Journal of Peace Studies of Religions
Volume:1 Issue: 2, Spring-Summer 2020

In times of secular advancement, religious organisations began with widespread creation of common ground for a defence of religious and spiritual values worldwide. Ecumenism and interreligious dialogue became a norm for almost every denomination and world religion, focused on theological discussions, forms of unity, religious diplomacy and religious peacebuilding and humanitarian aid. Religious institutions act as an important societal stakeholder and clergy enjoys authority and legitimacy in an overwhelming number of countries. This comes as an important addition to peacebuilding efforts in postconflict societies, particularly if those societies are multi-ethnic and multi-religious. Such cases can be seen in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Syria, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and many other places in the world where religion is being misused for political and nationalistic goals. Empirical research of such activities should also focus on spoilers in those processes. Spoilers are persons or institutions who believe that peace emerging from negotiations or dialogue threatens their power, worldview and interests, while violence, negative peace, status quo or lack of initiatives are used to undermine achievements of peacebuilding. In a religious sense, many spoilers think of ecumenical and interreligious tendencies as a betrayal of key values or disadvantage of their position in society. Spoilers may seem very interested in peace processes, they may be part of interreligious councils and play a role in various initiatives, but are insincere in their commitments, have various strategies and tactics to avoid true reconciliation and may have been positioned from their respective institutions. This paper is a result of in-depth research of interreligious peacebuilding initiatives in the Bosnia and Herzegovina and suggests ways to discover spoilers and challenges local communities face with them in the process.

Violence and extremism are of the most important topics in current research on religion and interreligious studies. The New World Order and the global peace, justice and ethics, cannot be understood without accounting for the role of religion and religious organizations and among the topics dealing with religion is the matter of violence done by the excuse of religion’s orders. There is increasing research looking at and beyond religious causes of

this time of distraction, wars, negativity we must remain vigilant and awaken in us the ability to look to the essentials. It is a time for recovering the meaning of the mission that the Lord has entrusted to us during the day of Easter, that is to be sign and instrument of the Father's mercy. A question is present in our hearts: why right now a Jubilee of Mercy? Simply because the Church, in this time of great upheavals, is called upon to offer more strongly the signs of the presence and closeness of God. The special Jubilee of Mercy has been opened on December 8, 2015 and will end on November 20, 2016. Pope Francis spoke about the resurrection of Christ and about tragedies, that are afflicting at this time thousands of faithfuls, remembering the words of the Risen Jesus to his disciples on Easter evening: “Peace be with you”. Peace, especially at this time, is the desire of all people who suffer the unheard violence of discrimination and death at all levels around the world. Our prayer must be therefore more intense and become a cry for help to the Father which is rich in mercy, for sustaining the faith of brothers and sisters who are in pain; we all must switch from indifference to compassion..

This article contains research about the commonalities between the character of Mary or Marian in the Bible and the Quran. In hopes of bringing the two major religions and their followers closer though knowledge and understanding rather than typical stereotypes and a lack of understanding spreading pious individuals further away from one another. In hopes to create a spark in research and education of religion. Mary is contemplated through the Bible and Quran based on the similarities in her characteristic traits such as piety and virginity, and the symbol of her veil which is an obligation put on believing women from their Creator.

The topic of the relationship between state and religion in Europe is obviously very ample and comprehensive. It is evident, too, that the topic is to some extent vague, a condition that allows for a global survey. Religion and the divine in different shapes accompany all human history, and man was perennially looking for adequate ways to express his relationship to God and the divine. With regard to the three monotheistic world religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the Old Testament bears already witness of the relationship between state and religion.

Interreligious and intercultural marriages are very important and significant aspects in our traditional life. Some traditions do not allow these kinds of marriage. They are both contradictory from each other. A couple can achieve peace in their married life if they are able to overcome political interference and traditional requirements. Firstly, political interference is one of the massive barriers for an interreligious and intercultural marriage. One cannot accept another group of people. Sometimes, one group wants to achieve some extraordinary things. Even couples may not understand about the events they need to overcome. Those groups cannot see love or a covenantal entrance into a new life rather than a barrier. Stronger party wants to rule over another. Love becomes meaningless in their life. So, very few can overcome political interreligious and intercultural marriage. Secondly, traditional outlook is the main aspect in interreligious and intercultural marriages. Though there is love between newly married couples but when it comes upon traditional thinking then it will become worse. Tradition always forces them to convert from one religion to another or a couple may need to face emotional hatred, neglected in a new culture and society. Sometimes, they may lose their rights or not be allowed to accept a new culture. The Quran says a good thing about intercultural and interreligious marriage in verses 4:1, 4:19, 5:5, 60:10 but the Quran does not accept marriage with idol worshipers. In the Bible, Numbers 12:1-15, John 4:4-26, Eph 4:2-3, 1 Cor 7:12- 15 marriage is all about love except some contradiction but tradition always searches for the wrong thing. So, marriage depends on love and peace not a fence or barrier like politics and tradition. It does not want to understand what to learn from their Holy Scriptures. In conclusion, it is necessary to understand that when we want to create barriers for interreligious and intercultural marriage, we do sin knowingly or unknowingly and divide them from each other. Marriage only depends on love, respect and peace with each other.