What is the relationship between religion and violence? What sense does it make to proclaim that God has been revealed in a world of many religions and incessant violence? Given the long tradition of religious warfare, how can people understand and critique the violence embedded in our traditions and move forward to healthier relations?
Those are some of the timely questions that Rev. Leo Lefebure, a Fordham University scholar, will address at Siena College in Loudonville on Oct. 24 in a lecture titled, "The Problem of Sacralized Violence and Interreligious Dialogue."
The talk was scheduled well before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the U.S. but has special relevance in light of those events and allied counter-strikes against Afghanistan.
'Sacred violence'
"The problem of sacred violence dominates the world today," Father Lefebure told The Evangelist. "It affects all of us."
The lecture will focus on violence and what he calls the "ambiguous traditions" of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A member of dialogues among Christians, Muslims and Buddhists for several years, he defines "sacralized violence" as violence viewed as God's will."
Each religion's "moral principles condemn violence," Father Lefebure said. "But in their histories, members repeatedly justify sacralized violence."
Pertinence
The priest has been writing and studying religion and violence for a long time. His Ph.D. work was focused on the biblical "wisdom tradition" -- Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, Wisdom and related passages, which led him to interreligious dialogues.
"Religion can call forth the noblest dedication and generosity that humans are capable of and can build bridges of peace among communities," he said. "It can also be abused to demonize other groups and channel hostility in the name of God or the gods."
But even as some find justification for violence within religion, he concludes, "Abandoning religion does not avoid the danger of mass murder. The largest, most organized movement [in mass murder] in history to date has been Communism. Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot killed huge numbers of people in the name of atheistic ideals.
"In one revolution after another in the 20th century, religion played a major role in peaceful transformations. Nelson Mandela told the Parliament of the World's Religions in Capetown in 1999 that the struggle against apartheid would never have gone as peacefully as it did if it had not been for the support of so many religious leaders and persons."
(Father Lefebure's books include: "The Buddha and the Christ: Explorations in Buddhist-Christian Dialogue"; "Life Transformed: Meditations on the Christian Scriptures in Light of Buddhist Perspectives"; and "Revelations, the Religions and Violence." His free lecture. Oct. 24, 4 p.m., will be held in St. Mary of the Angels Chapel at Siena. For information, call 782-6567.)