Page 12 - The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand Vol.XIII-2021

The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand
Volume XIII – 2021

Conflict has always been with humans; therefore, it is not surprising that
humans invoked their respective deities to assist them in their ultimate struggles.

For the Prussian monarchy the motto “Gott mit Uns” (God with Us) was very
normal. Until 1962, German soldiers had belt buckles with those very words. Long
is the list of Gods of War – long is the list of references of conflict in the scriptures.

Where there is peace, there is religion. In so many of their teachings, peace

plays a central role. Peace, in a holistic way, is much more than the absence of
conflict. It includes a state of mind as well as spiritual connections. But actions in
everyday life play an important part in the path to peace. Therefore, it comes as no

surprise that as different as they are in belief systems, many religious teachings
have clear guidelines for their followers’ daily life. Just look at the “Five Precepts”
in Buddhism or the “Ten Commandments” in Christianity, for example.

It falls upon individual human beings as to how to interpret their religious
teachings. In relation to conflicts, this becomes even more relevant. Religious

leaders play a very important role. Will they add fuel to the flames of hatred and
violence or will they try to extinguish them? Their words count since they enjoy
trust in their communities – even more so in conflict regions, where the trust
between people and governments is often very low.

Recognizing the important role of religious leaders and religious teachings
in conflict management has been with us for quite a long time. In the 19 Century,
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the “Parliament of Religions” (1893) is considered as the first formalized inter-faith
dialogue including representatives from various faiths. From then until today,
there is a long list of initiatives calling for dialogue and tolerance between religious

leaders – especially after the two catastrophic world conflicts in the 20 Century.
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In 1970, the first World Conference of “Religions for Peace” was held in
Japan. The above mentioned Parliament of Religions resumed its activities in 1993.
A theologian from Switzerland, Hans Küng, tried to distill the essence of moral

teachings from various religions. The document “Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial
Declaration” later developed into the idea of a “Weltethos” – a set of guidelines
deemed acceptable from religious leaders as common principles for action. His
foundation “Welthethos” continues to join the many voices that insist on the

Responsibility of Religious Communities for Peace – A Role for Diplomacy? (Friedensverantwortung von
2 Religionsgemeinschaften - eine Rolle für die Diplomatie?)