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What does it take to bring people together when anger, fear, and years of mistrust stand between them?
And what can Christians do to cultivate peace in a world where the call to love our enemies can seem painfully difficult to put into practice?
Join us for a Catholic365 Live! special livestream with Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil, Archbishop Emeritus of Guwahati, India, as we explore lessons from his years of working for peace among divided communities in northeastern India.
His work for peace in northeastern India drew international attention in 2011, when news outlets including The Indian Express reported that he had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Now approaching his 90th birthday, Archbishop Thomas continues to invite reflection on how faith, patient dialogue, and respect for human dignity can help interrupt cycles of hostility.
Our conversation, “Cultivating Peace at a Time of War: Lessons from a Lifetime of Peacemaking,” will explore those lessons and their relevance to our own lives.
A thoughtful response
His book, Exaggeration Invites Exaggeration, offers a starting point. Its central argument asks us to examine how our own responses can intensify the conflicts we hope to resolve. Humiliation can deepen resentment. Angry words can provoke angrier replies. Efforts to overpower an opponent can strengthen that opponent’s determination to fight back.
Archbishop Thomas urges us to consider the difference between a thoughtful response and an impulsive reaction. That distinction has consequences in international affairs, in public discussions about religion and politics, and around our own dinner tables.
But it also raises difficult questions. How do we pursue reconciliation while protecting those who are suffering? How can we forgive without overlooking injustice? What does it mean to remain firm in our convictions while listening respectfully to someone who rejects them?
These are questions we hope to explore with him through the experiences that have shaped his understanding of peace.
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