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Reconcile: Conflict Transformation for Ordinary Christians
What if reconciliation is central to the biblical message? And what if Christians, who have been missing the mark for millennia, are awakening to the gospel of peace? International mediator and Mennonite John Paul Lederach offers guidance for Christians seeking guidance in Scripture and personal applications of reconciliation. Originally published as The Journey Toward Reconciliation and based on Lederach’s work in twenty-five countries across five continents, this revised and updated book tells dramatic stories of what works—and what doesn’t—in resolving and transforming conflicts. A section of resources for congregations and small groups offers litanies, discussion questions, resource lists, and practical ideas for peacemaking in everyday life.
“Lynne and I feel deeply called to the work of peacemaking these days. We know it is very near to the heart of the One we serve. No one’s writings have helped us more than John Paul Lederach’s.”—Bill Hybels, co-founder and senior pastor, Willow Creek Community Church
“Lynne and I feel deeply called to the work of peacemaking these days. We know it is very near to the heart of the One we serve. No one’s writings have helped us more than John Paul Lederach’s.”—Bill Hybels, co-founder and senior pastor, Willow Creek Community Church
220 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2014
44 people are currently reading
483 people want to read
About the author
John Paul Lederach
42 books69 followersDr. John Paul Lederach is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in the fields of peacebuilding and conflict transformation. He is widely known for the development of culturally based approaches to conflict transformation; the design and implementation of integrative, strategic approaches to peacebuilding; and for carving a robust integration of the arts and social change. Over the course of his career, Lederach has garnered extensive experience working with non-governmental organizations, community-based initiatives impacted by cycles of violence, and national peace process design. He has worked extensively as a practitioner in conciliation processes in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast and Central Asia.
Lederach is the author or editor of 30 books and manuals (translated into a dozen languages), and numerous academic articles and monographs on peace education, conflict transformation, international peacebuilding, and conciliation training. He has developed training materials and manuals available in Spanish on peace education, conflict transformation, and mediation, now used widely throughout Latin America.
Lederach received his bachelor’s degree in history and peace studies from Bethel College and his doctorate of philosophy degree in sociology, with a concentration on social conflict, from the University of Colorado. He currently serves as Senior Fellow for Humanity United and Professor Emeritus of International Peacebuilding at the Joan B. Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame.
Lederach is the author or editor of 30 books and manuals (translated into a dozen languages), and numerous academic articles and monographs on peace education, conflict transformation, international peacebuilding, and conciliation training. He has developed training materials and manuals available in Spanish on peace education, conflict transformation, and mediation, now used widely throughout Latin America.
Lederach received his bachelor’s degree in history and peace studies from Bethel College and his doctorate of philosophy degree in sociology, with a concentration on social conflict, from the University of Colorado. He currently serves as Senior Fellow for Humanity United and Professor Emeritus of International Peacebuilding at the Joan B. Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 5, 2018
It might be splitting theologically semantic hairs, but the big question Lederach seems to be asking is whether reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel, or if reconciliation is the gospel. Is there a difference? And does it matter.
Everything else aside, I think Christians can all agree that it is at least part of the heart of the gospel. But the gospel has a big heart.
And it's not just a Christian thing. People of all faiths can see the value and wisdom of reconciliation.
I found especially powerful a chapter on a meeting between truth, mercy, justice, and peace: the interplay and how they relate. The question of what the truth is, and who owns it - and in a conflict, both sides claim it and appeal to the listener to take their side because of it. How it can be wielded and twisted - intentionally, or unintentionally. How there's both perception and truth. I appreciated the line that Truth speaks, "There is only one Truth, but I can be experienced in many different ways. I reside within each person, yet nobody owns me."
Modern day Mennonites bring up some great points in their thought experiments. We invest in armies to wage war. Trillions and trillions of dollars. (About $600 billion a year here in the US.) What would happen if we invested that kind of money into waging peace?
Many Mennonites have branched out from thought to practice. Two stories with local interest, for instance: This is a very moving piece on MJ Sharp, and the cost of peace. And our community was saddened to hear of the death of Phil Thomas, but relieved to know it was not at the hand of violence - for a man who spent his life pursuing peace.
The book offers plenty to contemplate, and there's room for criticism as well. (Dr. Malinda Berry came in and spoke on the difference between reconciliation and reparation, for instance. The oppressor seeks reconciliation when they realized that they have wronged others, the oppressed ask for justice through reparations.)
And there's plenty of theology to be debated here as well. They are conversations that are worth having.
Everything else aside, I think Christians can all agree that it is at least part of the heart of the gospel. But the gospel has a big heart.
And it's not just a Christian thing. People of all faiths can see the value and wisdom of reconciliation.
I found especially powerful a chapter on a meeting between truth, mercy, justice, and peace: the interplay and how they relate. The question of what the truth is, and who owns it - and in a conflict, both sides claim it and appeal to the listener to take their side because of it. How it can be wielded and twisted - intentionally, or unintentionally. How there's both perception and truth. I appreciated the line that Truth speaks, "There is only one Truth, but I can be experienced in many different ways. I reside within each person, yet nobody owns me."
Modern day Mennonites bring up some great points in their thought experiments. We invest in armies to wage war. Trillions and trillions of dollars. (About $600 billion a year here in the US.) What would happen if we invested that kind of money into waging peace?
Many Mennonites have branched out from thought to practice. Two stories with local interest, for instance: This is a very moving piece on MJ Sharp, and the cost of peace. And our community was saddened to hear of the death of Phil Thomas, but relieved to know it was not at the hand of violence - for a man who spent his life pursuing peace.
The book offers plenty to contemplate, and there's room for criticism as well. (Dr. Malinda Berry came in and spoke on the difference between reconciliation and reparation, for instance. The oppressor seeks reconciliation when they realized that they have wronged others, the oppressed ask for justice through reparations.)
And there's plenty of theology to be debated here as well. They are conversations that are worth having.
January 19, 2024
I cannot recommend this book enough. There are many books, programs, and courses about Christian-based conflict resolution that are all selling something. Those have pieces of value, but not like this book, which asks far more questions than it does provide answers. It asks the questions and deals with the concepts that must motivate the practice of “Christian” conflict resolution.
September 5, 2018
Reconcile is an excellent book that will challenge you to not only think about how you deal with conflict and relate to people in conflict, but also how to see God in the conflict. It was quite "convicting" to me as I thought and prayed about how I caused and dealt with conflict. I will need to make some changes in how I live my life as a result of reading this book. I would recommend it highly and encourage those of you who have or are experiencing conflict to read it as well.
August 4, 2022
Lederach has a wealth of experience mediating conflict, from the national scale to the interpersonal scale. The appendices were the most useful portion of the book, however; he focuses most of the book on why reconciliation is the gospel message.
August 4, 2018
Great overview. A good intro to conflict mediation concepts.
Read
September 18, 2020written by Notre Dame professor involved with Peace initiative around the world,
Very Good
Very Good
October 18, 2020
Wonderful practical steps to take to be reconciled to each other. I really think this is a great book for those who might have strained relationships and highly recommend it for anyone who desires to help others reconcile their differences!
October 9, 2014
After describing the horrifying evening when he was informed that his daughter was the target of a kidnapping plot aimed at undermining his peace building efforts in Costa Rica, John Paul Lederach wrote the following paragraph:
I can no longer take John 3:16 as a short formula for salvation. I can only understand it as a foundational principle of reconciliation. It is an ethic based on willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of an enemy. It is an ethic undergirded by and made possible only through the immeasurable love and grace of God.
This statement is pivotal to Lederach’s approach to conflict resolution which involves approaching your enemy in the hope of understanding him and finding common ground rather than attempting to force him into accepting your point of view.
When my son, Christian Piatt, first recommended this book to me, I told him it would probably be over my head. I’m a lazy intellectual, and I have to keep reference sources close at hand when reading a lot of what he reads, as well as some of what he writes. He assured me that Reconcile was written in a narrative style that makes it an enjoyable as well as an educational read. He was right. Lederach’s stories draw the reader into the personal lives of his own family and of those he has met in his ministry of reconciliation while also teaching how to find the truth, justice, mercy, and peace that are so lacking in our conflicted world.
I was further concerned that, since Lederach’s work is global in scope, his insights would have little practical application for a small-world person like me. While I am aware of the chaos that makes up the nightly news, and I attempt to vote and live in a responsible manner, my primary focus is geared more toward the people whose lives touch mine on a more personal level, both here in small town America and on the Internet where my life intersects with others through my writings and theirs. However, the path to conflict transformation outlined in Reconcile is applicable to individuals, churches, and workplace environments as well as an international setting.
Christian recently posted an interview with the author on his blog. Following is his last question and Lederach’s answer.
If you had one dream for the impact this book would have, what would it be?
That it provokes reflection and meaningful conversation that leads to taking a risk, maybe a small step, toward building better, more healthy relationships in and through the many conflicts life affords us.
This book is an interesting read but not an easy one. It’s not one to be scanned and put back on the shelf. Instead, it is a text to return to often, to meditate over, to share in a group study. If enough of us read, understand, and live these truths, perhaps Lederach’s dream will come true.
I can no longer take John 3:16 as a short formula for salvation. I can only understand it as a foundational principle of reconciliation. It is an ethic based on willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of an enemy. It is an ethic undergirded by and made possible only through the immeasurable love and grace of God.
This statement is pivotal to Lederach’s approach to conflict resolution which involves approaching your enemy in the hope of understanding him and finding common ground rather than attempting to force him into accepting your point of view.
When my son, Christian Piatt, first recommended this book to me, I told him it would probably be over my head. I’m a lazy intellectual, and I have to keep reference sources close at hand when reading a lot of what he reads, as well as some of what he writes. He assured me that Reconcile was written in a narrative style that makes it an enjoyable as well as an educational read. He was right. Lederach’s stories draw the reader into the personal lives of his own family and of those he has met in his ministry of reconciliation while also teaching how to find the truth, justice, mercy, and peace that are so lacking in our conflicted world.
I was further concerned that, since Lederach’s work is global in scope, his insights would have little practical application for a small-world person like me. While I am aware of the chaos that makes up the nightly news, and I attempt to vote and live in a responsible manner, my primary focus is geared more toward the people whose lives touch mine on a more personal level, both here in small town America and on the Internet where my life intersects with others through my writings and theirs. However, the path to conflict transformation outlined in Reconcile is applicable to individuals, churches, and workplace environments as well as an international setting.
Christian recently posted an interview with the author on his blog. Following is his last question and Lederach’s answer.
If you had one dream for the impact this book would have, what would it be?
That it provokes reflection and meaningful conversation that leads to taking a risk, maybe a small step, toward building better, more healthy relationships in and through the many conflicts life affords us.
This book is an interesting read but not an easy one. It’s not one to be scanned and put back on the shelf. Instead, it is a text to return to often, to meditate over, to share in a group study. If enough of us read, understand, and live these truths, perhaps Lederach’s dream will come true.
February 25, 2015
The writing integrates biblical lessons and stories from Lederach’s work in conflict transformation. This carefully written book could be beneficial to any individual or congregation willing to take seriously the healing message of reconciliation. The vision presented in Reconcile has grown out of years of work with people in conflict, and out of careful reading of the gospel message of Jesus. With an Anabaptist theological perspective, Lederach expresses a commitment to following the example of Jesus in his actions.
For my complete review, see my blog light to read by.
For my complete review, see my blog light to read by.
October 1, 2015
I read the earlier version years ago and it is just as powerful now. I especially hear the four voices in a conflict (the Meeting Place chapter), Truth, Mercy, Justice, and Peace again and again as I read the news and engage in controversial conversations among friends and colleagues. The additional resources included in the back are a valuable way to further engage the book and see how these concepts manifest in the church and church-like organizations like Christian Higher Education.
I would recommend this book to anyone.
I would recommend this book to anyone.
May 16, 2024
A relatively slight but profound workbook on conflict transformation, written by someone with decades of experience in high-stakes, international peace building initiatives, but which is applicable to reconciliation in local, church and personal contexts. The resources and study questions in the appendices are particularly helpful. This is my second reading of this and I appreciated it even more second time around and suspect I will keep returning to this as a workbook as long as I have to deal with situations of conflict ie. the rest of my life!
August 24, 2015
There are not enough stars for this book! Peacemaking Christians and those that want to be more intentional about handling conflict will love it. Those on the fence about the idea may also be taken with it.
January 4, 2016
I found this book very intriguing and thought provoking. It was not an easy read. You had to be very focused. I had to re read many parts of the book for clarification. I am looking forward to discussing this with my book club. It would be an ideal book for an adult faith discussion.
October 10, 2014
Not a bad read, but I thought his mixing of the geopolitical with the personal and church corporate issues were not an easy blend
November 10, 2015
A thought-provoking book that we read and worked through in our Sunday School class.
December 6, 2016
Wonderfully insightful book written by a man who works in international peace negotiations. Great Biblical comparisons.
April 2, 2017
Such a relivant need of humanity
We all have a need. Known or unknown. Time will reveal and we will need reconciliation. Good material. Great life tools
We all have a need. Known or unknown. Time will reveal and we will need reconciliation. Good material. Great life tools
April 12, 2017
Read before my trip to Israel and Palestine. Gives you a lot to think about in the context of what it means to be a peacemaker and what it means to put faith into action when it comes to conflict.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews