel of a gun, but rather through holding peaceful dialogue. Taking this in mind, religious leaders should take the courage to organize platforms to undo differences through productive dialogue and discussion.”
True, religious leaders are expected to play a significant role in conflict resolution. By advising, warning, and reprimanding conflict-inciting parties, politicians, and elites, they can make them come to their senses and resolve their differences through peaceful discussion. Moreover, they should advise communities to avoid conflict and promote coexistence and peace, Pastor Mekonnen remarked.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 7 MAY 2024
