Religions for Peace: A Call for Solidarity to the Religions of the World [Hardcover]

Cardinal Francis Arinze (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 2002

In this heartfelt, cogently argued manifesto, Francis Cardinal Arinze addresses one of the most important issues of our time–the compelling need to foster understanding and respect among followers of different religious beliefs.
The shocking attack on New York City and Washington, D.C., forced the leaders of every faith to face hard-hitting questions about the role of religion in a world increasingly torn apart by unrest, violence, and war. All religions of the world extol peace, yet in many instances religious beliefs are seen as the very source of humanity's conflicts. In Religions for Peace, Cardinal Arinze explores what the various religions can do to actually promote peace.
As the head of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, Cardinal Arinze has met with religious leaders from around the world. Drawing on his vast experience and his deep-seated faith, he offers insights and ideas that could prove to be the catalyst for a new era of inter-religious cooperation the world so desperately needs. He writes on issues ranging from safeguarding the world’s children, to protecting the environment, to promoting efforts for disarmament. At its core, his message emphasizes that the fundamental requirement for peace is respect for the human right to religious freedom.
Written by one of the important religious leaders in the world today, Religions for Peace provides thoughtful, real-life answers to questions that once seemed highly abstract. Resounding with a refreshing awareness of people of all backgrounds, it is a book that is needed more than ever today.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the wake of the September 11 attacks on the U.S., Religions for Peace confronts a baffling paradox. If all the major religions of the world promote peace, why is it that we find ourselves waging so many wars in the name of God? Francis Cardinal Arinze has devoted his life to facilitating dialogues between the leaders of numerous faiths around the world. Although he is based in Catholicism, Arinze offers a beautifully rendered chapter on how the major religions revere peace (including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Taoism). "In the past 17 years," writes Arinze, "I have not come into contact with the follower of any religion who does not regard his or her religion as in favor of peace."

So what's going wrong? The root of the problem, according to Arinze, is intolerance, the inability to respect other religions, races, and cultures. He devotes most of his book to what individuals and religious groups can do to promote world peace: emphasize the holiness of tolerance; be willing to see how your religion has perpetuated violence; provide information on "the negative and terrible effects of war"; and join together to pray for peace. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly

Whatever one's perspective on religion, the events of September 11 have convinced even skeptics to take seriously the role of religion in world affairs. Here, Nigerian-born Arinze reminds readers of the power religions have when they engage in prayer, joint initiatives for peace and other acts of solidarity. He encourages religious leaders to "conscientize" their followers, as well as to foster the study of other religions. Peace, he reminds us, has no religious frontiers; rather, all religions must contribute to a common peace. As head of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Arinze provides examples of such contributions from his own experience. In particular, he usefully references many important interfaith gatherings and initiatives, as well as teachings and peace programs from the Catholic Church. For Arinze, interreligious dialogue is not simply an appeal to what religions have in common. Instead, participants are to speak with integrity from their own respective normative traditions, even as differences arise. Unfortunately, in asserting the voice of his own tradition, Arinze curtails the dialogue by defining religion in largely Christian terms and by imposing official positions of the Catholic Church (religions for peace, he avers, will oppose abortion). Moreover, in failing to adequately distinguish religious fundamentalism (a literalist reading of sacred texts) from the violent implications of religious extremism, he excludes important dialogue partners from fundamentalist traditions.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday (January 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385504608
• ISBN-13: 978-0385504607
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,420,184 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food for thought, February 21, 2002

By 

Peter Abbott - See all my reviews

This review is from: Religions for Peace: A Call for Solidarity to the Religions of the World (Hardcover)

I wouldn't categorize this as an inspirational book--It's really more thoughtful, even manifesto-like at times--but I've nonetheless come away uplifted by what Cardinal Arinze has put forward here. Even though I have long been sympathetic to religions sharing a common vision, in the past I have been uncomfortable with the potential loss of identity for particular faiths (in my case, Christianity). I want to be open all people of good will but I don't want have to adopt a new universalist religion which throws everyone into gooey sameness. This book gives me hope that there can be alliances formed between traditional religions while their individual characters are respected. The author hasn't put forward any radical ideas, but I find it encouraging that someone so high up in the Catholic Church seems to be approaching the multifaceted nature of the world with a sense of reality.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compassionate confrontation and lessons in courage., March 10, 2002

By 

Tw Rutledge "Thom Rutledge, author of Embraci... (Nashville, Tennessee United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Religions for Peace: A Call for Solidarity to the Religions of the World (Hardcover)

Cardinal Arinze says "Peace is not an optimal climate for human life and growth --- it is a necessity." If this is true, then of course we are in a lot of trouble. But from the Cardinal's insistence that half-measures are useless measures, he still manages to confront us with the hard truth while remaining consistently compassionate.

While I do not agree with all of Cardinal Arinze's religious views, I am grateful to him for representing the importance of tolerance and understanding within and among all of the world's religions. It is, after all, the narrow view of exclusivity (If I am right, you are by definition wrong), not religious doctrine itself, that contributes to religions being used as excuses and justification for destructive conflict. Cardinal Arinze emphasizes the need for education about other religions and cultures --- as opposed to perpetuating propaganda --- as a part of every faith community's responsibility.

Whether or not you are religious, there is a tremendous amount to think about in this small 143-page book. It has been my experience in working with people as they confront their fears (Embracing Fear, HarperSanFrancisco) that we humans are very inclined to abandon our expressed value systems when we feel deeply threatened. The courageous among us are those who do not let go of what we believe when the rubber meets the road or something hits the fan.

Religions for Peace can help us be those courageous people.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Religions for Peace, February 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Religions for Peace: A Call for Solidarity to the Religions of the World (Hardcover)

My pastor recommmeded this for our book club. Though the club was sceptical at first (we are not Catholic after all) every person in the club was really interested and read the whole thing! I was impressed by how thoughtful and readable the book was, Cardinal Arinze encourages interfaith dialogue and seems to really believe it and practice it in his own work; he even discusses specific events around the world as examples of religions working together to promote peace and tolerance. The quotes on the back come from all kinds of people of different religions and persectives so he obviously has something to say to anyone who cares about the state of the world and hopes that religion can make a positive difference rather than creating conflicts. This seems like such a slim little book but it's content is so important especially in light of current events. Every part of this book and its message rings true.