From “Peaceful” to “Peaceable” A Proposed Conceptual Shift for Interreligious Peacemaking

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, religious people continue to be both the perpetrators and targeted victims of violence. Given such realities, there is an urgent need to think clearly about the relationship between religion, violence, and peace. This article does so by focusing on one theoretical component of peacebuilding. I propose a conceptual shift away from the language of religious “peacefulness” and toward that of “peaceableness.” I contend that peacebuilding efforts are not well served by attempts to assess whether a religion is inherently peaceful or not, but by more modest acknowledgements that, despite mixed historical records, all major religions have peace-able resources that can be mobilized. In other words, beyond mere semantics, the shift from peaceful to peaceable is significant in the quest for theoretical coherence and effective practice of interreligious peacebuilding. I also use scripture to illustrate the specific compatibility of these ideas with the “risk and hope” of Christian peacemaking.