Spirituality and religion in the response to the adversities of war and armed conflict

Abstract

The various possible responses that human beings may display in circumstances of extreme adversity are categorized within a broad anthropological framework, namely, medical or pathological, creative and artistic, ideological and political, and spiritual and religious responses. The understanding of their dynamic healing and coping mechanisms is conceptualized within self theory and the explanatory value of each of those manners of responding to adversity. A concise review of the literature is presented for each one of those models as they affect the prevention and outcome of traumatic impact of adverse events. This is specifically suitable to the medical pathological model and to the creative and artistic responses. In particular, art therapy in a programmed and deliberate manner promotes the channelling of traumatic anxieties into a reconstructive process of historical continuity, social re-integration and renovation of the self required for the cementation of hope and the projection of energies towards the construction of a future. Ideological and political coping mechanisms are of major importance in the preparation and outcome of the military facing the traumas of combat and POW experience in, for example, the Korean and the Vietnam wars, and in today’s armies and civilian populations, including the Middle East.

As for the role of religion and spirituality in response to trauma, the paper concentrates specifically on the idea of forgiveness in the construction of a peace and reconciliation process, as garnered from of a review of the literature available from experiences in Argentina, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Kosovo and the ongoing Israel Palestinian situation. Other variables are added to construct a model which is used to analyze the data gathered from public documents. The analysis is guided by the hypothesis that religious beliefs and spirituality, specifically forgiveness under certain conditions, are related to social coping and stability, and to favourable attitudes to reconciliation and a just peace.

Besides, basic information is extracted from four individual cases taken from published biographies and film documentaries, and analyzed in terms of ideology and modes of response as presented by the subjects. The paper concludes with implications for conflict resolution and attitudes to peace, both for the individuals involved and the contending parties.