Journal launches scholarly discussion of role of religion in peace.

"The Journal of Religion, Conflict, and Peace" debuts at www.religionconflictpeace.org. The online scholarly journal, published by a collaborative of Indiana's three historic peace colleges, is a new forum for discussion of the role of religion in both conflict and peacebuilding. The journal is a project of the Plowshares peace studies collaborative of Earlham, Goshen, and Manchester Colleges, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. Manchester College is a Church of the Brethren school in North Manchester, Ind.

The premier issue of the journal features articles by nine major thinkers in theology, ethics, religious studies, and conflict transformation. Readers may access the articles about religion as a source of conflict and as a resource for peace without subscription, and distribute them (with attribution and unaltered) freely. A "letters to the editor" feature further encourages dialogue among readers and scholars.

Initial topics range from the role of religion in the global war on terrorism by Douglas Johnston, president of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, to an argument for recanonizing scripture to exclude violent texts by secular humanist Hector Avalos of Iowa State University. Daniel Maguire of Marquette University brings his expertise on moral theological ethics, and ordained Soto priest Brian Victoria at Antioch College identifies a "holy war" tradition in all major faiths and calls for its rejection universally.

Joseph Liechty, associate professor of peace studies at Goshen College, is editor. Contact him at 574-535-7802 or joecl@goshen.edu.

Source: 10/10/2007 Newsline