Nuno Gonçalves Macedo is an independent consultant with a background in development cooperation and theology, and has extensive experience in collaborating with faith-based actors. Recently, he has worked with Christian Aid’s Angola programme for about three and a half years, – first as a senior programme officer and then as a consultant-, and in this capacity was responsible for managing partnerships with Angolan faith-based organisations. He is also currently a board member of FEC, an NGO of the Catholic Church in Portugal. In this interview, he will give us an assessment of how religion and religious actors can contribute to peace, and reflect on his participation in the swisspeace postgraduate course “Conflict Transformation and the Role of Religion”.
Besides Angola, you have also worked in Guinea-Bissau. Does religion play any role in the conflicts these countries face?
In the past civil wars in both countries, people were not fighting for religious reasons. However, previous to that, during the colonial period, particularly in Angola, it has been established that different Christian denominations have had a role in the emancipation, ideologically and organisationally, of different communities and ethnic groups, and the training of their leaders. This was important to influence the dynamics of the war of independence, also the civil war that followed, and the development of the independent Angolan state and society.
Also, different Christian denominations in the case of Angola, and Christian and Muslim actors in the case of Guinea-Bissau, have had an important role in mediating dialogue between parties at several points of the respective civil conflicts. To this day, different religious actors play a significant role in the forming of public opinion, particularly through public and less public interventions on a variety of social and political issues, although generally they will distance themselves from political parties. Governments recognise the ethical authority and power of religious actors and seek to engage with them as social partners. Religion is still fundamental in the provision of an ethical framework and constitutes a major source of values and principles that strongly influence the way people go about their lives as individuals and communities. Religious actors are also important providers of social services to the population, in particular education and health.
Based on your experience, how can religion and religious actors contribute to peace?
I believe that religion and religious actors contribute to peace wherever and whenever they make the case for justice and dignity for all, a well-being based on a common good that also protects the weakest, and when they distance themselves from violent ways of resolving conflicts.
Many religions share the “golden rule”, the principle of treating others as one would wish to be treated. At their best, religions seek to instil within individuals and communities a sense of good and right, and a dynamic of continuous self-improvement; they also provide for non-violent mechanisms to deal with failures and conflicts.
Another important dimension in the tradition of religion and religious actors is something known as the exercise of a prophetic voice, preventing or denouncing abuses from power holders. Furthermore, the ability to promote collective action for peaceful purposes is an important capacity of religious actors. Also, the ability to engage constructively with other civil society organisations, particularly human rights organisations and defenders, is an increasingly important factor of success, or, otherwise, a limitation.
Needless to say, these are principles that need to be acted upon by religious leaders and religious groups, if indeed a meaningful contribution to peace is to be made.
Do you think that faith-based organizations do have any particular advantages or disadvantages when working in peacebuilding?
From my experience, I would say that faith-based organizations have several advantages. They are embedded in communities, culturally adapted and moreover have regional and even global links that facilitate cross-cultural and international relations. Apart from that, such organizations have organised spaces for reflection and well-trained and respected leaders. In addition, they have peace and non-violence at the core of their vision and mission. These characteristics make faith-based organisations potentially legitimate and effective actors. Naturally, there is the other side of the coin, some religious groups may be or become fundamentalist, sectarian or submissive to power holders.
Religion can also divide people. Do you think it might be problematic for a faith-based organization to be involved in a context where religion is a driver of conflict?
Aggressive, voluntary infliction of pain and suffering to someone is condemned by most world religions. Thus, if religion becomes a source or a driver of violent conflict, it means that something went wrong along the way. Of course, looking around us, present and past, in all sorts of places, many things did go wrong. Division seems only an obvious consequence of that. In such contexts, and particularly where a certain faith-based organisation is not perceived as neutral or thought to be associated with a driver of conflict, then its involvement in peacebuilding might become compromised. However, if the organisation manages to influence perceptions and affirm itself as being interested in and capable of transforming conflict, of building bridges for dialogue or diminishing suffering derived from conflict, its intervention might still be accepted. A thorough conflict-sensitivity analysis is critical in such cases.
Additionally to International Development you studied Theology. How do you think does your religious education influence your work in the field of peacebuilding?
My theology studies definitely helped me build up a better understanding of the ways religion and religious actors may contribute to peace or violent conflict, as well as of the ideas but also the history and context behind those. Beyond that, it allowed me to become better acquainted with the language and culture of religious actors. This knowledge is utterly beneficial to me when engaging with faith leaders and groups in my daily work, in helping to identify the potential of faith and religion as a force for peace, but also the risks that may compromise this potential.
Even more than my theology training, what inspires and informs me the most, are the experiences that I have had with people living in situations of civil conflict or post-conflict, in Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and elsewhere: how faith and religion were and still are fundamental for their daily life and for hope in a better, more peaceful future.
Last year you participated in the postgraduate course “Conflict Transformation and the Role of Religion” offered by swisspeace. What motivated you to invest in an education on the nexus of conflict transformation and religion?
Yes, I participated in that course as part of my ongoing CAS in Civilian Peacebuilding. One of my main motivations has been to develop my knowledge and understanding about the theory and practice of religion, conflict and peacebuilding, particularly in contexts that are not so familiar to me. My aim was to improve the usage of peacebuilding strategies and tools that I can use in my consultancy work. What’s more, the course provides an opportunity for sharing, learning and networking with academics and practitioners working in this area of expertise, which is increasingly relevant in so many social conflicts.
What were things you did not yet know? What did build on your previous knowhow and experiences?
Although I had some previous knowledge about the conflict in Northern Ireland, one of the case studies used in the course, it was very interesting to study in more detail the historic role of religion in constructing ideologies, the relationship between theology and politics, and religion as an ethnic marker. Another significant point was to reflect on the difficulty that religious actors have in working for a solution for peace in cases where they are an important part of the problem in the first place, and on the role that religious leaders at the margins may play in such contexts. There were also some useful insights from the analysis of the intervention of churches in processes of dealing with the past: for instance, the need to recognise the complexity in the meanings and mechanisms of forgiveness and reconciliation for different people involved.
In what ways do you think will your participation in the course be beneficial to your work?
For me, it was helpful to reassess reflections on ongoing work I am currently part of in other places, in my consultancy work. Also, from a more methodological point of view, the use of the ACCP methodology in the design of mediation processes applied to this kind of conflict, is something I will remember.
