The Complex Reality of Religious Peacebuilding

Reviews / Votes

Katrien Hertog's new book is a superb contribution to the literature on religious peacebuilding. She combines a masterful survey of the field with a unique case study of religious peacebuilding within the Russian Orthodox Church. -- David Smock, U. S. Institute of Peace There are few books that successfully capture the emergence of a new field of study, this book has succinctly presented a set of theoretical concepts and practices of religious peacebuilding. Through a careful examination of the complex role of the Russian Orthodox Church, it innovatively explores the connections between religious studies and the emerging field of peacebuilding. By linking theory with practice, this book contributes to the gradual recognition of the field of religious peacebuilding as an area of study and practice. -- Mohammed Abu-Nimer, School of International Service, American University Clear well-structured presentation of the emerging field of religious peacebuilding and a very good attempt of its systematization. This book is insightful reading for any peace theorist and practitioner and excellent resource for any serious student. -- Alexei Bodrov, St. Andrew's Biblical Theological Institute From the Foreword: [This book] focuses on analysis of sustainable religious peacebuilding, and takes as its major case study the Russian Orthodox Church. This is well worth the effort, as the stability of Russia itself is vital for the global future on two separate continents. . . . I can think of few young scholars who can match Katrien Hertog in managing to not only master the emerging field of religious peacebuilding, but who have also advanced the field by mapping a new method of systematic case study analysis. This is what our field needs to day, on a global scale... -- Marc Gopin, George Mason University From the Foreword: [This book] focuses on analysis of sustainable religious peacebuilding, and takes as its major case study the Russian Orthodox Church. This is well worth the effort, as the stability of Russia itself is vital for the global future on two separate continents. . . . I can think of few young scholars who can match Katrien Hertog in managing to not only master the emerging field of religious peacebuilding, but who have also advanced the field by mapping a new method of systematic case study analysis. This is what our field needs to day, on a global scale. -- Marc Gopin, George Mason University Regardless of one's view, theorizing religion as a resource within peacebuilding is far less developed than other subfields of peace studies, a deficiency that Katrein Hertog's The Complex Reality of Religious Peacebuilding addresses....The most notable strength of the book is its overview of existing literature on religious peacebuilding from the perspective of someone engaged in such activities, of someone working within the system of peacebuilding programs. * Practical Matters Journal *