JCM Conference 2020
Religious Responses to Terror and Trauma
Recent years have seen a massive increase in traumatic news stories. Natural disasters include tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, and drought. But alongside these lie human-made disasters such as acts of terrorism, war, and assassination. Physical, sexual and indeed spiritual abuse have also led to trauma and terror.
Religion has been exploited to seemingly play a role in this. Some assassins justify their crimes with twisted religious ideology. On the other hand, religious buildings and gatherings are often terror targets. Nevertheless, despite sometimes being victims of violence, faith communities must explain themselves after “religiously-justified” crimes.
Religions are also challenged to offer not only public explanations but also support to those who have been spiritually and psychologically traumatized. Religious communities urgently need to reconcile and interpret the revelation entrusted to them in such a way that they no longer offer any support for terrorism and that the wounds caused by terrorist outrages may heal.
The conference explored how Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths react to trauma and terror.
Religion has been exploited to seemingly play a role in this. Some assassins justify their crimes with twisted religious ideology. On the other hand, religious buildings and gatherings are often terror targets. Nevertheless, despite sometimes being victims of violence, faith communities must explain themselves after “religiously-justified” crimes.
Religions are also challenged to offer not only public explanations but also support to those who have been spiritually and psychologically traumatized. Religious communities urgently need to reconcile and interpret the revelation entrusted to them in such a way that they no longer offer any support for terrorism and that the wounds caused by terrorist outrages may heal.
The conference explored how Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths react to trauma and terror.