Healing a Nation's Wounds

Reconciliation on the Road to Democracy

The process of transition from authoritarian to democratic modes of governance is taking place in many regions of the world. From Estonia to Ethiopia, from South Africa to El Salvador, political change offers new hope to oppressed people.

Even after dictators are overthrown and peace agreements have been signed, however, the process of transition is often marred by conflicts that threaten to undermine newly-established, and often fragile, democratic political structures. In such contexts, moreover, the task of promoting reconciliation - healing societal divisions and creating new consensual political systems - is a complex and long-term process.

Churches are major social actors in many of the countries where democratic transitions are taking place. In some cases, they were major centers of resistance to authoritarian rule and committed to the struggle for change. In other cases, they were perceived as being allied with authoritarian regimes and are now struggling to position themselves in a new situation.

Regardless of their position in the previous political system, churches are now called to define anew their role in supporting the transition and reconciling people who have been in conflict.

Written by leading US theologian Walter Wink, Healing a Nation's Wounds is the introductory essay in the Life & Peace Institute report series "Reconciliation and the Church in the Transition to Democracy".

In a broad ranging survey of the theological and ethical issues involved in the process of democratic transition, Healing a Nation's Wounds provides a conceptual framework for the specific case studies from Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Central America that will follow in the series.

Healing a Nation's Wounds (ISBN 91 87748 36-3) is available from the:
Life & Peace Institute
751 70 Uppsala
Sweden

March 1997

IEF Meeting on Reconciliation

The Czech and Slovak region of the International Ecumenical Fellowship is organising a regional meeting on reconciliation to be held in Slapy, central Bo-hemia, 2-9 August 1997. The week-long meeting will include time for prayer, discussion, fellowship and worship with Christian of different denominations.

Reconciliation from a national perspective: Nationalism and fundamentalism ú Personal and national dimension of reconciliation ú Prevention of national conflicts
Reconciliation from a historical perspective: Cyril, Methodius, Huss, Reformation, Recatholisation and our common heritage ú Do saints stand on the side of one denomination against another? ú Influence of power struggles in Middle Europe on religious rivalry in Bohemia
Reconciliation from a social perspective: Does the former communist Europe need a theology of prosperity or a theology of liberation? ú Changes in the Czech society after 1989 ú Typology of a contemporary politician, businessperson and marginal member of society ú How to put social teachings of the church into practice

Conference fee (including meals) is 200DM (four-bed room) or 150DM (camping).

Registrations should be sent as soon as possible to:
Vladimir Albrecht, Renoirova 619, CZ-152 00 Prague 5

Be a Part of a Vision for
Healing and Change

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is seeking volunteers to fill three positions in Europe. Workers are urgently needed for the following openings:

-Administrative Assistant in the MCC Europe Office in Tramelan (CH)
-Peace Coordinator in Sarajevo, Bosnia
-Rural Development Promotor in Banja Luka, Bosnia

MCC requires volunteers to be Christian, actively involved in a local church congregation and committed to living out biblical principles of non-violence.

For further information and/or an application form, contact:
MCC Europe Office Tel: +41 32 487 5756
Grand Rue 114, Case Postale Fax: +41 32 487 5335
CH-2720 Tramelan E-mail: debbyMCC@aol.com
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